10+ Foods We Should Only Be Eating Once A Week

1. Healthy Choices

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When you're making healthy choices with your diet, it can feel like an absolute minefield when you're trying to understand the complicated and sometimes conflicting advice that's out there.  The truth is, everyone's different and there isn't really a strict rule that applies to every individual regarding how often you should eat certain foods.  However, there are certain foods that are generally recommended that you limit consumption to once a week due to their nutritional content and potential health risks.

2. Processed Meats

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Processed meats like bacon, sausages, hotdogs, packaged ham, and others should be eaten in moderation as they are often high in saturated fat, sodium, and preservatives.  These are well-known to increase the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

3. Fried Foods

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You should limit your consumption of fried foods to perhaps just once a week too.  This is because they are often high in unhealthy trans fats.  This means that eating them too often could pose certain health risks including contributing to obesity and heart disease.

4. Soda

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It's not only foods that you should consider limiting your consumption to once a week.  In fact, soda and other sugary drinks are absolutely loaded with sugar.  Did you know that one 12 oz can of Cola has been found to contain 39 grams of sugar?  Consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and problems with your teeth.

5. Candy

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Like soda, candy is generally absolutely packed with sugar too and when you consume too much sugar than your body is used to, it produces insulin at a rapid rate so the body can keep levels consistent.  But the problem is, that this then causes the blood's glucose levels to actually decrease, meaning that your energy levels will drop.  This is called hypoglycemia, or a sugar crash.

6. Pastries

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Pastries can be sweet or savory but either way, they should be limited and only consumed in moderation.  This is because sweet pastries tend to be filled with high levels of sugar which can of course lead to tooth decay and sugar spikes and crashes.  And both sweet and savory pastries contain unrefined sugar and unhealthy fats which can lead to weight gain and other health issues.

7. Sugary Cereals

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Despite some of the branding claiming that they're healthy and a good way to start the day which is common with many breakfast cereals, many of these contain high levels of sugar.  We know that too much sugar is bad for your health in a number of ways previously mentioned so these should also be limited in your diet.

8. Pizza

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Many commercial pizzas, including frozen brands from the grocery store, can be really high in saturated fats, refined flour for the base, sodium, and processed ingredients.  Some toppings might contain processed meats too.  So it's a good idea to limit your pizza night to once a week.

9. Ice Cream

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Ice cream is just the ticket for a hot day or even a cosy night in front of the TV but despite this, you should only eat ice cream in moderation.  This is because ice cream is likely to be high in sugar and saturated fats which could lead to weight gain and heart disease, as well as other health problems.

10. Alcohol

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Drinking alcohol at excessive levels can be incredibly detrimental to your health.  Your liver works hard to detox the alcohol that you've consumed from your system but regular excessive levels could damage it.  Other health problems such as addiction and others are a result of excessive alcohol consumption.

11. White Bread

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White bread pretty much lacks any nutritional value and consuming it too often could cause you health problems.  It lacks fibers and the nutrients that are found in whole-grain bread and could lead to blood spikes.  To avoid the health issues that come with eating it too often, it's a good idea to only eat it in moderation.

12. Potato Chips

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Eating potato chips too regularly can also pose certain health risks which means that this food should also be only enjoyed in moderation.  This is because they are high in unhealthy saturated fats and sodium and consuming too much of these can pose health risks linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

13. High-sugar fruit juices

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Now some fruit juices contain natural sugars and these can play a big role in a balanced diet, with the fiber benefitting your digestive health.  However, there are many bottles of fruit juices on the market that are actually filled with lots of added sugar so be sure to read the label.

14. Fast Food

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Fast food, including burgers, fries, chicken, and the like should only be enjoyed as an occasional treat.  This is because they are typically high in saturated fats, high in calories, as well as sodium.  Eating too much fast food can therefore cause obesity, high blood pressure, and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

15. White Rice

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With white rice, many people consider it to be an 'empty' carb and because of this, people do tend to opt for more nutritious brown rice.  But it's not all bad, in fact, white rice can be beneficial as part of a balanced diet as it tends to be enriched with added iron and B vitamins.

