5. Margarine with Trans Fats – Scientific Research has vilified trans fats (hydrogenated man made fat). You will find trans fats in many processed foods. REPLACEMENTS: olive oil or margarine with no trans fats – must say it on the label.

4. Processed Baked Goods – this stuff is just fluff. Snack cakes, bakery cakes, and white bread – most of these products are made with refined white flour and contain trans fats. REPLACEMENTS: whole grain breads – it’s easy to find pre-made breads made with whole grains. It may be difficult to find pre-made cakes and cookies made with whole grains. However, consider homemade - Smart Cookies: 80 Recipes for Heavenly, Healthful Snacking (Jane Kinderlehrer Smart Food Series) – an excellent cookie book using healthful ingredients.

3. Chips and Snack Foods – Again, processed foods are not healthful. Anything fried in oil is not healthful. REPLACEMENTS: There are several varieties of low-fat smart snack foods available. Popcorn and rice cakes are also some of your better choices. But try to get away from processed foods of any sort. Celery, carrots, cucumbers and other vegetables and fruits are much better for you.

2. French Fries, Doughnuts, and other deep fried foods – Even polyunsaturated oils like canola, soybean, safflower, corn, and other seed and nut oils can become damaged when exposed to either oxygen or high heat. Foods cooked in highly heated oils can cause cancer, aging, weight gain and other serious health risks if ingested on a regular basis. REPLACEMENTS: instead of deep fried foods choose broiled or baked options.

1. Soda – Soda in any form, whether sugared or diet is just not a good idea. A twelve-ounce can of soda can contain up to ten teaspoons of sugar. Now that’s just gross. If you normally drink one soda a day worth 150 calories and you replace that with a glass of water, you can lose up to 15 pounds in a year. Remember that diet sodas may also be harmful. The jury is still out on whether Aspartame is a safe product. A general rule of thumb is that any man-made, chemical product should probably not be ingested. REPLACEMENTS: water, milk, decaf coffee and tea.

Just one disclaimer for this article. If you are concerned about any processed foods that you have been ingesting on a regular basis, you should consult your own health care practitioner. I cannot tell you what is right for your body... you and your doctor must decide what is right for your specific case.