We’ve collected tips on how to chew properly, choose wisely, and we’ve also suggested 4 healthy snack options at the end.

1. Snack slower.

Enjoy every piece. Stretch the process of snacking. Try to allocate 10 minutes solely for a snack and do not be distracted by other factors, like TV, phone, or a conversation with someone.

2. Choose the right time.

The best time for a snack is between 12 pm to 5 pm. Snacks in this timeframe will not only prevent binge eating, but also help curb unhealthy snack choices — which is often the reason for gaining excess weight.

3. Choose baked, not fried.

Fruits and vegetables are not good in just any form. For example, bananas and potatoes are best baked, not fried. And while roasting sounds healthy, the fact is that it usually occurs with the addition of oil, and fried oil is not a very good friend to our body.

4. Do not eat at your desk.

Mindless eating at your desk, especially without controlling portions, is dangerous. An open stack of cookies in front of a computer can go unnoticed while you are working on a project.

5. Сhoose healthy alternatives.

When your collegues having tea or coffee at work with a sweet, bring healthy alternatives: like cheese and fruit.

6. Eat more fiber and dairy products.

If you have a sedentary job, eat more fiber and dairy products. This will help the intestines cope with inactivity. Fiber is found in all vegetables and many fruits, as well as bran and whole grain bread.

7. Try bran.

Try crunchy bran. They quickly saturate and help lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. You can add it into your smoothie, sprinkle it on fruit salads, or mix it with cottage cheese. But do not eat more than 30 grams of bran per day and be sure to drink plenty of water.

8. Do not drink your calories.

Any high-calorie drinks like juices or smoothies will not satisfy you for a long time and will probably exceed the permissible limits for calorie and sugar content.

9. Prepare snacks at home.

In stores or fast food restaurants, you can rarely find something healthy in ready-made form, so it’s easier to just grab a chocolate bar and run back to work. If you prepare something at home like a healthy cookie, dried bananas in the oven, apple slices – you have more control over the ingredients you are eating and when you bring your own yummy snacks, you will be less tempted to buy something bad for you.

BONUS: What to eat for a healthy snack?

Cottage cheese

A great snack option at any time. For lunch, you can have cottage cheese with berries and fruits. For a salty snack you can try cottage cheese with vegetables.

Any fruit

Apples, pears, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, peaches, 4-5 apricots or a bowl of seasonal berries. But don’t overeat them. Fruits are high in calories and contain fructose, so it’s easy to overdo it with them.

Nuts and seeds

Don’t eat more than 25 grams. Nuts are very healthy, because they contain unsaturated fats. But they are also high in calories.

The refrigerator is one of the greatest inventions of all time. It provides a safe and convenient place to store food, and it puts ice-cold beverages at your fingertips. You already know that your fridge is great for preserving leftovers and dairy products, but you might not know that some food items actually go bad when kept at cold temperatures. Keep reading to find out which things you should never put in your fridge.

Tomatoes

If you don’t want your fresh tomatoes to taste like cardboard, don’t put them in the fridge. Once harvested, tomatoes continue to ripen and develop flavor, but only when kept at room temperature. A big chill stops the ripening process and dulls the flavor. Store fresh tomatoes on the countertop, out of direct sunlight. If you grow your own tomatoes, snip off a bit of the vine when harvesting. The attached vine helps keep the tomato fresh longer and gives it better flavor.

Uncut melons

Chilling whole melons—whether watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew—takes up way too much room in the fridge. More importantly, keeping these mega fruits in the icebox halts the ripening process, meaning they won’t be as tasty as if they’d been kept at room temperature. Chilly temps also reduce the healthy antioxidants found in melons. Keep these fruits on the countertop until they’re ready to eat. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Raw Potatoes

Don’t dump that bag of spuds in the crisper drawer! Frigid temperatures alter the starchy complex carbohydrates found in raw potatoes, giving them a sweet taste and a gritty mouthfeel when cooked. For the best flavor and texture, store raw potatoes in a well-ventilated basket or drawer, out of direct sunlight.

Unripened Mangoes

Let whole, uncut mangoes hang out on the counter to ripen. Once they’re ready to be cut and eaten, you can store them in an airtight container placed in the fridge.

