What are you looking for?

Search through our content to find what you need

Tag: food

America’s 9 Healthiest Fast Food Joints

fast food
Photo by Ratov Maxim at Shutterstock

Fast Food

In the US, the term “fast food” comes with a particular set of associations that usually involve the smell of French fries and grayish burger patties. But it’s time we put those images aside because a new age of fast food has dawned. After many years of growth, the fast food system is finally growing smaller, in a good way.

Fast Food companies are staying away from large food processors and commercial kitchens, and they rely more on cooking food by hand. By reinventing what fast food used to be, these restaurants have raised the standards for everyone. Fast food is often considered as being unhealthy.

But trying to be good isn’t always the easiest when you’re on the go. There are many deep-frying, stuffing with cheese, and loads of fat, calories, and sodium that go into many fast food locations. Luckily, some are known for their healthier options, even if you aren’t talking about the entire menu. Here are the 9 most beneficial fast food joints to choose from when other options aren’t available.

…Continue reading to find out which restaurant chains offer a bunch of healthy options!

Subway

The main benefit of Subway is that you choose what you want on your sandwich. You can pack it in with veggies and skip the cheese, or add some avocado for some great fats. You can also get your sandwich in a flatbread for reduced carbs or turn any sandwich into a salad to skip the bread altogether.

This chain has over 44,000 restaurants in 110 different countries, including the US. Are you a person who heavily monitors health and fitness? Well, they serve build-it-yourself sub sandwiches with salads. For an even better option, you can skip the bread altogether. They can serve you salad with chicken breast and a variety of fresh vegetables.

McDonald’s

This one will shock you! Yes, the home of the Big Mac can be one of the healthier places to eat, depending on what you order. They offer great-tasting and healthy parfaits, oatmeal, chicken snack wraps, and don’t forget about their famous Egg McMuffin. So yes, it’s possible to eat healthy at McDonald’s!

The enormous chain is just about everywhere you go, so it’s crucial to figure out what you CAN eat. At McDonald’s, the general rule of thumb would be to skip the burgers and fish and opt for the grilled chicken.

You can either choose to eat it with the bun or go bunless and have it wrapped in lettuce for an even healthier alternative. Also, be sure to select apple dippers as a side instead of French fries, or go for one of their salads instead.

Chick-Fil-A

This is another perfect example that would help you achieve better overall health and fitness. This restaurant is best known for their chicken sandwiches. It’s also important to note that Chick-fil-A is the first fast food chain in the US to offer a menu that’s free of trans fats.

They try to serve healthier dishes. Their kid’s menu even has fruit cup sides and milk. It’s also great about using fresh ingredients that don’t contain too many preservatives or artificial ingredients. They make their food healthy every day, and their chicken sandwiches aren’t bad.

Unfortunately, the bread and cheese might be a bit much depending on how healthy you eat. Their best option is the chicken salad or grilled chicken nuggets.

…Wanna know more about healthy living? Check this out: Clean Eating for Beginners: 75 Recipes and 21-Day Meal Plan 

fast food
Photo by dennizn at Shutterstock

Chipotle

Tacos and burritos are some of our favorite foods. Chipotle Mexican Grill is a chain restaurant that specializes in just that. They try to serve organic foods only and with local ingredients. Also, they provide meats from naturally grown animals.

It’s also very convenient because you can find Chipotle all over the US, but also in the UK, Canada, France, and Germany. This one is probably not as surprising since many people know about Chipotle’s fresh ingredients and healthy options.

Nearly all of their choices are nutritive, so this depends on your limitations, such as wanting to go low-fat, vegetarian, or low-carb. Choose a bowl if you want to lower the calories and carbs, or go with a salad. You can choose the grilled chicken and vegetables, rice, and any toppings you like.

Panera Bread

This chain has more than 1,300 locations in the US and Canada. It’s a bakery that features many low-fat and natural food choices. Customers can experience whole grains and fruit scattered throughout their menu options, and if you’re traveling somewhere with a Panera, you’re in luck!

