10 Foods Women Should Never Eat

In general, there is no such thing as "good" or "bad" food; everything has its place in moderation. But there are some foods that are worse for your health than others and should be avoided whenever possible. For women who are trying to conceive, looking to balance their hormones, or wanting to ward off chronic disease, there's a whole other layer of health complications to consider.

Some of these foods are known hormone disruptors, while others could increase your chance of developing a chronic disease. And if you're trying to get pregnant or are breastfeeding, there are some major no-nos on the list.

Whether you're planning for a baby in five months or five years, make sure you stay away from these foods.

1. Alcohol

You know drinking during pregnancy is a no-no. But enjoying an adult beverage (or several) when you're trying to get pregnant could also get in the way. Women who drink at least one alcoholic beverage per day are at a 50 percent greater risk of infertility compared to women who don't drink, according to a study published in the journal Epidemiology.

2. Red Meat

If a juicy steak or crispy bacon is part of your regular diet, it could have a negative impact on your ability to get pregnant. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who ate the most animal protein had a 39 percent greater chance of being infertile.

3. Swordfish

Don't just take our word for it; the FDA has listed swordfish as a fish to avoid, especially if you're pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. The issue is with the mercury levels, which can be up to 0.99 parts per million—that's the second-highest mercury-intoxicated fish, after Tilefish. If you're even thinking about getting pregnant, it's not worth it.

4. Fat-free Yogurt

We're big fans of yogurt at Eat This, Not That!, but we prefer Greek yogurt with a little bit of fat. And if it's plain, even better. Non-fat yogurt, especially flavored yogurts, can be sugar bombs which spike your blood sugar and insulin levels. It can also impact your ability to get pregnant.

If You're Trying to Lose Weight

Between balancing hormones and dealing with female-specific metabolic disorders, losing weight for women is especially tough. Here are the foods to avoid for weight loss.

5. White Bread

You may think white bread is a better choice than, say, a donut, but they're both refined carbohydrates, and your body processes refined carbohydrates as sugar. Refined carbs have been stripped of almost all of their fiber, which means they cause your blood sugar to spike and your insulin levels to rise.

6. Diet Soda

Think diet soda is a great way to cut calories and boost weight loss? Think again. Sure, it's calorie and sugar-free, but it's chock-full of chemicals and scary additives.

7. Fruit Juice

People assume all-natural fruit juice must be healthy since it's made from fruit. And sure, fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice comes packed with important vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, but it's also loaded with sugar. Since heart disease is the number one killer of women — one in four women die from related complications each year — these kinds of sugar bombs should be avoided.

For Better Heart Health

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Make sure you keep your heart health in check by avoiding these foods that tax your heart.

8. Frozen Biscuits

Since heart disease is the number one killer of women (289,758 women died in 2013 alone), women need to pay extra attention to their heart health.

9. Coffee Creamer

Another sneaky source of trans fats is non-dairy coffee creamer, which are often times made with trans-fatty hydrogenated oils. The ingredients in Coffeemate Original flavor, for example, include: corn syrup solids, partially hydrogenated soybean and/or partially hydrogenated cottonseed.

10. Margarine

Like coffee creamer, butter alternatives such as margarine are often made with partially-hydrogenated oils, one of the most common sources of trans fats. This type of fat is not only linked to heart disease, but it can also accelerate the aging of your skin! Trans fats make the skin more vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation, which can invite premature skin aging and deep wrinkles