Honey

Due to its high sugar content, honey, a natural preservative, needs no refrigeration. In fact, popping that honey bear in the fridge virtually guarantees you won’t be able to squeeze out the golden goodness. When refrigerated, honey hardens and crystalizes, so store it on a shelf in your pantry. If you already made the mistake of refrigerating it, don’t toss it out. Place the honey bottle in a pan of hot (not boiling) water until it returns to its liquid state.

Onions

The chilly temps and high humidity of the fridge wreak havoc on onions, breaking down their fibrous structure, and leaving them mushy and prone to mold growth. For the best flavor and texture, store onions in a well-ventilated, dark, and cool (not cold) spot. An open-weave basket in the pantry is optimal.

Bread

Store your bread in a bread box or on a cabinet shelf, but not in the fridge. Refrigerating bread slows mold growth but makes the bread tough, chewy, and stale-tasting. If you know you won’t use the whole loaf before it goes bad, wrap the excess in freezer paper and store it in the freezer for up to one month.

Green Avocados

Many avocados available at the grocery are green and hard, and need a couple days to ripen before they’re ready to eat. They’ll only ripen, though, if you keep them out of the fridge. The only time you should refrigerate an avocado is when it’s completely ripe but you’re not ready to use it. Then, refrigeration will give you an additional day or two before it goes bad.

Fresh Garlic Bulbs

Nothing adds flavor to Italian dishes quite like fresh garlic, but if you store the bulbs in the fridge, don’t be surprised if they sprout bitter green shoots. Another danger, garlic bulbs are prone to mold growth in the humid conditions of the fridge. For the best taste, store fresh garlic in a dark, well-ventilated spot. You can store leftover minced garlic in the fridge for a day or two, but the flavor can’t compare to freshly minced cloves.

Open Food Cans

Once opened, don’t store a partially filled food can in the refrigerator. While the cold temps will keep the product from spoiling for a little while, the food can develop a metallic taste due to metal acids that leach into the food from the can itself. The best way to store unused canned food, is to transfer it to a separate airtight plastic food container and then refrigerate.

Unripe Bananas

Like other fruits on this list, bananas will continue to ripen at room temperature—but when put in the fridge, the ripening process stops. Store unripe bananas on the countertop, out of direct sunlight. You can put a fully ripe banana in the fridge for a couple of days, but don’t be alarmed when it turns black. The blackening occurs due to the banana skin’s ethylene content, which undergoes a chemical change when subjected to cold temperatures.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is stable at room temperature for up to two years, so there’s no need to store it in the fridge where it becomes hard and virtually impossible to scoop out. Unlike some oils that remain liquid at cool temps, coconut oil contains a high percentage of saturated fats, which causes it to solidify in the refrigerator.

Basil

To keep your basil fresh, leave it on the counter with its stems submerged in a cup or vase of water as you would with cut flowers. If you were to stick basil in the fridge it would absorb the smells of the other foods, and its leaves would turn black.

Cucumbers

The saying might be “cool as a cucumber,” but cukes are actually quite sensitive to the cold. The crisp greens fare best when left at room temperature.

Peaches

Unripened peaches should be left on the counter until they are slightly soft and have a sweet fragrance. After that you can keep them in the refrigerator, but only for a day or two. Juicy peaches dehydrate when left in the fridge for an extended period.

Coffee

If you want to savor your cup of aromatic coffee in the morning, don’t store the beans in the fridge. An open package of coffee is subject to condensation in the cold temps of the fridge, which zaps flavor. Additionally, fresh grounds will absorb the odors of other refrigerated foods, making your coffee taste off. For the best tasting cup of Joe, store your coffee in an airtight container at room temperature in a dark place, such as inside a cabinet.

Not only will these foods help protect your gut—they all happen to be delicious and nutritious additions to your diet. Check out these wonderful foods that cleanse your colon.

What does your colon do, anyway?

Though your small intestine does the heavy lifting when it comes to digesting food, the colon’s function is to suck all the moisture out of that food, says Michael A. Valente, DO, a colorectal surgeon at Cleveland Clinic. “Your colon draws the water back into your system to hydrate you,” he adds. And yes, it also stores and helps eliminate waste—a good reason to seek out these foods to cleanse your colon.

