Love grabbing a hot dog or packaged snack when you are hungry and short on time? While these foods may be convenient and satisfying, they can also contain processed meats, refined ingredients, added sugars and other additives that may not be ideal for your health when consumed regularly. In fact, highly processed foods and sugary drinks are often recommended as foods to limit rather than make a daily habit, as their effects on your health may build up silently over time.
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist and hepatologist with 25 years of experience, who has trained at AIIMS, Harvard and Stanford universities, has shared eight foods he refuses to eat as a gut health expert. In an Instagram post shared on August 14, the gastroenterologist explains how regularly consuming these foods could negatively affect your health and why he chooses to avoid them.
Emulsifier-heavy packaged foods
This includes foods containing artificial thickeners and emulsifiers like polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose, which are present in foods including certain packaged ice creams and processed baked goods. Dr Sethi highlights that “emerging evidence linking emulsifiers to gut inflammation and gut barrier disruption” makes them harmful additives that should be avoided. Next time to buy an ice cream, make sure to check the back label for these ingredients!
High-fructose corn syrup
High-fructose corn syrup is an artificial sweetener often present in condiments like ketchup and barbeque sauce. Dr Sethi recommends avoiding high-fructose corn syrup-laden products because they are “linked to liver fat accumulation” and can drive non-alcoholic fatty liver and other liver diseases.
Processed deli meats and hot dogs
Processed deli meats, including salami, sausages and other varieties preserved through curing, salting or smoking, can be harmful to your health when consumed regularly. These meats are commonly found in packaged and fast foods such as hot dogs, burgers and sandwiches, and are often high in calories, sodium and saturated fat while offering relatively little nutritional value. Moreover, Dr Sethi warns that processed meats rank high in “WHO Group 1 carcinogen classification for colorectal cancer.”
Diet drinks
Beverages labelled as “diet drinks” are often made with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and saccharin. The gastroenterologist strongly advises against consuming these “artificial sweetener-heavy diet drinks”, as they show the “strongest evidence of microbiome diversity loss.” This can ultimately affect your gut health, which plays a role in far more than just digestion.
Sugary breakfast cereals
Love eating a bowl of Chocos or Fruit Loops first thing in the morning? You might want to rethink that habit. According to Dr Sethi, these popular breakfast cereals are often packed with refined carbohydrates while being marketed as convenient or seemingly healthy breakfast options.
Ultra-processed protein bars
Ever get late for work and think you’ll just grab a protein bar on the way instead of sitting down for a whole-foods breakfast? While protein bars may seem like a convenient packaged option when you’re on the go, many are highly processed and can contain a long list of added ingredients that may not be ideal when consumed regularly. Dr Sethi highlights, “Long ingredients list equals red flag.”
Canned soups
Canned soups are another ultra-processed food that can be particularly high in sodium. The gastroenterologist cautions against making canned soups a regular part of your diet, warning that “excess sodium silently harms heart health.”
Red 40 and Yellow 5
Red 40 and Yellow 5 are popular synthetic food dyes derived from petroleum used to improve product appearance. These colourants are often found in soft drinks, energy drinks, chips, candy, and breakfast cereals. The gastroenterologist emphasises “Red 40 and Yellow 5 in your kids’ snacks” are “linked to gut inflammation and hyperactivity.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Dr Saurabh Sethi is a California-based gastroenterologist with training from AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford and more than two decades of clinical experience. He became a social media content creator sharing insights on his area of expertise during the Covid-19 pandemic.
