50 of the unhealthiest foods at the supermarket

“All-Fruit Jam and seedless jam are the same, and some all-fruit jams even have more kilojoules,” says Somer. Both list whole fruit as the first ingredient – the only difference is that in seedless jam, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice rather than fruit pulp or crushed fruit.

“Even though they’re low in kilojoules, they’re not healthy – the main ingredients are enriched flour and a bunch of different sugar varieties,” says Hillary Lewis, founder of Lumi. “These ingredients will only cause your body to crave more sugar.” Be wary of anything not made with real, wholesome food, she adds. Bars like these may be low in calories, but they’re high in ingredients that grow the waistline.

“Just because a product is ‘gluten-free,’ ‘non-GMO,’ and a ‘great source of fibre’ doesn’t actually mean it is good for you,” says Neda Varbanova, certified culinary nutritionist, holistic health coach and recipe creator. “Lentil chips sound healthy but contain potassium chloride, canola oil and calcium chloride – all ingredients that should make you think twice about picking it up.”

Varbanova underscores that the worst part about canned spaghetti and meatballs is that they directly target parents and their kids with their packaging. “The colours are fun but there is nothing healthy about this concoction.” High in sodium, sugar and low in dietary fibre, you’re much better off making your own.

“Low carb bars would appear to be a perfect snack full of fibre and protein,” says Varbanova. “But if you take a closer look at the ingredient lists, you will notice that some contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol that has been linked to stomach pains, diarrhoea and headaches, especially in people who have IBS. Plus, the corn fibre in these bars is most likely GMO.”

Calling these products fruit anything is laughable. “These cereals claim to pack in ‘natural fruit flavours,’” but there is nothing natural about this product that is marketed to children,” says Varbanova. “One popular brand contains degerminated yellow corn flour, modified food starch, hydrogenated vegetable oil, red #40, blue 1, yellow 6 and BHT for freshness. Blue 1 is an artificial food dye that is sourced from petroleum. This dye is linked to hyperactivity and an increased risk of kidney tumours.”

“Light wheat bread looks like a delicious whole-wheat product that contains only 190 kilojoules a slice,” says Varbanova. “The labels may also emphasise that the bread is made with real honey, doesn’t contain corn syrup, is an excellent source of fibre, and contains no artificial colours or flavours. However, if you take a deeper look, you’ll see that this bread also includes modified wheat starch, cornstarch, soy lecithin and potassium iodate. The term ‘natural flavours’ is not regulated, so it could literally contain anything. Potassium iodate may be a carcinogen, and prolonged exposure may result in skin burns and ulcerations. It may also cause respiratory irritation.”

“One of the most popular snacks at the movie theatres, coated chocolates claims to be made with ‘real chocolate, but this ‘real chocolate’ contains artificial flavours, corn syrup, red 40, blue 2, yellow 5 and yellow 6,” notes Varbanova. “These dyes have been found to be contaminated with carcinogens, such as benzidine. Food colourings have been linked to several health issues, including allergies and hyperactivity in children.”

Don’t be fooled by “spinach!” in this product’s name. Varbanova points out that the ingredients in some commercially prepared creamy spinach dips can contain glutamate, also known as MSG, which has been linked to headaches, obesity, depression and mental disorders. Check the food labels first.

Soup is good food? Maybe not. “Once again the label on certain soups can easily lead you to believe it’s a great nutritious food with 16g of protein,” says Varbanova. “Once you look on the back, however, you’ll see that this soup is full of junk. Some of the ingredients here are modified food starch, carrageenan, sugar, canola oil, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate.” Carrageenan has been linked to digestive problems and inflammation, she notes. Also, canola oil is a refined cooking oil that goes through a heavy amount of processing with chemical solvents, neutralisers, bleach and deodorisers before it ends up in the bottle.