# most unhealthy food **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302 "2006-04-12T00:14:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/1 "2006-04-12T00:14:06Z")
What is the single food that has caused the most problems for people in the world, by being consumed all the time and giving little or no benefit? My vote is Coke a Cola…the most unhealthy food one can consume. What are your opinions? Experts? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/2 "2006-04-12T01:57:29Z")
I would think that high-fat, deep-fried foods would be considered worse than Coke (aka carbonated sugar water). Regular Coke is high in empty calories, whereas fried stuff is high in calories and high in fat and cholesterol. I would think that would make it more dangerous. (I assume the OP was referring to the empty calories in regular Coke and not Diet Coke.) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/3 "2006-04-12T01:58:29Z")
Drinking the Kool-Aid (or poor imitations thereof). ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/4 "2006-04-12T02:03:53Z")
Hi all, I enjoyed a nice St. Patrick’s Day dinner and thought nothing of the corned beef and cabbage. The next day, I came to work (at an animal hospital) where a little yorkie was hospitalized due to pancreatitis after he got into the trash and ate a bunch of corned beef. We drew his blood to send to the lab and it seperated into this serum of Crisco consisitency. It was disgusting and maybe next year we will skip the corned beef (although I really, really love it!). ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/5 "2006-04-12T02:25:52Z")
alcohol by far. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/6 "2006-04-12T02:36:31Z")
High-fructose corn syrup. It’s largely responsible for the modern pre-processed food industry. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/7 "2006-04-12T02:42:49Z")
If alcohol counts, I’m going to have to go with Wesley on this one 100%. The economic and health effects are pretty staggering. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/8 "2006-04-12T02:52:12Z")
Potato chips. They are everywhere, way overpriced, way too fatty and salty, and pretty much devoid of nutrition. This said after eating a small bag today, hungry and at a Mini Mart. I don’t eat them often, but I felt pretty sick a bit afterwards, like a big greasy wad was sitting in my stomach. Tasted good though, evil little things. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Wombats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Wombats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Wombats)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/9 "2006-04-12T02:56:57Z")
In recent times, I would have to say it spawns from the trend of deep-frying everything. A deep fried twinky? or snickers bar? _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/10 "2006-04-12T03:38:33Z")
Per WC alcohol - everything else is a far, far distant second. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/11 "2006-04-12T05:00:33Z")
If alcohol isn’t in the running, I vote Hydrogenated Vegtable Oils. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/12 "2006-04-12T05:51:06Z")
Margarine. ---
**Author:** ![the\_only\_bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b2d939/32.png) [@the\_only\_bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_only_bunny)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/13 "2006-04-12T06:01:51Z")
Sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Mahma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Joe\_Mahma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Mahma)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/14 "2006-04-12T18:35:59Z")
> [@mrrealtime](#): > > My vote is Coke a Cola…the most unhealthy food one can consume. It’s spelled Coca Cola. I agree with those who said deep-fried foods, including potato chips. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/15 "2006-04-12T18:43:01Z")
What about ice cream? It seems to me that dairy fat is pretty bad for you, coupled with the sugar, it would be a losing combination. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/16 "2006-04-12T18:43:19Z")
There are no unhealthy foods, only unwise dietary choices. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Londonite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/17 "2006-04-12T18:45:03Z")
I once had deep fried potato wedges drizzled with sugarsyrop at a Korean restaurant - now that’s a dieticians nightmare (fat, starch and sugar). But boy was that good… ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/18 "2006-04-12T18:46:22Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > If alcohol counts, I’m going to have to go with Wesley on this one 100%. The economic and health effects are pretty staggering. Yep, alchohol is technically a poison to your body, as well. Still not giving up my beer. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/19 "2006-04-12T18:48:47Z")
I’m much more concerned with chemicals in our foods. Even FDA approved chemicals that we’ve yet to see the effects of eating for 40+ years. I guarantee if I ate as much fast food as I drink alcohol, I’d be considerably less healthy. Alcohol is natural, good for the spirit, and if about a million studies are to be believed, good for your heart. The fact that people abuse it doesn’t make it a bad food. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302/20 "2006-04-12T18:53:57Z")
Sorry, **Trunk** , but I seriously doubt it’s the alcohol (why do I have so dang much trouble keeping my finger from putting an extra “h” in that word?) that is linked to the health benefits (which, by the way, vary from study to study, and have never been proved by a double-blind experiment using pure alcohol). Wine & beer have other organic compounds in them that seem to account for the benefits. But ask any organic chemist (or biologist) - alcohol itself is poison. It just takes a lot of it to kill quickly. Or a lesser amount over a much longer period will do it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unhealthy-food/352302.md?page=2)