This looks like a diner, but it’s actually considered more of a fast food joint. You order at the counter and find your seat or take it to-go, but it doesn’t offer a drive-thru. At Panera, you can choose any of their salads, sandwiches, or soups. Their chicken is hormone and antibiotic-free, and they offer the alternative of an apple instead of chips with sandwiches.

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Bear with us on this one. While you may think this chain shouldn’t be on our list because bagels are full of carbs! Well, the real problem is when you start slathering cream cheese or butter on them.

That can definitely jeopardize your calorie count! But Einstein Bros. offers many healthier options like reduced-fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter. Which is an ideal way to add healthy fat to breakfast or lunch. It also offers a Good Grains bagel with an impressive 4 grams of fiber.

Are you looking for a salad? You can order any in a half-size. We happen to also love the high-fiber Veg Out on a sesame seed bagel. And for the kiddos? We recommend the bagel dog and a fruit salad on the side.

Taco Del Mar

This chain offers healthy fish options with some of the freshest ingredients. Just stay clear of the breakfast options. Especially the Mondo Breakfast Burritos. They have over 1000 calories! You may have noticed that they have Baja-style Mexican cuisine.

That means you’ll get fresh ingredients and fish instead of beef and chicken. Whole grains are also easy to get here, with whole-wheat tortillas available as an alternative in burritos. This fast food joint also gets high praise for its 320-calorie chicken burrito, available at most locations.

But what impressed us most was that Taco Del Mar banned lard from its beans, and they bake their fish and taco shells instead of frying them. Our recommendation for this delicious location is the Mondito-size burrito, which fills you up but keeps the fat and sodium in check.

Au Bon Pain

With over 280 locations nationwide, this restaurant is a pioneer in healthy fast food. Au Bon Pain serves sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrees made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free chicken.

One unique feature is that Au Bon Pain supplies on-site nutritional information via computer kiosks, so before you even order, you know each choice’s calories, fat, and sodium. It’s a great way to keep track of your diet.

We recommend the Yummy low-cal soups, from Jamaican Black Bean to Fire Roasted Exotic Grains and Vegetables. The only thing we suggest you bear in mind is that the sodium counts can get high if you don’t pay attention.

Corner Bakery Cafe

This chain only has 111 locations, so you won’t find it everywhere. But if you’re lucky enough to have one in your area, you’ll love the egg white omelets with green peppers, red peppers, and onions. The Swiss oatmeal is also another breakfast favorite. But what is so special about Corner Bakery? It’s got an amazing breakfast menu, which is rare for the fast food world.

Customers love the Farmer’s Scrambler. It’s eggs scrambled with red and green bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, potatoes, and Cheddar cheese. There’s also Swiss oatmeal, a chilled European breakfast cereal made with rolled oats, bananas, currants, green apples, dried cranberries, low-fat yogurt, and skim milk.

We also recommend their healthy oven-roasted chicken that comes on most pasta and salads. Unfortunately, you have to go to their website if you want nutritional info.

fast food
Photo by Timolina at Shutterstock

Takeaway

So just because a restaurant has a reputation for junk food, just take your time and read their menus because they always have healthy options added in there as well. Or you can have the meals modified in most places to suit your overall health and fitness. Some restaurants will also offer gluten-free options and vegetarian dishes.

Think of it this way: It’s their business. They don’t want to lose their customers. So, they would naturally also think about their more health-conscious clients! The next time you rush to find a fast food restaurant, make sure you look for options that fit your lifestyle.

Also, keep in mind that many of these places offer meals based on bread, high-calorie items, and tortillas. So, you should find the best restaurants out of the many in our country. But you can rest assured. Many of them offer low-carb menus and many items that can be modified to your liking.

…Did you find this helpful? Keep us up to date and tell us about your own experience in the comments section!

…And You May Also Like: 6 Healthy Foods That Can Make You Bloated

11 Reasons to Add Omega 3 Fatty-Acids to Your Diet NOW

If you didn’t know already, omega-3 fatty acids are wildly important. They have so many powerful and healthy benefits for our bodies and brains, and even more, they’re an essential piece in the structure of our cell wall.

They represent a natural energy source and enhance the good functioning of our heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system. There are two crucial ones — EPA and DHA, which can be primarily found in certain fish.