Your diet matters

Just like your food choices impact your heart, brain, and muscles, they also affect your colon. “In order for your colon to be healthy, you need to put the right foods in,” says Dr. Valente

Fill up on salmon, sardines, and trout

For people who have colorectal cancer, those who increased their intake of omega 3s from fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and trout had a lower risk of mortality compared to those who avoided fish, finds research published in the journal Gut. Omega 3 fats may stop cancer cell growth and even promote the death of colon cancer cells.  

Load up on quinoa and brown rice

Your focus should be on whole foods as close to the state in which Mother Nature made them as possible. Minimally processed whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa, are a great place to start, says Dr. Valente. These are packed with fiber, which is why they’re among the top foods that cleanse your colon; eating three servings daily lowers colorectal cancer risk by 17 percent, per a 2017 report from the Harvard T Chan School of Public Health.

Add beans and lentils

Legumes like beans and lentils are also loaded with fiber. People who eat the most fiber from vegetable sources like legumes are 35 percent less likely to have colon polyps—a small clump of cells in the lining of the colon that can develop into cancer—compared to those who eat the least. These legumes may also contain cancer-protective phytochemicals, researchers say.

Load up on broccoli, cauliflower, and kale

Talk about foods that cleanse your colon: Some of the best sources of fiber come in the veggie form. One study found that eating a serving of cooked green veggies lowered colon cancer risk by 24 percent compared to those who ate less than that. Since it’s not always practical to track fiber grams, an easier method is to make sure two-thirds of your plate comes from fiber-rich veggie sources like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale, says Dr. Valente.

Dish up yogurt

Fermented dairy products like yogurt pack gut-healthy probiotics. Eating plenty of yogurts may cut your risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 38 percent, suggests research published in the International Journal of Cancer. Bonus: The probiotics—healthy bacteria—can also help decrease some of the gas associated with eating beans and cruciferous veggies, says Dr. Valente.

Avoid these foods

The things you cut from your diet will help protect your colon as well: Avoid processed meat (like bacon and hot dogs)—the World Health Organization has classified it as a carcinogen. Also, limit red meat; if you want animal protein, stick to poultry and fish. And cut back on alcohol—stick to a drink a day, recommends Dr. Valente.

Go slow

If you’ve decided to eat more fiber, add it to your diet gradually, warns Dr. Valente. “The breakdown of food in your colon produces bacteria that release gas,” he says. That can translate to uncomfortable gas and bloating and frequent bowel movements. The experience can be so unpleasant that some people give up on their healthy choices altogether. Start by adding a high-fiber serving of, say, veggies a day for a week; then go up to two a day. Note that you’ll also need to drink more water as you eat more fiber, warns the Cleveland Clinic. If you’re adding a fiber supplement, start with one teaspoon daily; after two weeks, take two teaspoons daily; after a month, you can take the entire suggested serving. Your gut will thank you. 

Eat more walnuts

Not only do walnuts supply a couple grams of fiber per ounce (14 halves), but they also contain omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, which is why Dr. Valente recommends them among the foods that cleanse your colon. Animal research suggests that walnut consumption breeds a healthier gut environment and may reduce the development of cancerous colon tumors. 

Supplement with chia

Eating just 2 tablespoons chia seeds will give you a whopping 10 grams of fiber, as much as 40 percent of your daily needs. (Aim for 25 to 35 grams daily, advises Dr. Valente.) There’s a reason why you want to hit this mark: “Fiber moves stool through your colon and brings toxic chemicals and other substances like cholesterol out of your system,” he explains. Nutrients within fiber may also affect the colon on a cellular level to guard against disease.

It’s OK to supplement

Don’t expect a fiber supplement to make up for a lousy diet, but the truth is that doctors know how tough it can be to maximize your fiber intake from food alone. Dr. Valente says that it’s OK to take a fiber supplement—just check in with your doctor and make sure you’re also eating vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. 

Poultry

It’s never a bad idea to freeze a few pieces of chicken, which can safely be stored in there for about four months. “The most important staples I keep in my freezer are boneless, skinless chicken breasts,” Chef Shelley of Chef In The Burbs tells Woman’s Day. “It’s a good lean protein and extremely versatile.” Defrosting chicken is faster than other pieces of meat, and you can then throw it into almost any type of dish.

