The 10 Worst Snack Foods?

Okay- I found this on MSN today and was mortified. Here I am trying to change my eating habits and then come face to face with the fact that a lot of the things I like are on this list - particularly donuts (yes, I knew they weren't good for me...) and my white chocolate mocha from Starbucks (does it help if I get it made with nonfat milk?)

So I'll paste here to let you get a look at the horrible, but very probable truth...

And FYI - a fried pork rind has never even come near my mouth...


1. French Fries - Don't be reassured by the fact that McDonald's is changing its cooking oil. French fries are still starchy white potatoes cooked in hot fat and flavored with chemicals and sugar. Possibly the worst snack food on the planet.
2. Donuts - Fried bread. Need I say more? And if that wasn't bad enough, add a sugary cream filling and a glaze of more sugar on top. Any questions?
3. Chips (Potato or Corn) - These are really just a packaged version of French fries (see #1). However, you can do damage control on this one by switching to baked blue corn chips, available in health food stores. It's still not real food, but it beats the 7-Eleven version any day.
4. Soda - And sorry, this includes the diet kind. Absolutely nothing of any value here, and a whole lot of chemicals to boot.
5. Cupcakes and Snack Cakes - The creamy filling is fake whipped cream, and the rest of it is sugar, flour and flavoring. You've gotta be kidding.
6. Candy Bars - You might squeeze a gram or two of protein out of the nuts in some of them, but by and large they're a sugar orgy and a nutrition nightmare. Again, you can move slightly up the food chain by switching to one of the "energy" bars. Most are just candy bars disguised as health food but they often have 1/3 less calories, quite a bit more protein and a bit less fat. Don't confuse them with real food though.
7. Pork Rinds - Fried pork skin. Not a good thing!
8. Fat-Free Cookies - These are even more insidious because they pretend to be healthy. Remember, fat-free doesn't equal calorie free. Betcha can't eat just one!
9. Crackers - Trans-fats anyone? Most crackers are loaded with 'em. Read your labels carefully to find the few that aren't.
10. Pretzels - Surprise, surprise. Remember, just because something doesn't have fat doesn't make it good. This is just white flour, water and sugar masquerading as a healthy snack. Fuggedaboutit.
Runner up: Those creamy, carmelly, coconutty coffee mocha-latte-frappe drinks that are taking over the universe. I love my Starbucks too, but 20 ounces of caffeine, sugar, whipped cream and milk taken once or twice a day does not a lean waistline make!
And yes, the calories you drink count