On the other hand, the well-known ALA, or alpha-linolenic acid, can be found in plant sources such as nuts and seeds. There are only a couple of nutrients studied as omega-3 fatty acids. Since we know so much about them, let’s discuss some science-based health benefits of these nutrients:

omega 3
Photo By jirkaejc from Envato

Omega-3s are an ally against depression and anxiety

Only recently did we start accepting depression as one of the most damaging mental illnesses in the world. Some of its most known symptoms are sadness, lethargy, and a general loss of interest in life. It’s easy to mistake it with anxiety, which is also another common disorder, which is characterized by constant worry and nervousness.

Luckily, there are studies that show how people who consume omega-3s on a daily basis are less likely to feel depressed. And for those people who already suffer from these disorders, their symptoms improved significantly after starting to take omega-3 supplements. Out of the three types of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA is supposedly the best against these diseases.

Omega-3s improve eye health

DHA is a type of omega-3, but ALSO a major structural component of the retina in your eye. When you don’t have enough DHA, you might start having problems with your vision. The link between these two is extremely interesting, as getting enough omega-3 nutrients actually reduces the risk of macular degeneration, which is one of the world’s major causes of permanent eye damage and blindness.

One study proved that people that had the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids were 30% less likely to develop any macular degeneration, compared to their peers. Also, omega-3 fatty acids were proved to be extremely helpful against high eye pressure, which is oftentimes the main cause of glaucoma.

omega 3
Photo By Alex9500 from Envato

Omega-3s promote brain health during pregnancy and even early life

Omega-3s are crucial for brain growth and development in infants. DHA accounts for 40% of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain and 60% in the retina of the eye. So the fact that infants that are fed with a DHA-fortified formula have better eyesight than those who are fed with a regular formula won’t come as a surprise for anyone.

It is highly recommended for pregnant women to get enough omega-3s fatty acids during their pregnancy, as it has various benefits for the child, such as:

  • higher intelligence
  • better communication and social skills
  • fewer behavioral problems
  • decreased risk of developmental delay
  • decreased risk of ADHD

Omega-3s improve risk factors for heart disease

As you well know, heart attacks and strokes are frequent causes of death throughout the world. Only in the 20th century, researchers started to notice that fish-eating communities had lower rates of these diseases, which raised a couple of questions.

How did these communities manage to live better than the rest of us? Well, they later found out the answer: they were eating more omega-3s. Since then, omega-3 fatty acids have been directly linked to numerous benefits for heart health, such as:

  • a major reduction in triglycerides
  • reduced blood pressure
  • a better level of HDL cholesterol
  • fewer blood clots
  • prevents the plaque that can restrict and harden your arteries
  • reduced inflammation
omega-3
Photo By ratmaner from Envato

Omega-3s reduce symptoms of ADHD in children

ADHD, also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a behavioral disorder that’s characterized by the inability to be focused, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There are many studies that noticed how children with ADHD have lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids than their healthier peers.

Even more, there are many studies that showed how omega-3 supplements can significantly reduce the symptoms of ADHD. So, we can safely say that omega-3s can improve inattention and task completion.

Also, they’re known to decrease hyperactivity, impulsiveness, restlessness, and aggression. In fact, so far, fish oil supplements have been proved to be one of the most promising treatments against ADHD.

Omega-3s reduce symptoms of metabolic syndrome

If it’s the first time you’ve ever heard about this, metabolic syndrome is not a disease, but more like a collection of conditions. First of all, it includes central obesity, which is also known as belly fat, alongside high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, and low “good” HDL cholesterol levels.

While it is a major public concern, it’s oftentimes ignored or kept out of the spotlight, given the fact that it represents the result of everything that is wrong with the food industry nowadays. The thing is, suffering from metabolic syndrome increases the risk of other illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Luckily, omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to be good against all the elements of metabolic syndrome’s spectrum: insulin resistance, inflammation, and heart disease risk factors.

omega 3
Photo By microgen from Envato

Omega-3s fight inflammation

Inflammation is the natural response to infections and damage to our bodies. In conclusion, it’s vital for your health. Even so, inflammation can sometimes stay in the body more than it initially had to, and sometimes it doesn’t even need an infection or injury to be present.

