Worst Foods to Eat When Dieting

Dieting can be a vicious cycle of sacrifice and weight loss, followed by weight gain. While there are literally hundreds of diets and weight loss strategies, the easiest way to lose weight is to eat a diet consisting largely of fresh fruits and vegetables, in modest proportions. The key to maintaining a healthy diet is to eliminate high caloric foods that are empty of nutrition.

Sugar

• Sugar and highly refined forms of sugar are found in many processed foods. Refined sugar goes by many names such as: dextrose, sucrose, glucose, lactose, fructose and high-fructose corn syrup. When an abundance of sugar is ingested and enters the bloodstream, insulin is released by the body, which supports the storage of fat. The end result is rapid weight gain. In some individuals, the consumption of sugar can trigger emotional and physical cravings for more sugar.

Carbohydrates

• There are two forms of carbohydrates distinguished by their makeup; simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates break down quickly into sugar in your body and offer little nutritional value, while the complex carbohydrates found in whole grain breads and plant foods break down less quickly and completely. Avoid consuming the nutritionless simple sugars.

Foods Fried in Additional Oil

• Most foods naturally contain enough oils and moisture for adequate cooking. We tend to add butter, shortening, or oil when we cook, especially when we fry food, but not all foods require additional fats. Hamburgers can be cooked without adding oil or butter and drained prior to eating. Beef hot dogs can be cooked in boiling water instead of fried in butter. Avoid adding extra fat to foods for cooking or to enhance the flavor. Once you taste food in its natural state, you won't go back to those added calories.

Carbonated Beverages

• Whether you are dieting or not, carbonated beverages should be avoided, including carbonated water, fruit drinks and basically any drink that fizzes. The carbon dioxide contained in the bubbles increases bloating, creates gas, and reduces the time required for the stomach to empty. In addition, carbonated drinks can make you feel fatigued; one quality that dieters don't welcome.

Fruit Drinks

• Fruit drinks may sound healthy, but many are loaded with various types of sugar. In fact, the majority of fruit drinks may only contain a slight percentage of actual fruit juice. One would be better off to eat a piece of fruit instead where you can get natural sugar, nutrition and fiber. Read labels to see exactly what ingredients are contained in beverages. Choose 100-percent fruit juice, preferably organic, over juice beverages and drinks. Better still, add some water to 100 percent fruit juice to eliminate a few extra calories.

Bread

• Unless you are eating bread made from sprouted grains, all foods made with white flour should be avoided. The process of making white flour strips the grains of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and over half the calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, according to Ira Marxe, CEO of Good Health Supplements. These are naturally occurring vitamins and minerals contained in the grain. What is left is some protein, fattening starch and residual chemicals from the bleaching process.