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The Daily Meal polled more than 20 healthcare professionals from various disciplines to find out what foods they don't eat and why. This list included both expected (harmful) products and those that are considered useful.
Of course, it is best to consult a nutritionist or other nutritionist for nutritional advice. Doctors may not be the best source of advice on what to eat and why, as nutrition is not their area of expertise. But they do know how the human body works, so their advice can be helpful. Here are the foods doctors don't eat:
1. Alcohol.
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Everyone knows that alcohol is bad, but David Soleimani, MD, dermatologist and founder of Dermio Dermatology, says it's strongly discouraged for people with psoriasis or eczema, as it causes inflammation and dehydration.
2. Apples.
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An apple a day is not for doctors! Rachel Pauls, M.D., a Cincinnati surgeon, avoids apples because they are a high FODMAP food. FODMAPs are a group of compounds, especially short-chain carbohydrates, that she says contribute to irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal upset. Other high FODMAP foods are garlic, onions, and black beans.
3. Artificially colored products.
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“Stay away from dyes,” advises Dr. Rohit Chandra, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Chelsea. “These are yellow 5 (tartrazine), red 40 and blue 1. Blue 1 (brilliant blue) is derived from coal tar, and they all cause allergic reactions. Yellow 5 has been linked to cancer and ADHD."
4. Bacon.
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Bacon is delicious and can be eaten even on a keto diet, but not according to doctors. "I wouldn't eat bacon because it's full of fat and cholesterol and its nutritional value is very minimal," says Omid Javadi, MD, a cardiovascular and chest surgeon at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. California.
“I think bacon is probably one of the worst foods on the planet. People love the taste, and because of that, it tastes very good, but if you look at its content, it's pure fat and cholesterol."
Fat and cholesterol are good to eat in moderation—and bacon contains protein, selenium, and phosphorus. So don't panic if you love to indulge in bacon, egg and cheese. But regular consumption of large amounts of bacon is not recommended due to its high sodium and saturated fat content.
5. Bread.
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“I won’t eat bread or pasta,” says Dr. Patrick Roth, author of The End of Back Pain, chair of neurosurgery at Hackensack University Medical Center and founding member of the North Jersey Brain and Spine Center. “Bread and pasta have a high glycemic index, they are not whole foods, and they are extremely tasty and addictive."
But science says you absorb more nutrients from food when you enjoy it, so the "food addiction" theory may be a myth.
Some of the nutrients in bread are really important, like fiber and B vitamins. These nutrients are just one of the reasons why whole grains (like those found in bread and pasta) are recommended for better heart health.
6. Sandwiches.
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White bread full of refined carbs, pink sausage full of dyes and stabilizers, melted cheese loaded with chemicals and phosphates are all bad and tiring to our taste buds.
7. Baking.
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The basis of most cakes is flour and sugar, which have long been recognized as processed foods in the medical community. Carolyn Dean, MD, notes that sugar is particularly dangerous because it "promotes oxidative stress and internal inflammation... leading to premature aging, wrinkles, and adrenal fatigue."
8. Rapeseed oil.
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Canola oil is a popular cooking oil known to lower cholesterol levels, but Dr. Lauren Deville, a naturopathic physician at the Tucson Natural Medicine Center, says it should be avoided at all costs. “Canola oil is high in inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids,” notes Deville.
9. Chicken nuggets.
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Nuggets are cooked with a lot of oil, which is absorbed into the breadcrumbs. It turns out that you consume not only carbohydrates, but also fats in large quantities. Hello overweight! In addition, there are many carcinogens in heated oil.
10. Energy drinks.
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Dr. Fenster considers energy drinks a real death sentence. “High fructose corn syrup and enough caffeine to cause ventricular fibrillation. Throw in a dash of artificial flavors, artificial preservatives, and a hint of color not found in the natural world, and you have the perfect addictive death tonic."
11. Flakes in single packaging.
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"They're full of sugar," says Dr. Frank Lipman, integrative and functional medicine physician, founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and author of The New Rules of Health.