When this happens, it’s called chronic or long-term inflammation. Long-term inflammation is known to contribute to most chronic Western illnesses, like heart disease and cancer. The fact that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of molecules and substances linked to them in such great amounts is absolutely astonishing.

In fact, there are several studies that proved the connection between higher omega-3 intake and reduced inflammation.

Omega-3s fight autoimmune diseases

When it comes to autoimmune diseases, your immune system basically attacks healthy cells as if they would be foreign cells, because it can’t tell the difference between the two anymore. Type 1 diabetes is a good example because, in this case, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas.

Omega-3s can represent a great ally against some of these diseases. Even more, omega-3s consumption in early life has been proved to be essential in this matter. There are studies that focused on the consumption of omega-3s in the first year of your life, and the results were amazing: there’s a reduced risk of most autoimmune diseases, like type 1 diabetes, autoimmune diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.

omega 3
Photo By Alex9500 from Envato

Omega-3s fight age-related mental decline and Alzheimer’s disease

A decline in brain function is probably one of the least desired consequences of aging. Luckily, there are studies that linked higher omega-3 intake to decreased mental decline and even a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease!

In fact, there’s one review that shows how omega-3 supplements are beneficial at disease onset when the symptoms of AD are still incipient. Even though these studies and reviews are extremely promising and encouraging, there are still several tests that need to be done before we can all conclude that omega-3s are essential in maintaining proper brain health.

Omega-3s help prevent cancer

Nowadays, cancer is definitely one of the biggest threats to our lives. Even more, it is one of the leading causes of death in Western society. Fortunately, omega-3 fatty acids have been proved to be extremely helpful in reducing the risk of certain cancers.

There are interesting studies that show how people who consume omega-3s on a daily basis have up to a 55% lower risk of developing colon cancer. Even more, omega-3 consumption is believed to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men, and breast cancer in women.

Unfortunately, not all studies had the same results. But the future might be brighter with these nutrients when it comes to cancer.

omega 3
Photo By Alex9500 from Envato

Omega-3s fatty acids are great for our sleep

Good sleep is absolutely essential to good health. Studies tend to link sleep deprivation to many diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and depression. And because we’re talking about a chain reaction, if sleep deprivation is linked to the development of these diseases, low levels of omega-3 fatty acids are linked to sleeping problems in kids, and obstructive sleep apnea in adults.

Plus, low levels of DHA are connected to lower levels of the hormone “melatonin”, which is responsible for helping you fall asleep. If you have problems with falling asleep or you suffer from insomnia, try adding supplements of omega-3 fatty acids to your daily diet.

What do you think about all the benefits we get from consuming Omega-3 fatty acids? Do you regularly include this amazing nutrient in YOUR diet? Let us know what you think in the comments section down below!

…And Also Check Out: 8 Easy Tips to Make Your Coffee Super Healthy

6 Healthy Foods That Can Make You Bloated

Who doesn’t hate bloat? We sure do! But let’s think about it, for a little bit. When we are feeling bloated, we tend to think about what we ate, which is great. But the first thing that comes to mind is all the unhealthy foods we might be consuming, such as dairy, ice cream, chips, junk food, fried food,… you see where I’m going.

However, did you know that there are certain healthy foods that can make you feel uncomfortable and lethargic as well? No worries, we are here to tell you what you can do to avoid that!

What IS Bloating? 

bloated
Photo by siam.pukkato from shutterstock.com

As you already know, bloating happens in your stomach, when your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is full of gas or air. The GI tract goes from your mouth to your bottom area and it consists of your whole digestive system.

When you’re eating, your stomach is getting filled up with food and after that, it moves down a little, into your small intestines. Eventually, the food goes into your large intestines, making you feel bad. Why, you might ask?

When food is being broken down and digested in your intestines, there is gas is produced during that process. In addition to that, the food might need some extra water to help push it through. Having extra liquid and gas is what creates bloating.

