The Hidden Dangers: 20 Snacks That Are Bad for You, Despite the Taste
Let’s be honest, we Americans really love to snack. Just look at the huge $156.7 billion snack food market that’s growing by 6.9% every year! While snacks can be tasty, all that thoughtless eating of unhealthy foods has played a big role in the serious obesity problem in our country.
About two-thirds of American adults are either overweight or obese, and one-third are extremely obese. These troubling numbers make sense when you think about how most snacks are packed with sugar, salt, bad fats, empty calories, and harmful additives.
The good news is, you don’t have to give up snacking completely to make healthier choices!
By making a few simple changes and picking better options, you can still enjoy snacks that are both healthy and delicious.
Let’s go through 29 popular but unhealthy snacks, along with much better-for-you alternatives that allow you to indulge without the guilt.
Let us know what you think about these, and don’t forget to like this article!
Candy
Candy is mostly just sugar with some added artificial flavors or colors. It might give you a quick burst of energy, but it’s always followed by a crash that can make you feel tired, grumpy, and wanting more sugar.
If you’re craving something sweet, try fresh or frozen fruit instead! Fruits like grapes, berries, oranges, and others have natural sugars along with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to keep you full and feeling good for longer.
Cookies
Cookies seem to be a staple snack for many of us, but have you looked at what’s in them lately? These baked goods are essentially just solid butter, white flour, and sugar – a recipe for weight gain and nutritional emptiness.
Instead of buying those nutrient-void treats, make your own healthier cookies at home using better ingredients. Swap out white flour for whole wheat or oat flour. A little culinary creativity lets you indulge your cookie craving without all the junk.
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Chips
Those greasy, salted chips may be crispy and delicious, but they are also loaded with empty calories, unhealthy fats, and blood pressure-spiking sodium. Not exactly an ideal snack for your health!
Instead of mindlessly munching on chips, go for air-popped popcorn lightly seasoned with herbs, spices, or even just a little salt and pepper. You’ll get that same crunchy, salty satisfaction without nearly as many calories or additives.
Marshmallows
Even though they’re soft and fluffy, traditional marshmallows are basically just sugar with no good nutrients. Eating them can cause blood sugar to rise quickly and lead to cavities.
If you want that marshmallow feel, make healthier ones at home. Use egg whites with a little honey or maple syrup for sweetness. Homemade marshmallows give you the spongy feel without being just empty calories.
Gummy Candy
Gummy candy may be fat-free, but it’s basically pure sugar in an easily over-consumable form. All that sugar leads to energy crashes, cravings, and potential weight issues down the road.
If you want a chewy, fruity treat, opt for dried fruits like apricots, apple rings, mango, or even fruit leathers made just from pureed fruits. These will satisfy your sweet tooth while providing antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a great snack for protein, calcium, and probiotics that help with digestion. Be careful with yogurts that have too much sugar, fake flavors, colors, and other bad stuff.
Choose good Greek yogurt made with just a few good ingredients. Add a little honey or maple syrup to sweeten it, and put fresh or frozen berries on top for antioxidants and fiber.
Pizza Bites
As delicious as they may taste, packaged pizza bites and rolls are usually made with highly processed ingredients, oils, and additives that provide zero nutritional value.
If you need that savory pizza-like fix, scoop up some fresh salsa with baked whole wheat pita chips for a dose of vegetables, fiber, and whole grains. Way better than those greasy, salt-bomb pizza snacks!
Energy Bars
While handy for fuel on-the-go, many commercial energy bars are really just dressed-up candy bars loaded with excess sugars, unhealthy fats, and fillers.
Instead, make your own energy bites or bars by combining rolled oats with nut butter, honey or maple syrup, seeds, dried fruit, coconut, or dark chocolate. You’ll get steady energy from a blend of complex carbs, protein, and fiber.
Popcorn
While plain popcorn can be a relatively healthy snack, many packaged varieties are doused in excessive salt, oils, and artificial flavors that negate any benefits.
The simple solution? Air-pop your own kernels at home and season with just a light coating of your favorite spices, herbs, or even just a spritz of olive oil and salt. You’ll get all the satisfying crunch without a ton of junk.
Meat Sticks
Packaged meat snack sticks have a lot of sodium, preservatives, nitrites, and other things you don’t want in your body.