“Instead of having cereal for breakfast, start your day with protein and a serving of healthy fats. Eat boiled or fried eggs with greens, sardines on gluten-free crispbread, or half an avocado sprinkled with salt or drizzled with lemon.” Or buy low-sugar cereal."
12. Fried food.
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, talk show host, best-selling author, and proponent of some questionable weight loss practices, says, “Trans fats increase cholesterol levels and the risk of coronary heart disease. They increase the shelf life, but at the cost of human life.”
13. Fruit juice.
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Drinking juice is not the same as eating a whole piece of fruit. Dr. Amy Lee, a doctor on the board of a Los Angeles supplement company, warns: “People pay so much attention to what they eat…they forget what they drink! Fruit juice is nothing more than sugar water from fruit, and it's almost as bad as drinking a can of cola."
14. Granola.
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Granola is considered a great addition to yogurt, but Dr. Lee disagrees. Lee states that “muesli usually contains sugar, especially fructose. Fructose disrupts the balance of hormones in the body that regulate hunger (leptin and ghrelin). In other words, eating muesli makes you hungrier.”
15. Hot dogs.
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A report from the World Health Organization warned of the potential dangers of processed meats, especially those that char on the grill, such as hot dogs. Dana Simpler, MD, says they are "full of carcinogens and cancer-causing chemicals."
16. Ice cream.
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“The worst food for humans,” says Dr. Michael Hirt, an internist and certified dietitian at the Center for Integrative Medicine. “It's full of chemicals, hormones and pasteurized dairy products. Pasteurization changes the proteins in the milk. It has saturated fat and, worst of all, sugar.”
17. Popcorn.
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This favorite movie snack could cost you your health. Some popcorns "contain chemicals that can cause cancer," says Dr. Michael Fiorillo, a plastic surgeon in Pearl River, New York.
18. Cakes.
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"Ninety-nine percent of baked goods, like donuts, are made from genetically modified wheat," says therapist and nutritionist Dr. Michael Hirt, founder of the Center for Integrative Medicine in California's San Fernando Valley. “This mutant grain contains over 200 proteins that have never been studied in humans and have been linked to many diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and autoimmune diseases. The cookies are also loaded with sugar."
19. Potato chips.
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This is a food avoided by Dr. Shon Tsuda, a board-certified doctor. “Potato chips are insanely high in fat, carbs and sodium; vegetable chips might be a better substitute,” Tsuda notes.
20. Processed meat.
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“In general, processed meat includes meat that would otherwise be thrown away, ” says David A. Groiner, MD, director of NYC Surgical, “ but a delicious blend is artificially created through inedible products and chemicals. This means that not only are the least nutritious animal by-products used, but artificial fillers, flavors and preservatives are added in large quantities.”
21. Skimmed milk.
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Some people might suggest that it's "healthy" because it's low in fat, but skim milk has some surprising downsides. “The process of removing some fat particles creates oxidized cholesterol in the remaining fat,” explains Dr. Nicole Farmer, an integrative physician at the Casey Health Institute. "It's best to use whole dairy products in moderation."
22. Cola.
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“The phosphoric acid in cola leaches calcium, magnesium, and zinc from the lower intestines,” says Dr. Apovian. “Once the energy boost from sugar and caffeine wears off, fatigue, irritability, and cravings for more set in.”
23. Trans fats and fat substitutes.
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“Beware of trans fats,” advises Dr. Chandra of Mass General-Chelsea. "They clog arteries, leading to heart attacks and strokes, according to research."
24. Whey protein.
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Whey protein is widely used by athletes and smoothie drinkers, but it may not be as healthy as we all assume. “Whey protein is a popular muscle building supplement. The problem with whey is that it contains insulin-like growth factor, which stimulates the body to produce insulin and androgens,” says dermatologist Janet H. Pristowski.
“The increase in insulin and androgen production increases the production of sebum in the skin, which leads to acne. If you're using whey protein and have acne, switching to a non-dairy protein source may improve your condition."
Do you often eat these foods? Could you refuse them?
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