There may be no place on the planet more daunting than the American supermarket. From the produce section to the frozen-food aisle, the modern day market is loaded with 50,000 food choices, all vying for your hard-earned money. That's why we created the \"Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide,\" the brand-new follow-up to our national bestselling nutrition books that will help you cut through marketing mysteries and food-label lies in order to make the smart choices that lead to fast and permanent weight loss for you and your loved ones.
And there's no better way to start slimming down in 2009 than by eliminating the most egregious offenders in the supermarket from your shopping cart. Some are conspicuous calorie bombs, others are junk food masquerading as healthy food, but all 20 of these foods have one thing in common: they will undermine your efforts to lose weight and feel great in the new year. So study up on the list of the Worst Supermarket Foods (don't forget the 20 worst restaurant foods in America while you're at it), and resolve to master your market in 2009.
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst crunch snack","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Gardetto's Special Request Roasted Garlic Rye Chips(1/2 cup, 30 g)
160 calories / 10 g fat
(2 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
40 mg sodium
Gardetto extracts the worst part of its Original snack mix and tries to serve it as a gourmet snack -- a sneaky move that might have serious repercussions for even casual munchers. Each single serving exceeds the amount of trans fat deemed safe to consume daily by the American Heart Association.
Fat equivalent: 3 strips of bacon
Eat this instead:
Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Nibblers (16 pieces, 30 g)
120 calories / 0 g fat
200 mg sodium
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst cookie","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Pillsbury Big Deluxe Classics White Chunk Macadamia Nut (dough; 1 cookie, 38 g)
180 calories / 10 g fat
(3 g saturated, 2 g trans)
13 g sugars
Stick to Nestlé Toll House when it comes to big-brand cookie dough; the people of Pillsbury have a penchant for scattering trans fats across your market's refrigerated section. This cookie has one load of dangerous oils mixed into the flour and another blended with sugar and interspersed throughout the dough as \"white confectionery chunks.\"
Fat equivalent: 5 \"fun\" size 3 Musketeers bars
Eat this instead:
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
(11/2-inch ball, 28 g)
130 calories
6 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
11 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst yogurt","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Stonyfield Farm Whole Milk Chocolate Underground (6 oz)
220 calories / 5 g fat
(3 g saturated) / 36 g sugars
Stonyfield is notorious for being a little too generous with the sugar, but the nearly 3 tablespoons in their Chocolate Underground is bad even by their supersweet standards. Not even Ben & Jerry's makes a flavor of ice cream with this much sugar. (Check out the rest of America's Most-Sugar Packed Foods.)
Sugar equivalent: 4 Cherry Popsicles
Eat this instead:
Breyers' Cookies n'Cream YoCrunch Lowfat with Oreo Pieces (6 oz)
120 calories
2.5 g fat (1 g saturated)
11 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst candy","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Twix (1 package, 2 oz
280 calories / 27 g sugars
14 g fat (11 g saturated)
Twix takes the already-dubious candy-bar reputation and drags it through a murky pool of saturated fat. With more than half the USDA's daily consumption recommendation for these dangerous fats in each package, this is one hazardous after-lunch snack.
Saturated fat equivalent: 11 strips of bacon
Eat this instead:
100 Grand (1 package)
190 calories
22 g sugars
8 g fat (5 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst condiment","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Eggo Original Syrup(1/4 c)
240 calories / 40 g sugars
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but not when this sugar slick hits the table. Excluding water, the first three ingredients are all different forms of sugar. If you want real syrup, make sure it's 100 percent maple.
Sugar equivalent: Two Haagen-Dazs Vanilla & Almond ice cream bars
Eat this instead:
Smucker's Sugar Free Breakfast Syrup(1/4 c)
20 calories / 0 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst ice cream","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Haagen-Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter
(1/2 c)
360 calories / 24 g sugars
24 g fat (11 g saturated)
Haagen-Dazs makes great-tasting ice cream with an impressively short ingredient list, but that doesn't make up for the fact that their pints are consistently the fattiest in the freezer.
