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healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber. In contrast, foods with “empty calories” cause weight gain and deprive the body of nutrients. And yet these foods fill American supermarket shelves. Many are highly processed, such as frozen dinners and side dishes, bacon, sausage, and deli meats. The snack aisles feature white flour pastries, cookies, cakes, and pies, as well as ice cream, candy, chips of every type, and drinks sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Sugar is addictive and can contribute to major health problems, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome . Eating too much salt (sodium) causes high blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke and heart disease. Drinking alcohol in excess raises levels of cholesterol, insulin, and triglycerides (a type of fat in

Empty calorie snacks include white flour pastries, cookies, cakes, and pies, as well as ice cream, candy, chips of every type, and drinks sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

Chapter 1: Choose a Balanced Diet for Lifelong Health

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