Bloating can make you feel uncomfortable like you have eaten a huge meal and there is no space in your stomach anymore. Your belly might look bigger and tighter and the worst part is that it can actually get really painful.

As we have already discussed, bloating can happen due to the foods you’ve consumed. There are certain meals that can produce more gas than others. For example, people who are lactose or gluten intolerant can feel a lot of discomfort in their stomachs after eating these types of foods.

bloated
Photo by Timmary from shutterstock.com

Healthy foods that cause bloating issues

Is it possible that healthy and nourishing foods can create digestive issues? Yes, of course! That is because they have some vitamins and fibers that can make them harder to be digested. For example:

1. Beans

They are a legume full of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. They contain a lot of fiber and oligosaccharides, which is a type of sugar that is harder to digest. Even though it’s extremely healthy and a good alternative for vegan and vegetarian people, eating too many beans can make you feel uncomfortable.

If you love beans and you want to consume them as often as possible, you should try soaking them for a few hours or overnight before cooking. This way, you will reduce their ability to create extra gas in your body. You can eat small amounts of beans every day, in order to get your stomach used to it. By doing so, you will help your gut build up good bacteria and also reduce gas.  

2. Garlic and onion

Although these two vegetables give a great flavor to all the dishes you might be cooking, unfortunately, they contain fructans. These are a type of soluble fibers that can create bloating issues.

You can find fructans in other foods as well, such as leek, agave, or wheat. Even though you might be consuming garlic and onion in small quantities, you can still feel uncomfortable afterwards, especially if you eat them raw.

If you want an alternative to onions, you can try fennel, collard greens, and celery. If you wish to have a similar taste to your meals as garlic gives, you can swipe it for different herbs and spices, such as basil and chives.

bloated
Photo by stockcreations from shutterstock.com

3. Cruciferous vegetables 

Cruciferous is the name of the vegetables from the Brassicaceae family and they include things such as cabbage, garden cress, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and the list goes on.

These foods are really healthy for you, due to their high numbers of nutrients, such as fiber, potassium, and vitamins C and K. However, if you eat these types of vegetables raw, you are more likely to suffer from digestive issues.

In order to avoid getting bloated, you should always cook cruciferous vegetables. If you want to avoid them, you can always substitute them for something else, such as sweet potatoes, spinach, zucchini, carrots, asparagus, celery, and ginger. These are also rich in minerals and vitamins, but they will not cause you any bloating issues.

4. Apples and pears

Apples and pears taste amazing. They are sweet, crunchy, and juicy, and they can make the perfect snack for when you’re in a rush. Also, these fruits are great when you crave something sweet, but you don’t want to eat something that is covered in sugar, so you drizzle some peanut butter and cinnamon on a few slices of apples or pears, and call it a day.

Besides them having a nice taste and texture, they contain a lot of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber as well. However, because of the high amount of fructose that they contain, which is nothing else but natural fruit sugar, sometimes it can be hard to digest them.

Other than fructose, pears also have in their composition sorbitol, which is known for making people feel bloated after eating. A good option for people who love these fruits and want to include them in their diets is to cook them before eating.

However, there are always other options that won’t create digestive issues, such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, grapefruits, oranges, bananas, grapes, mandarins, and cantaloupe.

bloated
Photo by successo images from shutterstock.com

5. Canned soup 

If you were thinking that a canned soup is a healthy choice when you don’t have time to cook, take a second guess! Even though it is true that it’s lower in calories and fat, it doesn’t mean that it won’t affect you in a different kind of way. And we don’t think that you like it when you are feeling bloated!

Usually, soups that you can find in stores have an increased amount of sodium. For example, a serving size of a soup can have anywhere between 750 to 1,100 milligrams of sodium. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest consuming less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium in a day. If you eat a can of soup that has 1,000 mg of sodium in it, you are halfway through your recommended total daily intake.

Although you need salt in order to have a healthy and balanced life, if you consume too much sodium you will end up causing trouble for your kidneys. That is because they won’t be able to keep up with your high intake and salt will remain in your bloodstream. Furthermore, they will attract more water, which will cause bloating issues and water retention.