Bananas

Bananas can go from not-so-ripe to overripe pretty quickly. Once that happens, you have two choices: you can either bake or cook with them right away, or you can freeze them, and the second option may be the best.

“When bananas become too ripe or brown for your personal taste, the best thing to do with them is to peel them, ziplock bag them, and save them in the freezer for later use,” Jessica Randhawa, the head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon, tells Woman’s Day. “Ripe frozen bananas are a perfect ingredient to make healthier waffles/pancakes, banana bread, or a strawberry banana smoothie.”

Avocado

Avocados are another fruit that can get way too ripe way too fast – and once they’re ripe, they have an even shorter shelf life than bananas. So, once they’re ready to be eaten, freeze them. “Frozen avocado chunks are great to keep on-hand,” Chef Mee McCormick, the author of My Pinewood Kitchen, tells Woman’s Day. “You can add these to smoothies or whip up a chocolate avocado mousse for a healthier take on dessert.” You can also let them thaw and then use them for avocado toast.

Crusty Bread

Sure, there’s nothing like a soft, fresh piece of bread. But if you’re worried about not using it right away, you can freeze it for up to six months. “After slicing the end off a loaf, I wrap the bread in the paper it came in, then in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, tie with a twist tie and freeze,” Chef Bruce Hill, owner of The Chef’s Press, explains to Woman’s Day. “The frozen bread can be thawed by placing it cut-side down on a warm griddle, then slice off a slice at a time. Frozen bread also can be made into breadcrumbs, which are handy for meatballs.”

Frozen Berries

Not every fruit will do well in the freezer, but berries definitely do. “I am a big fan of frozen berries,” Shockey says. “Often the quality will be just as good as fresh berries (especially when berries are out of season) as frozen produce tends to be picked at its peak. Frozen berries are great for making pies or scones or an easy smoothie.”

Lime or Lemon Juice

If you use limes and lemons often, then freezing the juice is a good way to ensure you always have it when you need it. Chef Marie Surakul, head chef of Bamboo inside Pechanga Resort Casino, recommends squeezing out the juice and storing it in ice cube trays. “You’ll gain the ability to have pre-made juice, sauce and pastes at the ready just before you begin cooking,” he tells Woman’s Day.

Broth

Homemade broth is delicious and extremely versatile. Unfortunately, it only lasts about a week in your fridge. But in the freezer, it can stay good for at least six months. “Having some chicken or vegetable broth on hand can help any time you’re in the mood for soups and sauces — and it never hurts to kick things up a notch when sautéing veggies either,” Steph Young, founder and writer at CampingCooks.com, tells Woman’s Day.

Shiitake Mushrooms

You’ve probably never thought about freezing mushrooms to use for later, but why not? They freeze well and are a great addition to most recipes, like soups and stews, according to McCormick. To freeze, “just place mushrooms on a parchment-lined tray and place in freezer until they are frozen. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight reusable freezer bag,” McCormick says

Herbs

Fresh herbs can hang out in your freezer for up to a year without going bad. That means that the over-abundance of basil you grew during the summer can easily be stored and then used in the middle of the winter. Mitch Prensky, an award-winning Chef and seasoned culinary professional, tells Woman’s Day he chops up fresh herbs and then portions them out in ice cube trays. “These are great for adding to a sauce or making a dressing,” he explains. “They are pre-portioned and stay fresh forever.”

Butter

“I freeze salted and unsalted butter in bulk, as I go through a lot of it, and if others do too, it’s a great thing to freeze and then you never run out of it,” Jessie Sheehan of The Vintage Baker tells Woman’s Day. She adds that you can freeze butter for up to four months.

Bacon

While many types of meat will only last about four months in your freezer, bacon can last up to six months. And Chef Jennifer Scism, chef and co-founder of Good To-Go, has the best method for storing it. “I lay it onto a sheet tray lined with plastic wrap. Freeze it until it is good and hard, an hour or so. Then wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into a freezer bag,” he tells Woman’s Day. “The pieces are separate so you can pull out what you need and will defrost quickly. So easy and so good.”