Fat equivalent: 1 McDonald's Double Cheeseburger
Eat this instead:
Edy's Slow Churned Peanut Butter Cup
(1/2 c)
130 calories
13 g sugars
6 g fat (3 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst drink","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
AriZona Kiwi Strawberry (23.5-oz can)
353 calories / 0 g fat
82 g sugars
It claims to be blended juice, but only 5 percent of this can is any sort of real-fruit derivative. The remaining 95 percent is a blend of water and high-fructose corn syrup. (Believe it or not, this pales in comparison to some of the other unhealthiest drinks in America.)
Sugar equivalent: 4 Original Fudgsicle Bars
Drink this instead:
Tropicana Lime Raspberry Fruit Squeeze
(15.2-oz bottle)
35 calories / 0 g fat
7 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst 'healthy' pantry item","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Pop-Tarts Whole Grain Brown Sugar Cinnamon (2 pastries)
400 calories
14 g fat (4 g saturated)
5 g fiber / 28 g sugars
Whole grain ain't the whole truth. There's also a glut of vegetable oil and seven types of sugar stuffed inside.
Sugar equivalent: 1 Snickers bar
Eat this instead:
Sun-Maid Raisin English Muffins with Cinnamon (1 muffin)
170 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
2 g fiber / 13 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst frozen 'healthy' entree","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Healthy Choice Complete Selections Sweet & Sour Chicken (340 g)
430 calories
9 g fat (1 g saturated)
600 mg sodium / 29 g sugars
Since when has fried chicken been healthy? Certainly not when it's cloaked in sugar.
Sugar equivalent: 2 scoops Breyers Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream
Eat this instead:
Kashi Southwest Style Chicken (283 g)
240 calories
5 g fat (0 g saturated)
680 mg sodium
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst cereal","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins (1 c)
420 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
6 g fiber / 30 g sugars
Granola, for all its good reputation, is usually weighed down by a deluge of added sugars. In fact, for the same amount of sugar, you could have a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles more than twice the size -- and you'd get more fiber and save about 60 calories in fat.
Calorie equivalent: 8 chicken wings
Eat this instead:
Kashi GOLEAN (1 c)
140 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
10 g fiber / 6 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst package","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Pasta Roni Fettuccine Alfredo (1 c prepared with 2% milk and margarine)
450 calories / 25 g fat
(7 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)
1,140 mg sodium
Once again alfredo proves itself to be the biggest belt-busting option on the shelf. This side has a meal's worth of calories, and if you try to turn it into a meal in itself, expect to top 1,000 calories.
Sodium equivalent: 4 medium orders of McDonald's french fries
Eat this instead:
Pasta Roni Nature's Way Olive Oil & Italian Herb (1 c prepared with water and olive oil)
250 calories
8 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
800 mg sodium
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst baked good","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Otis Spunkmeyer Banana Nut Muffin (1 muffin, 114 g)
460 calories
22 g fat (3 g saturated)
2 g fiber / 32 g sugars
Despite popular belief, muffins are very rarely healthy. Case in point: The first ingredient in this muffin is sugar. The result is metabolic mayhem: Blood sugar climbs, pancreas goes into overdrive, and the body begins storing sugar as fat. Shortly after, you'll feel sluggish and crave more sugar.
Sugar equivalent: 3 1/2 Rice Krispies Treats
Eat this instead:
Vitalicious Apple Berry Muffin (1 muffin)
100 calories
0 g fat
5 g fiber / 10 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst frozen treat","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Toll House Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich (1 sandwich)
520 calories
23 g fat (9 g saturated)
44 g sugars
Do you really want more than a quarter of your day's calories to come from an ice-cream novelty? If you're going to take in this much fat and calories in one sitting, it better be dinner.
