4 surprisingly risky everyday foods to limit or avoid

If you’ve ever browsed the supermarket pantry aisle, you’ve probably puzzled over the lengthy, unfamiliar list of ingredients on package labels. Even the most health-conscious shoppers can feel uncertain about which boxed, bagged, canned, and jarred foods to avoid.

To cut through the confusion, focus instead on whole, fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, says Sanjay Bindra, MD, a cardiologist in San Jose, California. Your diet should also include plenty of:

• Nuts and legumes, such as beans and lentils
• Whole grains
• Skinless poultry and fish
• Low fat dairy products

While these foods create the foundation of healthy diet, it’s equally important to be mindful of what to limit. Experts suggest restricting your intake of the following items—or even ditching them altogether.

Diets high in red and processed meats, such as bacon, are linked to higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and colorectal cancer. In fact, a large 2024 study found that people who ate the most processed meat had a 40 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to people who ate the least amount of processed meat. Similarly, eating more red meat was linked to a 30 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer. The results were published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

For a savory breakfast side, opt for fresh salsa or cold sliced tomato with olive oil and cracked black pepper instead. Tomatoes contain a chemical called lycopene, which gives the fruit its red color and may help protect against prostate cancer.

Regular soda contains various types of sugar—and some cans may be up to 65 percent fructose. All that sugar can:

• Add to your waistline
• Put you at risk for diabetes
• Promote tooth decay

It also raises your daily calorie intake without providing any real nutrients. Those excess calories can contribute to obesity, which is linked to cancer and heart disease.

But diet soda isn’t a smart swap. Some evidence suggests the artificial sweeteners in diet soda may trigger cravings and make you store calories as fat, rather than burning them. For a fizzy, thirst-quenching alternative, choose iced sparkling water with muddled fruit.

Having too many of certain energy drinks can send you to the emergency room. These beverages may be marketed as “supplements” to avoid being regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), says Dr. Bindra. Supplements don’t have to list their ingredients or nutrition facts and get to sidestep FDA safety testing.

Even when brands market themselves as “sodas” because they want FDA approval, the amount of caffeine, sugar, vitamins, and chemicals in energy drinks can be extreme. Many brands contain 80 to 350 milligrams (mg) of caffeine; the recommended daily limit is 400 mg for healthy adults. Drinking more than one a day could easily lead to heart problems, dizziness, nausea, panic attacks, and more.  

The daily recommended limit for sodium is 2,300 mg for healthy adults. Some people—like those with heart disease—should stick to less than 1,500 mg a day. But with instant soup, it’s possible to slurp up most or all of your day’s allowance for salt in one sitting.

“Canned soups may have 400 mg of sodium or more per cup,” says Bindra. “High sodium intake can raise your blood pressure, cause you to retain fluid, and worsen heart failure symptoms like shortness of breath.”

After a long day, when only a bowl of soup will do, try one of these satisfying, heart-healthy options—just be sure to always choose low-sodium broth when cooking:

• Hulled Barley Vegetable Soup
• Fresh-From-the-Garden Gazpacho
• The Ultimate Chicken Soup

For personalized nutrition tips, take Sharecare’s RealAge Test. After asking about your eating, sleeping, exercise habits, and more, the test will determine your RealAge, or an estimate of how your overall health compares to your biological age. Based on that, it will offer advice on how to live your longest, healthiest life possible.