Pesto

Spend some time whipping up a huge batch of fresh pesto, then freeze it so that you can enjoy it for months to come (it can last in the freezer for up to six months). “It freezes perfectly, and is standing at the ready for your next pasta, grilled chicken, or burrata recipe,” Chef Dennis Prescott of Netflix’s Restaurants On The Edge, tells Woman’s Day. He recommends portioning the pesto into ice cube trays so you can easily pop them out and use small amounts at a time.

Read on as we list down foods suggested by Lokendra Tomar that you must stop reheating right now. 

 Vegetables with High Amounts of Nitrates

If you have spinach or any green leafy vegetables, carrot, turnip or even celery, avoid reheating them in the microwave. These nitrate rich vegetables when heated again can turn toxic, releasing carcinogenic properties, which are generally cancerous in nature. Spinach contains high amount of iron, hence heating and reheating spinach may oxidize the iron present in spinach. Oxidation of iron generates dangerous free radicals which are known to cause many diseases including infertility and cancer.

Rice

You may be surprised, but rice comes under this category too. According to Foods Standards Agency (FSA), you could suffer from food poisoning by eating reheated rice. This is due to the presence of highly resistant bacteria called Bacillus Cereus. Heat kills these bacteria, but it can produce spores that are toxic in nature. Once rice is reheated and is left out at room temperature, any spores it contains can multiply, further causing food poisoning on consumption.

Egg

We all know, eggs are a rich source of protein, however, cooked egg or boiled egg can cause serious harm when exposed to heat again and again. Once you have cooked eggs, eat them immediately but if it is kept for a longer period, don’t reheat, rather just eat cold because high protein food contains lot of nitrogen. This nitrogen may get oxidised due to reheating, further causing cancer.\

Chicken

You would know, piping hot chicken does taste so delectable, however, if you are saving the curry for the next day, do remember to not heat it again and again. The protein composition in this staple completely changes when it is taken out of the refrigerator to heat. This can cause problems in the digestive system. Make sure you are not heating it on high temperature.

Potatoe

Potatoes being a staple are the best and easiest to store, reheat and consume. Unfortunately, you would need to think again. Potatoes are a rich source of vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C, however, if they are reheated again and again, chances are they might produce Clostridium Botulinum (bacteria causing Botulism). Even if you leave the cooked potatoes out in room temperature, the production of bacteria will only increase. So if you want to avoid the growth of bacteria, best is to keep them refrigerated or throw them away if not being consumed within 1-2 days.

Mushrooms

It is recommended to eat mushrooms as soon they are prepared. Ideally, they shouldn’t be stored to consume next day as it is a powerhouse of proteins and have generous amounts of minerals and by reheating them, you are breaking these proteins further, causing havoc in your digestive system. Hence heating them will generate toxins which contains oxidized nitrogen and free radicals. Even if you are keen on storing mushrooms for the next day, make sure you eat them cold.\

Cold Pressed Oil

One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acid is cold pressed oil like flaxseed oil, olive oil and canola oil. Omega-3 fat is very sensitive to temperature as it breaks and becomes rancid above 40 degree centigrade. Therefore, never heat cold pressed oil before consumption

Breast milk and baby food

Though breast milk and baby food can be warmed up for your child, it shouldn’t be reheated in the microwave.

Registered dietitian nutritionist Susie Garcia told Bustle that microwaves can heat food unevenly, resulting in hot patches that can burn a baby’s sensitive mouth and throat. If you need to reheat breast milk or baby food, do so in a hot water bath on the stove.

Seafood

Seafood is always best enjoyed fresh, but is it safe to reheat? The answer depends on how the seafood was stored.

According to the FDA, fresh seafood that was caught and immediately frozen should be safe to reheat. However, fresh or cooked seafood that has spent any time at room temperature might be harboring bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Reheating may not kill these bacteria, and it can be hard to know how seafood was previously stored if you are buying it fresh.

The FDA also recommended that seafood should be discarded if left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours in cool weather or one hour in warm weather. Bacteria can grow rapidly on seafood at any temperature between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Processed meats

Processed meats often contain chemicals and preservatives that extend their shelf lives. Unfortunately, microwaving them can make those substances worse for your health. In microwaving processed meats, we might unknowingly be exposed to chemical changes such as oxidized cholesterol in the process, according to research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. A study in the journal Food Control suggests that reheating processed meats with a burst of microwave radiation contributes to the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs), which have been linked to the development of coronary heart disease. Compared to other meal-prep methods, microwaving processed meats is far more likely to introduce COPs into your diet.