Calorie equivalent: Two slices of hand-tossed pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut
Eat this instead:
Skinny Cow Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich (1 sandwich)
140 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated)
15 g sugars
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst individual snack","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie (1 pie)
520 calories / 45 g sugars
24 g fat (14 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
Skip past the enriched flour and water on the ingredient list and here's what you get: animal shortening, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, butter, chocolate liqueur, and so on. Any one of these ingredients alone might prompt you to raise an eyebrow, but taken together they should invoke a gag reflex and a sprint for something far healthier.
Saturated fat equivalent: 2 McDonald's Quarter Pounders
Eat this instead:
Chocolatey Drizzle Rice Krispies Treat
100 calories / 8 g sugars
3 g fat (1 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst packaged lunch","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Oscar Mayer Maxed Out Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Combo Lunchables (1 package)
680 calories / 61 g sugars
22 g fat (9 g saturated, 1 g trans) 1,440 mg sodium
Here's your first clue that this meal has issues: The ingredient list -- in its squinty small type -- is a full 4 inches long. It includes just about every form of fat and sugar you can imagine. Your child deserves better.
Calorie equivalent: 15 Chicken McNuggets
Eat this instead:
Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Fajita Beef & Salsa Flatbread (145 g)
280 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
890 mg sodium
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst stir-fry","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Bertolli Grilled Chicken Alfredo & Fettuccine Complete Skillet Meal for Two(1/2 package, 340 g)
710 calories / 1,370 mg sodium
42 g fat (22 g saturated)
A dinner for two should get your blood flowing, not stuff your arteries with more than the entire day's saturated fat.
Saturated fat equivalent: 22 strips of bacon
Eat this instead:
Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two Grilled Chicken in Roasted Garlic Sauce (1/2 bag, 340 g)
340 calories
880 mg sodium
13 g fat (5 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst frozen breakfast","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Jimmy Dean Pancake and Sausage Links Breakfast Bowls
710 calories / 890 mg sodium
31 g fat (11 g saturated)
As if the calories, fat, and refined carbohydrates weren't bad enough, Jimmy D tops the whole thing with two Hershey's bars' worth of sugar.
Calorie equivalent: 6 bowls of Froot Loops
Eat this instead:
Jimmy Dean D-lights Breakfast Bowls Turkey Sausage (198 g)
230 calories
730 mg sodium
7 g fat (3 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst frozen pizza","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
DiGiorno for One Garlic Bread Crust Supreme Pizza
850 calories / 1,450 mg sodium
44 g fat (15 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)
The bloated crust and the greasy toppings will saddle you with 60 percent of your day's sodium, 75 percent of your day's saturated fat, and nearly twice the amount of trans fats you should take in daily.
Calorie equivalent: 6 slices Domino's Thin N Crispy Cheese Pizza
Eat this instead:
South Beach Diet Deluxe Pizza
340 calories
660 mg sodium
11 g fat (4 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst frozen entree","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Hungry-Man Classic Fried Chicken
1,020 calories / 1,570 mg sodium
57 g fat (12 g saturated)
They should rename the company Hungry-Men, because there's no way a single man needs more than a pound of fatty fried chicken, oily potatoes, and a brownie.
Calorie equivalent: 5 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts
Eat this instead:
Banquet Select Chicken Parmesan
350 calories
870 mg sodium
15 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","Worst packaged food","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i-1].body = "
Marie Callender's Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
1,060 calories / 1,440 mg sodium
64 g fat (24 g saturated)
Marie Callender's perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: The nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn this special place on our list.
Sodium equivalent: 8 small bags of potato chips
Fat equivalent: 23 strips of bacon
Calorie equivalent: 7 Taco Bell Fresco Beef Tacos
Eat this instead:
Marie Callender's Oven Baked Chicken(369 g)
320 calories
990 mg sodium
12 g fat (3 g saturated)
";
TDY_WorstSupermarketFoods[i++] = new Array("","","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
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