If you still want to enjoy a canned soup, you should look for one that has no more than 600 milligrams of sodium per serving.

6. Corn Can Also Make You Bloated

Even though it may be delicious to eat barbecued corn, it might not sound so good when you find out that it will make you bloated. According to Lisa Moskovitz, who is a registered dietitian, not all carbohydrates are easy to digest. She stated that corn has a type of carb that makes it hard for the body to break it down. Furthermore, this can create GI bacteria fermentation, which will attract more gas and air. As a result, you will feel bloated and tired.

TAKEAWAY 

Keep in mind that these foods are more likely to create bloating issues, but they won’t affect people the same way! It’s always better to listen to your body and if you are feeling really uncomfortable and you have stomach pain, it might be a good option to talk to your doctor. At the end of the day, you can eat everything you want to, but make sure you don’t overdo it, in order to feel light, not bloated!

Have you ever had any digestive issues due to these healthy foods? We are curious about your experiences, so make sure to let us know by leaving a comment in the section down below! If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to check this one out as well!

11 Frozen Meals You Should Avoid at All Costs

Let’s just face the truth: We LOVE frozen meals, they are simply delicious! They are easy to make, and we can’t get enough of them. Some of the frozen foods are not even as bad as people would think,… or, are they?

There are several reasons you shouldn’t eat any of those meals, mostly because of the fact that they are not healthy at all, they contain lots of damaging substances that can potentially affect your organs in a negative way. And so, the following foods should be avoided at all costs:

frozen meal
Photo by 9orange from shutterstock.com

1. Gluten-Free Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese

People often tend to assume that if something is gluten-free it is also healthy. Well, that’s not entirely the case, especially when it comes to frozen gluten-free mac & cheese. It sounds and looks like a delicious meal, doesn’t it?

Well, the problem is that it has 31 grams of saturated fat, and that’s a very bad thing for your overall health and body. It’s a problem that the meal has a lot of cheese, whole milk, butter, and liquid smoke. The last ingredient is terrible for you since it consists of only smoke, water, and in some cases, molasses and caramel coloring.

Now that we’ve exposed every detail about it to you, it doesn’t seem so delicious, does it?

frozen meals
Photo by Robyn Mackenzie from shutterstock.com

2. Swedish Meatballs

Really? These, too? Yes, unfortunately, these delicacies that many of us are crazy about, are high in sodium. And when we say high in sodium, we mean over half the amount we are supposed to eat in a day.

Now, that may not mean anything to you, but for your body and health, it’s HUGE. What’s even more shocking is that all the salt and saturated fat comes from the sauce that’s covering them. It’s bad that the people who prepare this meal, for the sake of comfort and convenience, are adding all the ingredients in individual containers and freezing them during manufacturing.

That process alone is very unhealthy.

frozen meals
Photo by TonelsonProductions

3. Mexican Style Fiesta

We love Mexican food, and we can’t help it, but maybe we should. But one portion of Mexican Style Fiesta is almost half the calories you should eat in one day! That’s WAY too much sugar and fat coming from one meal, and it doesn’t even make you feel full.

If you were to eat two light meals and snacks and then this, it’s slightly better, but it’s still not healthy for you to eat this. There are plenty of recipes that you can try that are way tastier and you don’t even have to put too much effort into them.

But, in the end, your body will remain strong.

frozen meal
Photo by Fanfo from shutterstock.com

4. Chicken Bacon Ranch Meal

This dish, just like the name suggests, has chicken, bacon, and ranch, so there shouldn’t be any problems with it, right? Wrong. Ranch sauce has plenty of junk in it, including lots of calories and fat.

The meal itself has plenty of fiber, however, the lack of protein isn’t good. In addition, they are rich in sodium and saturated fat, way too much for the dish’s size. Even if you decide to purchase a smaller portion, it’s still not worth buying it.

There are plenty of recipes out there that will provide a much healthier alternative for your body.

frozen meals
Photo by 10 FACE from shutterstock.com

5. Country Fried Beef Steak & Gravy

We know this looks delicious, but by the name of it, we should’ve guessed it’s far from being good for our body and overall health. The thing is that anything that’s fried is bad for us, because of the level of saturated fat and carbs in it, but if it’s also a frozen meal…We suggest you keep yourself as far away as possible from it.

