Dietitians’ Top 10 Picks for the Most Unhealthy Fatty Foods to Avoid

Shortening is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil. This hydrogenation process produces trans fats, the most concerning form of dietary fat. Because of the trans fats sound in shortening, it should be an ingredient you drastically limit in your cooking and baking. You could even remove it completely from your pantry and use butter in your baking as a slightly healthier alternative. Although the fats in butter still aren’t as healthy as those in olive oil, for example, there is a little less concern over the saturated fat in butter than the trans fats in shortening.

Ice Cream

Finishing your day with a bowl of ice cream is a pastime for many, but those scoops aren’t doing any favors for your health. Ice cream is typically made with whole milk and heavy cream, two ingredients with high fat contents. While each dairy-based liquid provides important nutrients, like vitamins A and D, and calcium, a large amount of fat comes from saturated sources. For example, 100 grams of heavy cream contains 35 grams of fat, and 20 of those grams are saturated. About half of the fat grams in whole milk come from saturated fat, making it slightly healthier.

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Salad Dressing

Instead of bottled creamy dressings, go with vinaigrette-style options. Although these are made with vegetable oil, which isn’t quite as healthy as olive oil, they have a better nutrition profile than most creamy dressings. Your best bet is to make your own dressing at home using olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings of choice.

Pastries

From donuts to croissants and biscuits, pastries are another source of unhealthy fat. The type and amount of fat in pastries are a concern, but so is the added sugar content. Added sugar has been linked to health conditions like increased liver fat and a negative impact on blood lipids, both of which could lead to serious health complications. Most pastries are made with butter or shortening, which is why they are considered an unhealthy source of fat. Even those made with oil, like soybean oil, may not be high in saturated fat, but they may promote inflammation in your body.

Red meat

Whether you enjoy a ribeye or hamburger, beef is another unhealthy fatty food. While it does pack plenty of protein, fattier cuts of beef pack a high amount of fat grams and saturated fat. Even though saturated fat isn’t considered to be as bad for your health as trans fats, the American Heart Association recommends that no more than 6% of your total calories in a day come from saturated fats. For someone who eats 2000 calories per day, this means limiting your intake to no more than 13 grams of saturated fat. For reference, a 3.5-ounce portion of ribeye provides more than half this amount at 8 grams.

Hot dogs

Speaking of meat that is an unhealthy source of fat, hot dogs are at the top of that list. Hot dogs are most often available in pork and beef varieties, both of which have a high fat content. In fact, a single beef hot dog can have twice as much fat as is does protein. Not only does this make it a poor source of protein, but the 13 grams of fat provide a considerable amount of saturated fat. In addition to be an unhealthy source of fat and providing minimal protein, hot dogs can also be high in sodium and contain concerning preservatives, like nitrates.

Poultry skin

When cooking your Thanksgiving turkey or breaking down a rotisserie chicken, the skin is often thought of as the most flavorful part of the bird. This is likely true because of its fat content, but it’s also what makes it an unhealthy fatty food.

Fried foods

Have you ever enjoyed a crispy funnel cake at the fair, savored your favorite chips, or relished the crunchy onion rings alongside your burger? While delicious, these beloved fried delights serve as prime examples of unhealthy sources of dietary fat.

For example, a corn dog contains the unhealthy fat from the hot dogs plus the unhealthy fat found in most common frying oils. Corn and blended vegetables are most often used for frying, and both of these oils contains high amounts of Omega-6 fat. This type of fat may promote inflammation in the body, especially when your intake of omega-3 fat is too low.