MUST READ: Some bad foods to avoid

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There are some foods out there that you should just stay away from, no matter what. Read on for some of the surprising — and not so surprising — foods you should banish from your diet.

Margarine: Some brands of margarine are loaded with a whole slew of unhealthy trans and saturated fats. And, many of the brands that claim to be trans fat-free are actually allowed to contain a little bit of the stuff. Margarine sticks are the absolute worst offenders here: they almost all contain those unhealthy fats.

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Potato chips: This greasy, salty and carbohydrate-loaded snack contains ultra-unhealthy trans-fats, which can lead to increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Low-fat packaged foods: Healthy fats like olive oil and avocados are great in small doses, and you do need these fats to maintain a healthy diet. But take a close look at the nutritional facts of any low-fat food before buying: it might be packing a whole bunch of unhealthy ingredients.

Frozen meals (even ‘healthy’ ones!): It’s not that all frozen foods are bad. But those frozen dinners? Well, what you’re gaining in convenience you’re usually losing in nutritional value. Frozen dinners often contain alarmingly high levels of salt, sugar, fat and calories.
 

Processed meats: There is little nutritional value, and plenty of nutritional concerns, in smoked, cured and salted meats. Loaded with cholesterol, fat and salt, processed meats also contain plenty of preservatives that actually may increase your risk of certain types of cancer.

Microwave popcorn: Air-popped popcorn is a surprisingly healthy snack. But the packaged stuff? Well, microwave popcorn tends to contain plenty of scary, unhealthy additives, trans-fats and way too much salt. Stick to the stovetop stuff and pour on the real butter and salt. That way, you can control how much you want. And it tastes better, too!

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