1. Sugar hurts your heart

Researchers at Harvard University studied thousands of American adults over the course of 15 years and found those who consumed 25 percent or more of their daily calories from sugar were, in that time, more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those whose diets included less than 10 percent of added sugar a day. (The worst offenders? Sweetened beverages, grain-based treats, fruit drinks and dairy desserts.)

2. “No sugar added” doesn’t mean “healthy”

If the label says “100 percent juice,” don’t chug with abandon. Even if the drink has no added sweeteners, its naturally occurring sugars are far more concentrated than you’d find in a piece of fruit. And unlike an orange or apple, which are high in fibre, juice offers empty calories and is of minimal nutritional value.

3. Excess sugar is linked to dementia

Researchers at the University of Bath found a molecular link between sugary diets and early Alzheimer’s. The scientists discovered that glycation—a reaction through which glucose affects cells—causes damage to an important enzyme that’s involved in the reduction of abnormal protein buildup in the brain, which is characteristic of the disease.

4. Sugar won’t make kids hyper…it’s worse than that

A meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that sugar does not affect children’s behaviour. “It may simply be the environment where certain food is being served (i.e., parties) that causes children to be more excitable,” says Andrea D’Ambrosio, a registered dietitian in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. But it does spike blood pressure and cholesterol. One 2016 study in the journal Obesity showed that reducing young subjects’ sugar consumption for just nine days led to immediate improvements in those areas, as well as blood sugar levels.

5. Stealth sugar stows away in snacks

These five convenience foods may appear to be healthier choices, but they often contain startlingly large amounts of the sweet stuff. Consider homemade alternatives instead:

• Smoothies: On average, a medium (473-millilitre) store-bought smoothie contains between 30 and 80 grams of sugar. Instead: Make your own with non-fat milk, half a banana, frozen berries and a sprinkle of omega-3-rich flaxseeds, then add a drop of vanilla extract to bring out the natural sweetness of the milk.
• Trail mix: Conventional wisdom suggests stashing trail mix in your car for a healthy snack on the go, but a quarter cup of a commercial variety can contain 16 or more grams of sugar. Instead: Make your own mix and go heavy on the protein-rich nuts and seeds, lighter on the dried fruit (and nix the chocolate chips altogether).
• Yogurt: A 118-millilitre serving of fruit-flavoured yogurt can contain 13 grams of sugar. If you top it with a quarter cup of store-bought granola, you’re downing another six grams. Instead: Reach for plain Greek yogurt and add your own fresh fruit and nuts. (Greek yogurt offers more protein than the fruity varieties and only a third of the sugar per half-cup serving.)
• Oatmeal: Flavoured oatmeal packets may seem like a healthy strategy for busy mornings, but they can contain as many as 12 grams of sugar per serving. (Heaping on another tablespoon of brown sugar adds an extra 12 grams.) Instead: Take the 10 minutes required to cook your own quick oats and add a quarter cup of diced apple and a dash of cinnamon. (Here are eight oatmeal recipes you need to try.)
• Salad dressing: Grabbing a salad for lunch may seem like a savvy dietary choice, but it’s important to know that some bottled dressings, such as French and raspberry vinaigrette, often have four or more grams of sugar per two-tablespoon serving. Instead: Opt for a drizzle of oil and vinegar over your salad.

6. You’re probably eating twice as much sugar as you should

The average Canadian eats the equivalent of 20 bags of sugar in a year—without realizing it. The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends that sugar comprise only 10 percent of an adult’s daily calories, which means each of us should be consuming only 48 grams—slightly more than a bag of Skittles—of added sugar per day, rather than the 100 grams we currently ingest.

7. Experts fear sugar may kill you sooner

Laura A. Schmidt, a professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, worries about all the damage sugar is doing to our bodies. That’s why she became lead investigator for UCSF’s SugarScience research site, developed as an “authoritative source for the scientific evidence about sugar and its impact on health.

