The 13 Worst Snacks You Should Avoid

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Are you sabotaging your health goals? Snacks can be the ultimate temptation. Tasty, quick, and most of the time filled to the brim with a heaping helping of guilty pleasure. However, many popular snacks are laced behind that satisfying crunch, sugary kick, or creamy texture, with hidden health hazards.

Unhealthy snack choices can, after all, increase your risk of chronic diseases and spike your weight. Here are the 13 worst snacks to avoid and what makes them so harmful.

Sugary Beverages

The Worst Snacks You Should Avoid — Image Credit: Pixabay

Do sugary drinks sneak their way into your day? The most common culprits of this sugary product are sodas, sweetened fruit juices, and energy drinks. Soda is not a traditional snack but is often included with snack foods. Though they are so sweet, they are filled with dangerous empty calories.

According to research by Havard University, simply one 12-ounce can of soda contains more than 39 grams of sugar, which is higher than the recommended daily amount of sugar for adults.

Too much sugar can lead to obesity, tooth decay, and type 2 diabetes, as indicated by Precision Orthopedics. Still, people drink sugary beverages in staggering quantities, and the industry is worth billions of dollars.

Swap Suggestion:

Instead of sugary beverages, try infused water or herbal tea to quench your thirst healthily.

Pop-Tarts

While Pop-Tarts might fall into the convenient breakfast category, they are a nutritional nightmare. Healthline warns two frosted Pop-Tarts supply 400 calories, 76 grams of refined carbs, and just 4 grams of protein.

Pop-Tarts are packed with refined sugars and unhealthy fats, and while they give you a quick sugar buzz, you are still hungry one hour later. They’re made from heavily processed ingredients with practically zero nutritional benefits.

Swap Suggestion:

Start your day with a whole-grain English muffin with peanut butter and sliced banana for fiber.

Potato Chips

Beyond potato chips, this crispy snack has lots of sodium and unhealthy fats. According to Eat This Not That, on average, there are 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, and nearly 200 milligrams of sodium in a single serving (about 15 chips).

Having too much sodium can cause high blood pressure, which, in turn, ups the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Swap Suggestion:

A healthier alternative is to crunch on air-popped popcorn or baked veggie chips.

Cheetos

Although puffed and crunchy Cheetos contain artificial additives, like Yellow 6, which has been scrutinized for having adverse long-term health effects, they are equally bad for you. Each serves up 160 calories and 10 grams of fat for a small portion.

Additionally, artificial coloring and flavoring may negatively affect the nervous system over extended periods and cause bodily inflammation, especially in large quantities.

Swap Suggestion:

Pray for baked cheese snacks made from real, clean ingredients.

Ritz Bits Cheese Sandwich Crackers

These minuscule cheese-filled crackers seem innocent enough, but they’re not. But each serving packs 9 grams of fat, 160 calories, and zero protein and fiber.

These bite-sized treats are high in sodium and saturated fats and offer nothing fulfilling or nutritious, making it easy to overindulge.

Swap Suggestion:

A protein-packed snack is to nosh on whole-grain crackers with hummus or avocado.

Little Debbie Zebra Cakes

This nostalgia is wrapped in stripes, but don’t be fooled; these Little Debbie Zebra Cakes clock in at 34 grams of sugar per serving, killing an adult’s recommended daily sugar intake. These cakes are also low in fiber, which means they’ll not aid in keeping you feeling full.

Swap Suggestion:

Try dark chocolate-dipped fruit or a yogurt parfait with granola for a healthy yet sweet treat. So, stop by for a delicious treat next time in Bixby or Broken Arrow.

Hostess Twinkies

Talk about infamous snacks, however, and Twinkies are among the few. Clocking in at 32 grams of sugar and packed with partially hydrogenated oils, Twinkies contain unhealthy trans fats notorious for raising harmful cholesterol levels.

Swap Suggestion:

Mini muffins with whole ingredients and less sugar are a good option if you feel crazy about cake.

Frosted Cereals

Are you sacrificing your first win of the day for a sugar bomb? Almost no nutritional quality is present in cereals like Cap’n Crunch, which appears to be breakfast. Healthline indicates that refined sugar in sugary cereal can be high, leading to weight gain and raising the risk of diabetes.

Swap Suggestion:

Instead, choose steel-cut oats or whole-grain cereal with fruit.

Doughnuts

Although doughnuts are classics for early meetings or Sunday morning cravings, they’re not necessarily the breakfast of champions. Made with refined white flour, deep-fried to a crisp, and covered in sugar, doughnuts contribute to cholesterol spikes and arterial inflammation

Swap Suggestion:

Bake up almond or coconut flour to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Instant Noodles

Convenient? Yes. Healthy? Not. Eating instant noodles regularly can increase blood pressure and negatively affect your brain and nervous system.

Swap Suggestion:

Meal-prep homemade noodle bowls with fresh veggies and lean protein.

Fruit Gummies

Although labeled ‘made with real fruit,’ fruit gummies are just sugary candy with a minimal amount of actual fruit included. Because of their high sugar and artificial ingredient content, they are an unhealthy alternative to fresh fruit.

Processed Meats

While hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats are quick sandwich fillers, they contain nitrites, preservatives, and sodium. In other words, processed meats are Group 1 carcinogens, which means they’re linked to colon cancer.

Swap Suggestion:

Instead of making your sandwich with sandwich meat, use grilled chicken or a chickpea.

Frozen Pizza

Saving time with frozen pizzas is expensive. They’re full of saturated fats, preservatives, and 700mg of sodium per serving and are linked to increasing the risk of high blood pressure.

Swap Suggestion:

Make your pizza with whole wheat crust and fresh toppings.

Making Smarter Choices

Habits begin with awareness. Just because these aren’t snacks, it doesn’t mean you’ll go hungry. It simply means you’ll choose nutrient-rich, whole foods that fuel your body, not drain it. Replacing processed, sugary snacks with fruits, nuts, or homemade alternatives can significantly benefit your health and energy levels!

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.