1. Crispy Cookies
Most cookies are primarily made of oil, sugar, and starch; even milk-flavored cookies contain very little actual milk. Their protein content is far lower than staple foods like steamed buns, and the crispier the texture, the less protein it contains.
To achieve the ideal crisp texture, crispy cookies contain at least 20% to 30% oil, and all the oil used is high in unhealthy saturated fats, which greatly affects blood vessels.
2. Pies and Pastries
Look at the ingredient list: in a small pie, excluding the basic ingredients, the other twenty-four or so ingredients are all additives. It's no exaggeration to say that this is adding food to "additives." Although pies are "non-fried," their fat content is not low.
According to a nutritional analysis, they are typical junk food that is high in energy, high in fat, high in sodium, and low in protein. Pastries share similar characteristics: they contain a large amount of fat and additives, minimal nutrients, and various flavors are basically blended from essences.
3. Potato Chips and Puffed Snacks
Puffed snacks are mainly made of starch. After being processed under high temperature and pressure, they are sprayed with oil and various seasonings. This processing method reduces the quality of the main ingredient's protein and also causes some loss of vitamins.
The crispier a puffed snack is, the more likely it is to contain excessive leavening agents. If the leavening agents contain excessive aluminum, it can damage the nervous system.
4. Instant Breakfast Cereals
The cereals available on the market are often a mixture of several grains, with oatmeal accounting for only a small portion, and some don't even contain oats at all. Processed quick-cook oats, instant no-cook oats, and "nutritional cereals" are also very popular.
Some are made entirely from other flours or starches; others, for better taste, contain a lot of sugar and oil, making it easy to consume high calories.
5. Fruit-Flavored Drink Mixes
Fruit-flavored drink mixes contain no actual fruit ingredients like oranges or lemons; they rely entirely on flavorings to simulate various fruit flavors, making them a purely artificial food.
Their ingredient lists are dominated by additives. Even if they contain Vitamin C, according to national regulations for ingredient lists, ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight. In these drink mixes, the amount of Vitamin C is even less than that of artificial colors.
6. Popcorn
Traditional popcorn is usually made without oil, so its fat content is very low.
Although the popcorn sold in supermarkets today no longer has the problem of excessive lead, many products contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, and the trans fatty acids it contains are of no benefit to the human body.
7. Candy
Many candy products can be classified as having no nutritional value. Their sugar content exceeds 90%, with the other ingredients being flavorings, colorings, etc.
Some "milk" candies contain no actual milk; the milky taste is created from milk substitutes. And for a few candies that do contain milk, since the sugar content still exceeds the milk content, their nutritional value can be considered negligible.
8. Ham Sausages
Nutrition experts point out that some ham sausages on the market are made from a paste-like substance that mimics meat, using chicken skin, offal, internal organs, and plant protein, processed with colorings and flavorings. Although they are called meat products, they lack basic nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals.