8 Worst Foods to Avoid at the Grocery Store

I'll tell you about 8 of the worst foods you should never buy at the supermarket. Everyone easily goes to the supermarket to buy the food they need. However, if you buy and eat it carelessly, it can lead to health problems. Today, I will tell you about 8 of the worst foods that doctors say you should never buy at the supermarket.

Worst Foods at the Supermarket

I believe that knowing exactly what foods to be careful with for the health of your family is also very important. Let's learn about 8 foods that we eat and drink all the time but are harmful to our health.

1. Bottled Water

Water is the most important substance of everything that enters our body. If it's sealed in a bottled water container, it seems like you can drink it safely anytime, anywhere. But did you know that carcinogens are also found in sealed bottled water?
 
If bottled water is left in sunlight for a long time, the plastic material of the PET bottle dissolves into the water, causing the color and taste to change or causing a foul odor, making it easy to spoil. If you drink bottled water outdoors, which is exposed to high temperatures and strong ultraviolet rays, it may contain carcinogens like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.

2. Canola Oil, Grape Seed Oil

Cooking oil is essential when cooking. There are various types of cooking oil. Among them, the products that are most controversial due to side effects are canola oil and grape seed oil.
 
Canola oil and grape seed oil have been shown to have a significantly higher increase in trans fat content due to heat compared to other cooking oils. Exposing oil to air for a long time or cooking at high temperatures or in high humidity will cause the oil to become rancid.
 
Once rancidity begins, the good components in the oil are destroyed, and they are converted into harmful trans fats, such as unsaturated fatty acids, and carcinogens such as formaldehyde, which can cause myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, arteriosclerosis, coronary arteries, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and allergic symptoms. Both canola oil and grape seed oil have poor oxidative stability. In addition, canola oil is also a GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) food.
 
Contrary to the announcement that GMO foods are safe to eat, experimental rats that were fed GMO potatoes for 100 days developed more tumors, and severe problems were found in the liver, kidneys, and pituitary gland, as well as endocrine disruption, leading to immune system abnormalities, kidney allergies, and other damage. There are also research results.

3. Fruit Juice

It has been found that fruit juice, which we have been drinking for health reasons, is actually harming our health.
 
This is because the fructose in juice increases insulin resistance and stimulates hormones that cause abdominal obesity. When insulin resistance is high, too much insulin is produced, leading to diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, and diabetes. Therefore, it is better to consume the whole fruit itself rather than fruit juice.

4. Cheese

Cheese goes well with various foods such as spare ribs, octopus, tteokbokki, tonkatsu, pizza, and hamburgers, but did you know that the cheese that you thought was natural cheese without any doubt is actually a lump of fat?
 
We generally know that cheese is made from milk fat. However, while the ingredients of natural cheese are fresh milk, there is also cheese that does not contain a single drop of milk - imitation cheese.
 
Imitation cheese, made by mixing vegetable fats such as palm oil and food additives such as rennet casein and emulsifiers, is similar to natural cheese in appearance, taste, and aroma. When cooked warm, it is no different from regular cheese, and it is difficult to distinguish it when mixed with other seasonings.
 
If you check the ingredient analysis of the cheese, if food additives such as rennet casein and palm oil are listed, you can assume that imitation cheese was used.
 
If consumed excessively, it can cause cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, so you should be careful when choosing products. When purchasing, you can check if the ingredients contain 90% or more natural cheese.

5. Flour

Flour is a high-carbohydrate food composed of an average of 70 to 80% carbohydrates and 7 to 13% protein. It has a high glycemic index. It is quickly absorbed into the body and quickly becomes energy. At this time, the remaining energy is all stored as fat, so if your flour intake increases, you are more likely to gain weight, and the risk of developing fatty liver also increases.
 
When consuming foods made with flour, it can cause excessive secretion of insulin, which can lead to diabetes. Therefore, people with diabetes or underlying conditions such as obesity should limit their flour intake. Also, gluten contained in flour contains a protein called gliadin. This protein loosens the intestinal mucosa.
 
Other side effects include decreased concentration, fatigue, thyroid problems, and weakened immunity. Studies show that they last for about 6 months. However, since you can't completely avoid eating flour, it would be good to reduce the intake from two times to one time.

6. Processed Meat

In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same as tobacco smoke. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen based on the results of studies on the relationship between processed meat intake and cancer incidence, stating that processed meat can worsen the risk of colorectal cancer.
 
Processed meat contains ingredients such as meat color, fat, and sodium nitrite for preservation. When these ingredients come into contact with a substance called amine in protein, a powerful carcinogen called nitrosamine is created. Therefore, while consuming processed meat itself does not statistically increase the risk of colorectal cancer, the risk increases depending on the amount of meat consumed.
 
Eating 50g of processed meat daily increases the risk of colorectal and rectal cancer by 18%. Although ham, sausage, and processed meat are classified as Group 1 carcinogens, this does not mean that they should never be consumed. The key is the amount and frequency of consumption.
 
Even without considering the risk of cancer development from excessive consumption of processed meat, it can cause cardiovascular disease and obesity, so it is advisable to avoid frequent consumption.

7. Hovenia dulcis (Japanese Raisin Tree) Tea

Hovenia dulcis tea has an alcohol-decomposing effect, so it is very effective for hangover relief when consumed before and after drinking. Hovenia dulcis contains ampelopsin and hovenitin, which are very effective in preventing liver damage caused by alcohol. It also boasts excellent efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis, myalgia, constipation, digestive function, fatigue relief, jaundice, etc., but there are precautions and side effects that you should be aware of with Hovenia dulcis.
 
People with liver disease or high liver enzymes should avoid Hovenia dulcis tea. Many people take Hovenia dulcis juice for their health, but this can also be a burden on people with poor liver function, so care should be taken. Also, most teas contain caffeine, and although it is at a lower level than coffee, if you drink it frequently like water, you may exceed the recommended intake.

8. Alcohol

Alcohol refers to the general term for ethanol-based beverages and is one of the narcotic substances designated by the World Health Organization. Some people drink it for the taste itself, while others drink it to feel good or enjoy the atmosphere of a drinking party.
 
Alcohol, like tobacco, is a Group 1 carcinogen designated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Cancers caused by alcohol include oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, as well as liver cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer, among many others.
 
Acetaldehyde, an alcohol metabolic product, is a substance that causes toxicity in our body and triggers cancer cell formation. Alcohol also increases the risk of cancer recurrence, and in the case of stomach cancer patients, reducing the amount or frequency of alcohol consumption can also significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
 
It's true that moderate alcohol consumption has been considered beneficial for the body, but recently, even moderate amounts of alcohol are no longer recognized by the expert community.
 
In 2017, the American Society of Clinical Oncology found that even one or two drinks a day could increase the risk of cancer. The recently revised Korean Cancer Prevention Guidelines also recommend avoiding alcohol, even in small amounts. For your own health, avoid it if possible. If you must drink, please do so in moderation and within a range that does not put a strain on your health.