Several weeks ago I wrote about a book on what the author considered the 12 best foods to include in your daily diet.
A friend suggested I follow up with an article on the worst foods.
Quaker 100% Natural Oats & Honey Granola.
CSPI says that in a half-cup there are more than 3 teaspoons of sugar and more fat than in a McDonald's hamburger.
Suggested alternatives: low-fat granolas from Healthy Choice, Nature Valley and Quaker.
Bugles are fried in coconut oil, which is twice as saturated as lard.
Suggested alternative: Baked Bugles or low-fat tortilla chips from Tostitos or Guiltless Gourmet.
Buitoni Contadina Alfredo Sauce: Too much butter.
Alternatives: Classico Spicy Red Pepper, Tomato & Basil or Fire-Roasted Tomato & Garlic; any sauces from Healthy Choice or Ragu Light.
Pizza Hut Big New Yorker Pizza: Two slices of plain cheese pizza -- no sausage or pepperoni -- contain 17 grams of fat, 2,200 mg sodium and 790 calories.
Alternatives: Healthy Choice Supreme French Bread Pizza.
Entenmann's Rich Frosted Donuts, variety pack size: one doughnut has 10 grams of saturated fat.
Nissin Cup Noodles With Shrimp: The noodles are prefried in palm oil, dumping the same amount of saturated fat as 1 1/2 cups of whole milk into your arteries.
Burger King French Fries come under scrutiny thanks to the salty coating that allows more oil to be absorbed.
Campbell's red and white label condensed soups are brimming with salt.
potato chips: Because they are fried in olean, they may sometimes cause serious gastrointestinal problems and prevent the body from absorbing carotenoids.
Alternative: Denny's Slim Slam, which delivers 600 calories, 12 fat grams, 3 of them saturated, and 35 mg cholesterol.