If you’re trying to slim down this spring, maintaining a healthy diet should be a top priority, in addition to getting enough exercise each day. That means you should make sure you’re always eating nutritious, whole foods that can provide your body with ample protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, it also means you should limit your intake of certain foods—and, unfortunately, despite the fact that they’re delicious, fried foods in particular can definitely hold you back from your weight loss goals.
So, what are some of the worst fried foods out there that may be keeping you from reaching your ideal figure? To answer this question, we spoke to health experts Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, and Catherine Gervacio, Registered Dietitian and nutrition writer for Living.Fit. They told us that French fries and mozzarella sticks should be avoided as much as possible. Learn more about the health effects of each of these foods below!
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1. French fries
When you're in the mood for a salty treat (especially as a side to your burger), French fries may be one of your go-to options. Unfortunately, though, Gervacio says that this snack can take a serious toll on your health over time and should especially be avoided if you're trying to lose weight.
"Not only are [French fries] high in fat—they are empty calorie foods, which means they don't contain substantial nutrients, they only give calories, which won't be helpful for weight management and health in general," she tells us. And not only will this snack add a lot of calories and inflammatory trans fat to your daily intake, but the fact that French fries contain very little nutrients means they don't take much energy for your body to process. Over time, this can slow your metabolism. All in all, it's best to opt for a different side with your meal.
2. Mozzarella sticks
Mozzarella sticks are another popular fried appetizer and fast food side. However, just like French fries, this snack is packed with unhealthy processed ingredients—including high-fat cheese. "This appetizer is one of the worst for your metabolism because it contains a significant amount of calories and fat along with the inflammatory nature of the ingredients," Richards warns.
In addition to being fried, which is never healthy, mozzarella sticks also combine two ingredients that can make weight loss especially difficult for some people: gluten and dairy. Richards notes that both are "inflammatory and can lead to bloating and weight gain."
The bottom line
Of course, if you're trying to lose weight, no fried food is going to be your best option. And as it turns out, French fries and mozzarella sticks are some of the biggest culprits of inflammation, weight gain, and a slowed metabolism. Overall, Richards concludes that any sort of fried food is "simply unnecessary and can be avoided."