8. Sugar is as bad for your liver as alcohol

Unlike other forms of sugar, fructose, which occurs naturally in fruit, is processed in the liver. We’re consuming too much of it, thanks to our penchant for foods with added sweeteners, and it’s leading to a rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). One visible red flag: a sugar belly (yes, like a beer belly). Why? The liver breaks down excess fructose into fat globules that travel through the bloodstream and lodge around your midsection and internal organs. And, like the liver damage caused by alcohol, NAFLD causes inflammation and scarring. “It is one of the leading causes of liver transplants,” Schmidt says.

9. “Healthier” sweeteners are no better for you

Those trying to cut down on sugar may be drawn to studies that tout the healing power of honey or the antioxidant benefits of maple syrup. Ignore them, says D’Ambrosio. “All sugar provides energy in the form of calories but it doesn’t add a significant amount of other nutrients,” she says. “Sugar is sugar, so it’s best used in moderation no matter what form it takes.”

10. Teen boys are the biggest sugar enthusiasts

The average Canadian teenage boy each day is consuming 172 grams of sugar per day, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey. (The leading culprit among kids aged 9 to 18? The added sugars in pop.) Excess sugar is linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, cavities and high cholesterol in children, while obesity rates for young people have nearly tripled in the last 30 years, according to the Government of Canada.

11. Cancer cells are sugar fiends

New research from the University of Texas at Dallas shows a link between sugar and squamous cell carcinoma, which is hard to treat and accounts for a quarter of all lung cancers. The study also found that four other types of squamous cell cancer also consume a lot of sugar.

12. Your pop is literally making you older

You age an additional 4.6 years if you drink a 591-millilitre sugary beverage every day. (The effect is comparable to that of being a regular smoker.)

13. Sugar may keep us up at night

A 2016 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows eating more sugar (along with less fibre and more saturated fat) is associated with lighter, more disrupted and less restorative sleep.

14. We’re still drinking too much liquid sugar

Good news: we’re drinking less pop than we were a decade ago. Bad news: we’ve replaced it with options that may be just as unhealthy, says Amanda Nash, a dietitian with the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Winnipeg. A 2017 report from the University of Waterloo found sales of energy drinks increased by 638 percent in the last 12 years, while sales of specialty coffees increased by 579 percent. Energy drinks contain 84 grams of sugar, sports drinks contain about 40 grams, and your average flavoured latte comes in at around 36 grams.

15. Sugar messes with our cholesterol

A 2010 study of 8,495 Americans over 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that as subjects’ added-sugar intake went up, their levels of HDL (good cholesterol) dropped, increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. The study also found that women in particular who ate more added sugar had higher levels of LDL density (bad cholesterol).

16. Most packaged foods contain added sugar

A Canadian Medical Association Journal study from 2016, which analyzed more than 40,000 packaged foods on the shelves of one of the nation’s biggest retailers, found added sugar in 66 percent of the items.

17. It’s bad for your BMI

Researchers from the University of Reading, the University of Cambridge and Arizona State University studied the sugar intake of 1,700 men and women aged 39 to 77 in Norfolk, U.K. According to a study published in 2015, they found that those who ate the most sugar were 54 percent more likely to be overweight (that is, have a BMI over 25)—and were also more likely to have underreported how much of the substance they consumed.

18. Food labels can hide sugar content

At long last, revised nutrition labels for packaged foods are coming to a shelf near you. Look for them on everything from crackers to corn flakes by the end of this year.

What’s changed: All sugars are grouped together. There’s a new % daily value (DV) for total sugars (5 percent of your DV is a little, 15 percent is significant).

What’s missing: The label doesn’t differentiate between added sugars and naturally occurring ones, so you’ll need to dig around.

Helpful tip: 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon (A can of Coke contains 40 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons.)

19. Beware: you may be eating incognito sugar

Here are 10 sneaky pseudonyms manufacturers use to fool you into thinking their food isn’t packed with the sweet stuff:

• Amazake
• Carob powder
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Maltose

20. Sugar takes your breath away

Scientists have long suspected a link between sugar-sweetened beverages and asthma. After analyzing data from 146,990 adults in the U.S., they found that, sure enough, adults who downed at least two of these drinks a day were more likely to have respiratory issues.

