If ever you find yourself asking if your doctor munches on the same stuff that you do, wonder no more.
While pondering on the quality of food you consume is always something worthwhile to think about, people are often quizzical as to what defines "good" food. It's actually more than just outlining what looks or tastes good, and far beyond categorizing fruits and veggies as "healthy" and fast food or sweetened drinks as "bad". It's in understanding what makes certain foods "bad" to know why something is "good" for you.
Sounds complicated? The Daily Meal surveyed a group of doctors as to what foods they would consider "bad". Since people would ask doctors about their opinion on almost everything, it's only quite logical to ask them about their food choices. But as a disclaimer, Dr. Rohit Chandra, child and adult psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital-Chelsea and instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, explains that, "The dietary habits of doctors range from quite unhealthy to fairly unhealthy." "So, one should keep in mind that doctors as a whole may not eat as well as one might imagine," he adds.
Basing on the eating habits of their patients who are in a compromised state of health, the doctors had different views on what foods they would consider "bad", though there were some common choices. Check out this list, and prepare to weep for your favorites.
1. Ice Cream
"The worst food for humans," Dr. Michael Hirt, internist and board certified nutritionist at the Center for Integrative Medicine, says. "It is chock-full of chemicals, hormones, and pasteurized dairy. Pasteurization changes the proteins of milk. It has saturated fats and, worst of all, sugar in it." Well, what about frozen yogurt?
2. Frozen Yogurt
"Not much better at all. It all has sugar, which has ruined more of human civilization than any ingredient," Dr. Hirt says.
3. Soda, Juices, and Energy Drinks
No surprise there. They are some of the worst offenders, "because of the extremely high sugar content and acidity," says Dr. Chandra. "This is toxic to your teeth and leaches calcium from your bones in addition to contributing heavily to obesity because of the sugar content. No ifs, ands, or buts, just avoid them." As for the energy drinks, Dr. Pacheco says, "Some studies [show] that there is increased platelet aggregation along with heart problems. Caffeine is fine for bodies but excessive quantities are a problem."Duly noted.
4. Cold Cuts
Dr. Chandra states, "These are among the worst processed foods because of the high fat and high sodium content but even more so the nitrates used as preservatives." He also adds, "These have been linked to stomach cancer among other illnesses." It is also important to take note that your favorite hot dogs also count.
5. Processed Chicken and Farmed Fish
Surprising? "Birds in general get sick with common viruses that we can catch," explains Dr. Hirt. "Plus, they are pumped with chemicals like arsenic and heavy toxins. People need to see how if you eat an unhealthy animal you end up unhealthy."
6. Boxed (or Processed) Foods
Think Mac and Cheese and Hamburger Helper, says Dr. Chandra. "Generally, boxed foods should be eaten sparingly because they come loaded with preservatives to prolong their shelf life." While doctors are just as guilty of eating them, they generally try to avoid them when they can.
Lastly, though not part of the list, Dr. Hirt says that it's better to skip a meal than eating a bad one. "Nobody has ever died, especially in America, from skipping a meal," he says, "If you are on the run, get some water and eat when you can get to decent food." No, he is not encouraging skipping meals, but rather, he is in favor of skipping bad ones.
