The Top 10 Worst Foods to Eat

One of the easiest ways to improve your diet is to learn how to identify the most unhealthy foods to eat — and how to replace them with better options.

However, viewing foods through a lens of “good” or “bad” can make decisions even harder, says Brogan Taylor, RD, registered dietitian at Banner Health in Phoenix, Arizona.

Keep reading to find out more about foods with less nutritional value, along with suggestions for healthier alternatives.

• Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and cold cuts
• Sodas
• White bread
• French fries
• Fast food burgers
• Donuts
• Processed cheese
• Potato chips
• Processed snack foods
• Alcohol

When it comes to “the worst” foods, though, Taylor doesn’t forbid anything. Instead, she works with her clients to find long-term solutions to decrease or replace those foods. She encourages her clients to eat more of certain foods — items rich in nutrients such as fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, and lean proteins. Focusing on the positive can help decrease the amount of low-nutrient food they consume, she says.

“It’s about understanding how different foods can impact our health and making informed choices,” she says.

Discover 10 foods to limit for your health and learn about tasty alternatives that are more nutritious.

1. Processed Meats Like Bacon, Hot Dogs, and Cold Cuts

Processed meats like bologna, ham, and bacon are high in calories and salt and are linked to increased risk of heart disease due to their impact on cholesterol and blood pressure, says Julia Zumpano, RD, registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Healthier substitutes

Try to go for lean protein sources like grilled chicken breast or tofu instead of reaching for that sub or hoagie, says Zumpano. “These alternatives provide protein without the harmful additives in processed meats,” she says.

2. Sodas

Taylor sees many clients who drink a lot of soda.

“They know it isn’t something that they should consume a lot of, but it can be a tough habit to quit,” she says.

Rather than trying to get people to switch from regular to diet soda, she works with them to reduce their overall intake.

Healthier substitutes

Water and herbal teas are great alternatives to soda, says Taylor.

“My goal is to help people increase water intake as much as possible. However, if they can use alternatives, such as sparkling water, flavoring packets, fruit-infused water, or herbal teas, it will still decrease total added sugar,” she says.

3. White Bread

Although many people express concern about how much bread they eat, trying to cut it out completely can actually make them eat more, says Taylor.

Healthier substitutes

Whole-grain bread is a good alternative to white bread because it provides more fiber, vitamins, and minerals and keeps blood sugars more stable, says Taylor. A balanced meal should feature a variety of all food groups, which can sometimes include white bread but not exclude all other types.

4. French Fries

Healthier substitutes

Oven-baked potato wedges seasoned with herbs and spices are a tasty swap, says Zumpano. Use vegetable, avocado, corn, or canola oil spray to make the outside of the wedges nice and crispy.

5. Fast Food Burgers

Eating high-calorie burgers may often have a negative effect on overall health if they contain large amounts of saturated fat, salt, and added sugars, says Taylor.

All of these can lead to chronic health conditions over time, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, she says.

Healthier substitutes

Swap your regular ground beef burger for a salmon or bean burger, says Kate Patton, RD, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

A salmon burger provides healthy fats along with protein, and bean burgers are a great source of nutrients and fiber.

6. Donuts

Although donuts are delicious, they don’t offer much in terms of health benefits.

“Donuts are deep-fried in oils, may contain trans fat, and contain a huge amount of sugar,” says Zumpano.

Healthier substitutes

By baking your own treat, you can include ingredients like avocado oil and whole-grain flour and reduce or replace the sugar with applesauce, prunes, or dates, she says.

7. Processed Cheese

Cheese products — think nacho cheese, processed cheese slices, and canned cheese dips — aren’t great health choices for a few reasons, says Zumpano.

“Processing may add saturated fats, trans fats, sodium, sugar, coloring, and flavorings, which can lead to increased levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol,” she says. “Processed cheeses also tend to have a creamier and stronger flavor, which makes them more appealing. This can mean controlling your intake becomes more challenging.”

Healthier substitutes

When you’re in the mood for cheese, choose fresh feta or ricotta, which have less fat and sodium compared with processed cheeses, and may contain more protein and calcium, says Zumpano.

8. Potato Chips

• 9.52 g of fat
• 1.79 g protein
• 0.86 g fiber

Healthier substitutes

Choose a snack food that’s higher in nutrients, such as roasted chickpeas, trail mix, or seaweed crisps, says Taylor. “There are a lot of other options than just chips,” she says. However, these can also contain high amounts of sodium. Moderation is key, whatever you’re choosing to eat.

9. Processed Snack Foods

Processed snack foods like crackers and cookies are often high in sugars and unhealthy fats like palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and hydrogenated oils and sugars. Although these foods are often convenient and easy for people to eat on the run, they are typically high in fat and sodium, says Taylor.

Healthier substitutes

Choose whole food snacks like nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, or vegetables with hummus, which are all good sources of essential nutrients, fiber, and healthy fats, says Taylor.

10. Alcohol

Many people have a complicated relationship with alcohol, and overuse can be a challenge, says Taylor.

Healthier substitutes

Mocktails, sparkling water with fruit, or a nonalcoholic version of wine or beer. Not only are these better for your liver and pancreas, they’re often also lower in calories, says Taylor.

The Takeaway

• Foods with low nutritional value tend to be highly processed, high in saturated fats, or high in extra calories but provide little additional nutrition.
• Making food at home can help you retain some control over the nutritional value of the ingredients, such as replacing French fries with homemade potato wedges.
• While labeling certain foods as villains may be tempting, focus on nutrient-packed alternatives to support your journey to a sustainable, healthy mindset.
• If you’re finding your intake of certain foods with low nutritional value or alcohol challenging to moderate, get in touch with a registered dietitian nutritionist or physician for guidance and support.