20 Worst Foods for Women

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20 Worst Foods for Women

20. The Worst Snack for Women
Kashi GOLEAN Cookies ‘n’ Cream Bar
290 calories
6 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
10 g sugars

Frankly, we’re surprised “lean” is anywhere in the name of this candy bar disguised as a snack bar. For such a small “snack,” it’s packed with its fair share of calories and sugars. Go with the chewy peanut butter edition and shave off half the calories and sugars.

Eat This Instead!
Kashi TLC Chewy Peanut Peanut Butter Bar
140 calories
5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
5 g sugars

19. The Worst Cocktail for Women
Pina Colada
625 calories
75 g sugars

Made from a blend of sickly-sweet pineapple juice and fat-riddled coconut milk, pina coladas are some of the biggest body saboteurs. In fact, the only redeeming part of this drink is the garnish—that lonely chunk of pineapple hanging from the rim. Switch over to the cranberry-based Cosmo for dramatic caloric savings.

Drink This Instead!
Cosmopolitan
150 calories
12 g sugars

18. The Worst Coffee Alternative for Women
Starbucks Venti Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème
750 calories
15 g fat (9 g saturated)
120 g sugars

Let’s get one thing straight: Neither of these are the healthy, fruity beverages they may masquerade as—both are chock-full of fat and sugar. Little to no fruit goes into the Starbucks Frappuccino, and this drinkable disaster contains as much sugar as four Snickers bars. But the Vivanno contains a whole banana, a healthy serving of protein, fiber and Vitamins A and C, and about one third the calories of the Frap.

Eat This Instead!
Starbucks Orange Mango Banana Blend Vivanno (only available in Grande)
250 calories
15 g fat (2 g saturated)
32 g sugars

17. The Worst Vegetarian Meal for Women
Blimpie Veggie Supreme (12”)
1,106 calories
56 g fat (33 g saturated fat)
2,831 mg sodium9
6 g carbohydrates

Sure, a Veggie Supreme sandwich sounds healthy, but this foot-long comes with three different kinds of cheese, and it’s drenched in oil.

Eat This Instead!
Blimpie VegiMax (6"), without oil
392 calories
6 g fat (4 g saturated)
1,272 mg sodium

16. The Worst Sandwich for Women
Quiznos Regular Tuna Melt
1,420 calories
118 g fat

Tuna melts—with mayo and cheese—are often a deli disaster area. They dish it up with an ice-cream scoop! But Quiznos has outdone itself: It has produced the worst sandwich in America. Eat this and you are the whopper. Einstein Brothers' tuna melt clocks in at just over 600 calories, with a respectable 40 grams of protein.

Eat This Instead!
Einstein Brothers Tuna Salad Deli Melt
610 calories
36 g fat

15. The Worst Healthy Pizza for Women
Cosi Smoky BBQ Chicken Individual Flatbread Pizza
887 calories
21 g fat
123 g carbohydrates

Don’t let the word “flatbread” fool you—each one of Cosi’s “individual” pizzas contains at least 650 calories and 20 grams of fat. You’re much better off with a lower-cal but equally satisfying sandwich.

Eat This Instead!
Cosi Sesame Ginger Chicken Sandwich
480 calories
7 g fat
69 g carbohydrates

14. The Worst Veggie Burger for Women
Ruby Tuesday Veggie Burger
945 calories
51 g fat
60 g carbohydrates

The problem with veggie burgers, as any vegetarian will tell you, is that in order to make them taste good, you’ve got to slather them with a landslide of condiments. Which is probably why Ruby Tuesday’s interpretation contains nearly 1,000 calories—it’s safe to say most of it comes from the garlic mayo and Swiss cheese they use to disguise the veggie burger taste. Since Ruby Tuesday doesn’t offer any other viable vegetarian options, swing by Burger King for a much healthier version (just remember to hold the mayo).

Eat This Instead!
Burger King Veggie Burger without Mayo
340 calories
8 g fat (1 g saturated)
46 g carbohydrates

13. The Worst Frozen Meal for Women
Marie Callender’s Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
1,060 calories
64 g fat (24 g saturated)
1,440 mg sodium

Marie Callender’s perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: The nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn the title of worst frozen meal.

Eat This Instead!
Marie Callender’s Oven Baked Chicken
320 calories
12 g fat (3 g saturated)
990 mg sodium

12. The Worst Mexican Entrée for Women
Chipotle Chicken Salad (with black beans, tomato salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole)
1,055 calories
68 g fat (20 g saturated)
2,648 mg sodium

By now, you know that Chipotle is no place for the diet-conscious, unless you’re very careful. But what could be more careful than ordering a salad? Plenty, when the salad contains an onslaught of calories and fat in the forms of rice, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Cut out just three of those (go ahead, enjoy the guac!), and save more calories than you’ll even eat.

Eat This Instead!
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl (with black beans, tomato salsa, sour cream and lettuce)
475 calories
18 g fat (9 g saturated)
1,268 mg sodium

11. The Worst Smoothie for Women
Smoothie King Grape Expectations II, 40 oz.
1,096 calories
0 g fat
250 g sugars

Considering that it’s on the King’s “Snack Right” menu, Grape Expectations seems awfully, well, wrong. The large serving has more calories than even an indulgent dinner, not to mention as much sugar as 21 bowls of Froot Loops. Order a lo-carb strawberry smoothie (cut down the serving size), and you’ll save more than four glazed doughnuts’ worth of calories.

