Foods to eat in moderation

Regarding a healthy diet, some experts believe that foods are not inherently good or bad but that moderation is the key to a healthy life. With that in mind, here are four foods that health experts say are fine to eat, as long as they are not a large part of your diet:

Processed meat
You can still have a frankfurter at the ball game, but don't make eating hot dogs, or any processed meats, a large part of your diet. According to the British Journal of Cancer, the consumption of processed meat has been linked to a higher risk of pancreatic. It may also increase your risk of developing diabetes. Eating red and processed meat has also been shown to increase your risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer. In 2011, the British Department of Health started urging people who eat more than 90 grams, or 3.2 ounces, of processed and red meat to reduce their intake to 70 grams.

Sodium-filled frozen entrees
It may be easy to pop a frozen dinner into the microwave after a long day of work, but choose your cuisine carefully. Some entrees are filled with fat, sodium and calories, and the portion may not be enough to satisfy your hunger. Look at the nutrition content before you buy; it will give you a more accurate picture of the food inside than the actual picture on the box does.

Soda
Regular soda is high in calories and sugar but low in nutritional value. Therefore, you are drinking empty calories every time you return from your daily trip to the soda machine. Drinking too many high-calorie beverages leads to weight gain, which brings with it a whole slew of other medical problems including an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. While diet soda gives you the bubbly pop without the calories, it comes with its own risks. Artificial sweeteners are controversial because studies have linked them to different kinds of cancer, and the long-term health effects are still unclear.

Diet foods
From sugar-free ice cream to low-sugar jelly, many so-called diet foods contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose, sorbitol and aspartame. These reduce the calorie count, but some studies have shown that they have a negative impact on your central nervous system and may increase your risk of certain cancers. Artificial sweeteners may actually make you crave real sugar.

Along the same lines, watch out for seemingly healthy foods like granola. If you are trying to lose weight, make sure you know that healthy does not always equal low calorie. Nuts are great for you in moderation, but the calories can add up quickly.