Frozen foods to avoid at all costs

Frozen waffles or pasta are go-to favorites when you’re on a time crunch in the morning or evening. These guilty pleasures, like other frozen foods, allow you to eat without the hassle of cooking. However, the nutritional content can be lacking or leaning toward too much sodium or fat. These guilty pleasures, like other frozen foods, allow you to eat without the hassle of cooking. However, the nutritional content can be lacking or leaning toward too much sodium or fat

These guilty pleasures, like other frozen food, allow you to eat without the hassle of cooking. However, the nutritional content can be lacking or leaning toward too much sodium or fat

Pasta dishes

Those ready-made spaghetti Bolognese and creamy pasta dishes are comfort foods at their finest, but they’re not the best for your body. Skip the frozen dishes, which tend to be loaded with sodium and fat, and throw your own healthy pasta recipe together, suggests Jodi Greebel, RDN, pediatric dietitian and founder of Citrition. Not only is boiling pasta quick and easy, but you also have more control over what goes into the sauce and sides. Load yours up with nutritious veggies for a healthier twist on your guilty-pleasure pasta. To start, give this healthy spaghetti recipe a try.

Fruity breakfasts

Don’t be fooled by the fruit in items like blueberry pancakes and strawberry waffles. “Parents think that because there is fruit in them they must be healthy,” says Greebel. Au contraire. The berries speckled through these carb-heavy breakfast items are far down the ingredient list—way below sugar—making these treats high in sugar and sodium, but low in the nutrients you were looking for, like fiber. You’re better off adding a healthy handful of fresh or frozen berries to the top of plain frozen pancakes and waffles, says Greebel.

Stir-fries

Frozen Chinese foods like stir-fry or beef with broccoli are loaded with sodium, thanks in part to the sauces they come in. Luckily, a healthier version is just as easy and freezer-friendly. Buy a pack of plain frozen veggies—some stores even sell stir-fry vegetables without the sauce—and throw them in your pan with chicken or beef, suggests Greebel. Use just a bit of low-sodium soy or teriyaki sauce to keep the salt to a minimum. 

Breakfast sandwiches

No matter how much time they save you at breakfast time, those frozen egg sandwiches shouldn’t be your go-to morning meal. You’re loading up on sodium and additives instead of some plain protein-packed eggs. Breakfast sandwiches are “almost as quick to assemble on your own and so much healthier,” says Greebel. If you don’t have a minute to spare in the morning rush, do your breakfast prep work over the weekend and make some egg muffin cups, suggests Bowerman. You can even freeze them for later, popping them in the microwave before you head out the door.

Two-serving meals

When you’re looking for a quick and healthy single-serving dinner, buyer beware: Some frozen foods look reasonable in calories, fat, and sodium at first glance, but they’re actually two servings disguised as one. Double-check the portion size before you dig in to make sure you’re not biting off more than you’d want to chew. Swap the poser out for a single-serving meal, or set half aside for leftovers. 

Smoothie base mixes

Smoothies can start your morning on the right foot with an immediate serving (or more) of fruit, but be careful when shopping for base mix in the frozen aisle. Those that are just portioned-out fruit and veggie mixes are A-OK, but others don’t deserve their health halo, RD, director of worldwide nutrition education and training at Herbalife Nutrition. “Some are just a ‘base mix’ for your smoothie, which means they have no fruit at all, but instead are loaded with sugars, gums, flavorings, etc.,” says Bowerman. She recommends skipping those mixes and hunting down another freezer aisle staple: whole, unsweetened fruits. Add some veggies if you’d like, along with protein powder and milk (dairy or non-dairy), for a healthier start to the day. Curious about other dairy substitutes? 

Waffles

You don’t need to let go of your waffles entirely, but if frozen waffles are a big part of your diet, you’ll want to consider making an update. Whip up a big batch of homemade waffles with whole grain flour and protein powder, suggests Bowerman. The fiber-rich

Low-protein veggie burgers

Skipping the traditional cheeseburger for a meatless option can be better for your belly and the planet, but there’s a catch. “A lot of people look at all plant-based burgers as healthy protein substitutes, but many of them are much higher in carbohydrates and fat than protein,” says Ilana Muhlstein, RD, creator of the 2B Mindset nutrition program. “Protein is important for keeping us full and preventing overeating.” Leave it on the shelf if the nutrition facts say just five grams of protein, and hunt down another veggie patty with ten grams or more, she suggests.