16. Canned soup

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Depending on the brand of canned soup that you choose, it's a good idea to only eat this convenient food in moderation.  This is because lots of canned soup varieties contain lots of preservatives and sodium, which, when consumed to excess could lead to a series of health issues including heart disease and stroke.

17. Processed Cheese

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When eaten in moderation, cheese can be a good source of nutrients.  But if you eat processed cheese too often, you could be potentially putting yourself at risk of certain health issues.  This is because processed cheese tends to be high in unhealthy fats and sodium.

18. Instant Ramen

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Although it can be quite satisfying to crack an egg into a pot of instant ramen, it's a good idea to enjoy this convenience food occasionally.  This is because instant ramen noodles tend to be typically high in sodium, often contain MSG, and unhealthy trans fats, and are quite low in nutritional value.

19. Syrup

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Everyone loves drizzling syrup on their pancakes, right?  It's so sweet and delicious and you probably can't imagine your pancakes without it!  But the problem with eating too much syrup is the sugar which when consumed to excess, can cause obesity as well as sugar spikes and crashes.

20. Cake

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You can probably predict the reasons why cake makes the list of foods that are advised to be consumed in moderation.  Yes - it's the sugar, unhealthy fats, and the possibility of the presence of artificial ingredients and refined flour.  The last two are particularly present in highly processed cakes.  But we're not telling you NOT to eat cake, just indulge in moderation.

21. White pasta

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White pasta is refined pasta and is much higher in calories than brown pasta.  It is also lower in fiber which means that you're likely to still feel hungry after eating it, perhaps leading you to eat more of it.  It's therefore a good idea to limit consumption and opt for the high-fiber, whole-grain brown pasta.

22. Boxed Mac & Cheese

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Commercial boxed macaroni and cheese is a really popular convenience food because it's so comforting.  But this food is recommended to only be enjoyed once a week due to its typical high sodium content, the presence of unhealthy fats, as well as artificial flavors.

23. High-sugar yogurts

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Lots of branded yogurts that you see in the grocery store can be packed with sugar, even if they claim they're healthier options so it's always a good idea to check the label before buying if you want to control your sugar intake.  Obviously enjoy them in moderation and opt or plain yogurt the rest of the time.

24. Frozen Dinners

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Frozen dinners are incredibly convenient if you have a busy schedule but it can become a bit of a habit opting for these after hectic days.  Eating frozen dinners could save you time but they are typically high in sodium, and artificial additives, and don't have as many nutrients as fresher alternatives.

25. Instant Gravy Mix

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Instant gravy mixes are also super convenient and save time and energy, especially when your schedule is jam-packed.  But using these too often can lead to an excessive intake of salt which can of course cause health problems such as stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

26. Bottled Barbecue Sauce

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Many commercial barbecue sauces tend to be typically high in ingredients that should only be enjoyed in moderation, such as sodium and refined sugar.  This means that if you consume excessive amounts, this could lead to certain health issues.  So it's of course a good idea to enjoy in moderation and consider making your own.

27. Bottled Salad Dressings

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Okay, so you're about to eat a salad, which is a healthy option, however, you've used lashings of a store-bought bottled salad dressing to go with it.  This isn't the end of the world, to be quite honest, when you're consuming it in moderation but do be mindful of their ingredients as some brands are high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and artificial additives.

28. Century Eggs

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Century eggs, which are also known as preserved eggs or hundred-year eggs, are a Chinese delicacy made by preserving duck, quail, or chicken eggs in a mix of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice straw for a period of time.  But they should be enjoyed sparingly as they are very high in sodium due to the preservation process.

29. Fugu

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Fugu is a blowfish and is a Japanese delicacy known for its potentially deadly poison, tetrodotoxin that is found in the dish.  Only licensed and highly trained chefs are allowed to prepare this delicacy so it's probably not a great idea to consume this regularly or without the expertise.

30. All in Moderation

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People are unique, and so are our diets.  Although healthy dietary advice exists and is a good idea to follow, there isn't a set diet that will work for everyone because everyone's body will need different amounts of nutrients and the like.  The best advice would be to have a balance and enjoy the more unhealthy foods in moderation.