This meal alone contains more sodium than any meal should. We know that anything fried tastes heavenly, but is it worth it? The extra calories, and all of the toxins that come along with it? We say a strong NO.

frozen meal
Photo by Ahanov Michael from shutterstock.com

6. Bourbon Chicken Pasta

Looks…great…doesn’t it? For starters, specialists don’t recommend the recipe, to begin with, because the ingredients altogether are too much. If you decide to make your own pasta, add some simple seasoning and some chicken, the outcome will be much better for your health.

If you have fewer artificial ingredients in your meals, it’s for the best, since those are incredibly sickening. Also, the best part about making your own pasta is that you can choose the amount of sauce that you’re pouring and that you can opt for healthier choices.

One frozen meal of bourbon chicken pasta is about 1,000 milligrams of sodium which is WAY more than your body can handle.

frozen meals
Photo by Utku Demirsoy from shutterstock.com

7. Crispy Fish Tenders

Yes, even our favorite crispy fish tenders are a bad frozen meal choice. If you want to enjoy some fish, this is not the way to do it. They may seem like the perfect choice when you’re craving something crunchy, but these go through an INSANE amount of processing before they hit your kitchen table.

Besides that, the crispy tenders have way too much sodium tripolyphosphate, fillers, and modified food starch. Oh, and, don’t even get me started on the gigantic quantity of all that added sugar!

Don’t let the idea that they are rich in omega-3s and protein fool you, the amount of junk is just sickening!

frozen meal
Photo by Alexander Gold from shutterstock.com

8. Spinach, Egg & Cheese Medley

This frozen meal may seem harmless, but in reality, it’s the complete opposite. This sandwich has spinach, egg, and cheese in it, and you may think it’s not that bad and it can’t do much damage, because it’s a rich collection of fat, protein, and carbs.

It’s good enough to start your day right, or is it? It sounds like a good option, but it doesn’t leave you full one bit since it provides you with only 170 calories. It’s not a lot of energy at all, and remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, that being said it needs to be a booster for you.

frozen meals
Photo by smikeymikey1 from shutterstock.com

9. Smothered Turkey

Just by the name of it, you can tell how bad this frozen meal is for you. Specialists usually advise us not to eat the combination of turkey, mashed potatoes, and vegetables because it’s an extremely unhealthy option.

The real problem stays in the gravy because it contains 1,500 milligrams of sodium, which as we’ve mentioned before, is a lot for a meal alone. A lot of doctors are saying that sodium is a HUGE trigger for most health issues.

That alone should make you reconsider purchasing the frozen meal, shouldn’t it?

frozen meals
Photo by Lazy_Bear from shutterstock.com

10.  Sweet & Sour Noodle

We know it’s tastier than life itself, however, the problem with this frozen food is the fact that it’s not sustainable at all. It doesn’t have too many calories, but don’t be too quick to think that’s a good thing, because it’s also poor in proteins, carbs, and fat.

You still need a moderate amount of those in your meal, not an excessive amount, but balance is key. Noodles indeed have tofu, vegetables, and noodles, but there’s a big lack of fiber and protein in it, that your body requires.

READ ALSO: 6 Healthy Foods That Can Make You Bloated

If you had this frozen meal, and after eating it you still wanted to grab something to eat, now you know why that is.

frozen meals
Photo by BW Folsom from shutterstock.com

11.  Steak Meal with Mashed Potatoes

Let’s settle this popular myth: if a product is low in calories, it doesn’t mean it’s a healthy thing for you to eat. For example, this frozen meal has more than 40 grams of carbs in it and over 1,000 milligrams of sodium in it.

That is an insane combination for your body.

Takeaway

Treat your body as a temple, you must take care of it in every way, which also means eating foods that don’t jeopardize your health. Frozen meals can be the best delicacy you’ve ever had, but don’t eat too much of them, because they can affect your health in a bad way.

If you need some inspiration and new ideas to try in the kitchen take a look at this: Instant Loss: Eat Real, Lose Weight