10 un-healthy foods

The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published information about their 10 Super Foods for Better Health. They also published information about some of the 10 most un-healthy foods you could eat. These are just some examples of alarmingly un-healthy foods, not necessarily the worst ones out there.

Here is that information.

1. Marie Callender's chicken pot pie - the label is deceiving, because the nutrition information is only for half of the pot pie. This pie has 1,040 calories, 22 grams of saturated fat (most people need no more than 20 grams a day, maximum) and 1,600 mg of sodium. Lesson to be learned: make sure you read the serving size information on food labels.

2. Olive Garden's Tour of Italy - this meal of lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and fettuccine alfredo racks up 1,450 calories, 33 grams of saturated fat, and 3,830 mg of sodium (a day and a half's worth of sodium). A bread stick will add 150 calories and 400 mg of sodium. This one meal is enough calories for an entire day and more than enough saturated fat and sodium.

3. Campbell's condensed soup - one can of this soup will make 2 1/2 servings. If you eat the entire can of soup, you are looking at 1900 mg of sodium. Try one of the healthy request varieties, reduced sodium, or other brands with lower sodium.

4. Chipotle chicken burrito - has 970 calories, 18 grams of saturated fat (same amount as three 6-inch Subway BLT subs), and over 2,000 mg of sodium. Skip the tortilla, sour cream, and/or cheese to cut the fat and calories, but the sodium will still be high.

5. Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Tower Truffle cake - this dessert weighs 3/4 of a pound and adds 1,760 calories and 50 grams of saturated fat. And that's just for a dessert!

6. Pillsbury Grands Cinnabon cinnamon roll with icing - each one has 310 calories, 2 grams of saturated fat, 2 1/2 grams of trans fat (more than enough for one day). That's just for each roll and who can stop at just one?

7. Land O'Lakes margarine - proclaims that it is an excellent source of ALA (a heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid) but each tablespoon also has 2 1/2 grams of trans fat (more than you need in a day) and 2 grams of saturated fat. It is very easy to use more than one tablespoon of margarine. Better option - look for a tub margarine with little or no trans fat.

8. Starbucks venti (20 oz) white chocolate mocha - made with 2% milk and whipped cream is worse than a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese. It has 580 calories and 15 grams of saturated fat. If you order with nonfat milk and no whipped cream, it cuts out 130 calories and almost 10 grams of saturated fat. Choose wisely during your coffee break.

9. Haagen-Dazs ice cream - a mere average half cup serving gives you over 300 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and close to 100 mg of cholesterol (1/3 of the daily amount). It's difficult to only eat a half cup serving, most of us eat 3 or more servings!

10. Cold Stone Creamery's Oh Fudge! shake - made with chocolate ice cream, milk, and fudge syrup is 1,250 calories for the 16 oz Like It size. A large (32 oz) triple thick shake from McDonald's has less. The 20 oz Love It size has 1,660 calories and the 24 oz Gotta Have It size has almost 2,000 calories, 69 grams of saturated fat (over 3 days worth). That's the same amount of saturated fat as 2 16 oz T-bone steaks plus a buttered baked potato.

For comparison, here are the amounts of fat, saturated fat and sodium limits for a 2,000 calorie diet:
Total fat - 65 grams (g)
Saturated fat - 20 grams (g)
Trans fat - as close to 0 grams (g) as possible
Sodium - 2,400 milligrams (mg)

For more information, check out the Center for Science in the Public Interest's website.