Make healthier beef jerky at home using lean meat and simple seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, and smoked paprika. You can also try making turkey or salmon jerky for a leaner protein choice.
Jerky
Most beef jerky you find at the gas station is made from low-quality meat loaded with sodium, nitrites, MSG, and other unsavory ingredients.
Make your own homemade jerky using lean turkey breast or beef with just spices and seasonings like garlic, black pepper, soy sauce, and liquid smoke. Not only is it much lower in sodium and preservatives, but it’s also way more economical!
Crackers
Let’s be real, most crackers, even the “multigrain” ones, are made from refined, nutrient-stripped grains and contain loads of sodium and preservatives.
Go for crackers made from 100% whole grains and pair them with a scoop of all-natural nut butter for protein and healthy fats to keep you satisfied for hours.
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Ice Cream
While rich and creamy, most premium ice creams are unfortunately also loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, and tons of added sugars that can really pack on the pounds.
When you need to scratch that ice cream itch, whip up a batch of nice cream instead even without ice cream maker! Just blend up frozen bananas with splashes of milk or yogurt, vanilla, and any extras like cocoa powder, nut butter, or fresh fruit.
Oreos
Those chocolate sandwich cookies might taste very good, but they are mostly empty calories and sugar that will make your blood sugar go up and make you want more.
If you want that crunchy, chocolatey taste, try using whole-grain crackers with a bit of natural nut butter and some cocoa nibs or chopped dark chocolate on top. It’s much more satisfying!
Candy Bars
Yes, candy bars taste great when you eat them, but they’re really just candy pretending to be “energy” or “protein” bars. All that sugar causes problems like energy drops and weight gain later on.
Make your own energy bites using simple ingredients like oats, nut butters, honey or maple syrup, coconut, flax or chia seeds, chocolate chunks, and dried fruit. They’re much more satisfying and full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Fruit Snacks
Most fruit snacks or gummy candies are basically shaped, solidified sugar with little to no actual fruit or nutritional value to speak of. Not really the sweet treat you should be reaching for!
Keep things simple by snacking on fresh berries, apple or orange slices, grapes, or bananas for a naturally sweet dose of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Fruit leathers made from just pureed fruits also make for a chewy, portable option.
Energy Drinks
Most commercial energy drinks can cause heart problems. They have too much caffeine, artificial colors and sweeteners, and questionable “energy blend” ingredients.
To get a natural energy boost, make a smoothie with fruit, greens, milk or yogurt, nut butter, and some protein powder if you need more energy. Or create your own drink by mixing unsweetened green tea with lemon, honey, and a little cayenne or ginger for extra flavor.
Fruit Juice
While 100% fruit juices might seem like a good choice, many popular brands have extra sugar and don’t have the fiber that whole fruits do. These sugary juices can cause the same blood sugar spikes, energy drops, and cravings as soda.
Don’t drink your fruit; make your own healthy drinks by adding slices of fresh fruit like citrus, berries, melon, pineapple, or herbs and veggies like mint, basil, and cucumber to plain or sparkling water.
You’ll stay hydrated and get a light, refreshing taste of natural fruit flavors without any extra sugar.
Ramen
Those little styrofoam cups of ramen may be cheap and convenient, but they’re also loaded with sodium, preservatives, and not much in the way of real nutrients beyond some refined carbs.
Instead of salty ramen packets, make nutrient-dense noodle bowls with whole wheat or bean noodles, sautéed veggies like mushrooms, spinach, carrots, bell peppers, plus a protein like baked tofu or edamame. Finish with a flavorful garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil broth.
Soda
Those fizzy, sweet sodas might look nice, but they’re really just liquid sugar with no good stuff. All those extra calories and added sugars can cause weight gain, problems with insulin, tooth decay, and other bad health problems.
For a healthier fizzy drink, try sparkling water with slices of fresh fruit like lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber. You’ll get the bubbles and taste without the sugar drops. Another good choice is unsweetened iced tea made with real tea. It’s great for staying hydrated with a bit of zing.
Time to Snack Smarter
You don’t have to miss out on snacks and treats. You can still enjoy them by using different ingredients and choosing better snacks.
Stop eating snacks that are full of sugar, salt, and extra stuff. Try making snacks with good ingredients that are good for you.
When you start eating better snacks, you’ll have more energy, it will be easier to keep your weight right, and you’ll feel better overall.
The way to healthier snacks is easy. What will be the first change you make?
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