Worst Foods in America

I came across this interesting article a few days ago and thought I would share. Men's Health magazine put together a top 20 list of the worst foods in America (health wise, not taste wise). Some are no brainers, but some will surprise you. For example, the worst drink in America is concocted at your local, health conscious Jamba Juice.

http://www.menshealth.com/20worst/worstfood.html

-- In trying to eat healthier, remember to watch your sodium intake, as high sodium has been linked to hypertension, or high blood pressure. The RDA, recommended daily amount, of sodium intake for a healthy individual should be around 2400 mg per day. That's not much considering some of the items on that list top 4000 mg per meal.

-- Also, watch those saturated fats (fats that contain carbons completely surrounded by hydrogen atoms)  that are found in most animal based products. These saturated fats solidify at room temperature and can raise LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) in your blood.

-- Another key is to avoid intake of too many carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in your body will raise insulin levels, which actually signal the liver to produce more saturated fat! Also, carbohydrates are broken down into glycogen, which serves as an excellent reservoir for water to attach to. So a reason why you may be gaining weight, or rather water weight, is your intake of carbohydrates.

So, when you are looking at the nutritional facts, look for the amounts of sodium, saturated fats, and carbohydrates, as high intakes of those three can be a serious detriment to your health.