This list of foods NOT to eat has been sorted into food group categories also. You should avoid these unhealthy foods as much as possible.Refined Sugar: Besides staying away from table sugar and candy, watch for added sugar hidden everywhere. Learn the many different sugar names and check all packaged, canned and processed foods, such as cereals, prepared meats, bakery goods, jams, etc.Grain Products: Avoid refined grain foods. These include most breads, crackers, pasta and breakfast cereals. Also eliminate cakes, pies, doughnuts, cookies, croissants, muffins and all pastries and snack foods such as chips, most snack mixes and buttered popcorn.

Fats and Oils: Limit saturated fats and refined vegetables oils. Eliminate food with trans fats and other bad fat. This includes margarine, lard or partially hydrogenated oils found in cookies, cakes, pastries, doughnuts, chips, fried foods, candy and most chocolate.

Meats, Poultry and Fish: – Eliminate red meats high in saturated fats and other fatty cuts of meat – ribs, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, pepperoni, salami, bologna and other packaged meats, plus most hamburgers. Also avoid fried fish, meats and poultry, as well as poultry skin.

Dairy and Eggs: Cut out cream and any cream products, such as full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, cream sauces, whipped cream and ice cream. Limit the use of butter, eggs and full-fat cheeses and eliminate whole milk, 2% reduced fat milk and whole milk.

Beans, Nuts and Seeds: Stay away from any bean soups or chili that contain sausage, bacon, ham or other high fat meats. Also avoid all salted nuts and seeds, as well as those roasted in oils.

Fruits and Vegetables: Eliminate fried vegetables and fruits, vegetables with butter, cheese or cream sauces and fruits with cream or whipped cream. Also avoid fruit drinks and fruit juices. One cup of fruit juice has no fiber and up to 10 teaspoons of high glycemic sugar.

Excess Salt: Average salt consumption in the U.S. is 10-15 grams a day. The National Academy of Sciences recommends 3-8 grams. To cut your salt intake in half, limit table salt and avoid chips, salted nuts and popcorn and most prepared, canned and packaged foods.

Liquids: Avoid all sodas, milk shakes, fruit juice and fruit drinks and greatly limit or totally eliminate caffeine and alcoholic beverages.

Your body’s an amazing machine with an extraordinary network of systems operating inside you right now. Healthy food provides the nutritional fuel necessary to keep you running smoothly and prevent breakdowns.

As you learn what unhealthy foods to avoid, start today replacing the foods NOT to eat with the very best foods to eat for great health.