Eat This Instead!
Lo-Carb Strawberry, 20 oz.
268 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
3 g sugars

10. The Worst Wrap for Women
Outback Steakhouse Salad Wrap
1,100 calories

The problem with wraps, whether they contain steak or not, is that the wrap part generally adds a slew of extra calories and carbs. But that’s no excuse for Outback’s iteration—cinnamon pecans and blue cheese vinaigrette push it from “bad” to “worst.” You’re actually better off getting a nice juicy steak—just make it a 7 oz. filet and pair it with steamed broccoli.

Eat This Instead!
Outback Victoria “Center Cut” Filet (7 oz) with fresh steamed broccoli
730 calories

9. The Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal for Women
Jack in the Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta (with grilled chicken and medium natural cut fries)
1,140 calories
51 g fat (14 g saturated)
3,000 mg sodium

“Ciabatta” is yet another one of those words that can quickly and easily throw you off—it makes whatever you’re eating sound healthy, European, even organic. But what does “ciabatta” mean? Bread. White bread. So, in the case of Jack in the Box, it’s basically a crunchier version of a hamburger bun. Add on some greasy chicken, cheddar cheese, mayo-based chipotle sauce and a serving of fries, and you’re swiftly topping 1000 calories. Switch to the chicken fajita pita and save more than a third of the calories—and isn’t a pita just as exotic as “ciabatta”?

Eat This Instead!
Jack in the Box Chicken Fajita Pita and side salad with fire roasted salsa
335 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,275 mg sodium

8. The Worst Chinese Entrée for Women
P.F. Chang’s Kung Pao Chicken
1,228 calories
79 g fat (12 g saturated)
58 g carbohydrates

This Chinese Chicken catastrophe provides just a few calories shy of the total a woman needs in an entire day. P.F. Chang’s doesn’t offer many healthy options, but something less deep-fried, such as the ginger chicken and broccoli, is a much better bet.

Eat This Instead!
P.F. Chang’s Ginger Chicken & Broccoli
660 calories
26 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
45 g carbohydrates

7. The Worst Salad for Women
T.G.I. Friday’s Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
1,360 calories

This offering from T.G.I. Friday’s is basically a huge plate of fried chicken disguised as a salad. The chain doesn’t provide nutritional info beyond calorie counts, but the pecan crusted chicken salad is clearly chock full of fat and sodium in addition to more than 1300 calories. Save big with the Cobb salad.

Eat This Instead!
T.G.I. Friday’s Cobb Salad
590 calories

6. The Worst Breakfast for Women
Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes
1,540 calories
77 g fat (9 g trans fat)
109 g sugars

Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as these sugar-stuffed flapjacks. Stick to the Western Omelet and grab 44 grams of protein while you’re at it.

Eat This Instead!
Bob Evans Western Omelet
652 calories
48 g fat (17 g saturated)
1,868 mg sodium

5. The Worst Pasta Dish for Women
Romano’s Macaroni Grill Penne Rustica
1,590 calories
92 g fat (38 g saturated)
4,000 mg sodium

Thanks to its heaping amounts of butter, heavy cream, parmesan cheese and bacon, this penne tops the scales as our worst pasta dish. Stick to a cream-free sauce like that in the capellini tre pomodoro.

Eat This Instead!
Capellini Tre Pomodoro
640 calories
25 g fat (3 g saturated)
990 mg sodium

4. The Worst Dessert for Women
Chili’s Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
1,600 calories
78 g fat (38 g saturated)
215 carbohydrates

Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth. If you want dessert at Chili's, order one single-serving Sweet Shot; you'll cap your after-dinner intake at 220 calories.

Eat This Instead!
Chili’s Sweet Shot Strawberry Wave Cheesecake
220 calories
11 g fat (7 g saturated)
26 g carbohydrates

3. The Worst Chicken Entrée for Women
Chili’s Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce
2,040 calories
99 g fat
240 g carbohydrates

"Crispers" refers to an extra-thick layer of breadcrumbs that soaks up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips. Instead, order the Chicken Fajita Pita: At 450 calories and 43 grams of protein, it's one of the healthiest entrées you'll find in a chain restaurant.

Eat This Instead!
Chili’s Chicken Fajita Pita
350 calories
13 g fat (2 g saturated)
36 g carbohydrates

2. The Worst Fish Entrée for Women
Romano's Macaroni Grill Parmesan-Crusted Sole, Dinner
2,190 calories
135 g fat (57 g saturated)
145 g carbohydrates
2,980 mg sodium

You’d think that a fish dish would be a lighter, healthier option—but in this case, you’d be wrong. This one dinner provides more calories than you need in a day, and the saturated fat equivalent of 57 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon.

Eat This Instead!
Simple Salmon
590 calories
32 g fat (6 g saturated)
15 g carbohydrates
1,800 mg sodium

1. The Worst Food for Women
On the Border XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans
2,100 calories
130 g fat
169 g carbs
4,750 mg sodium

Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories. If you’ve gotta have fish tacos, ask for grilled fish, choose the corn tortillas instead of flour (they're lower in calories and higher in fiber), and swap out the carbohydrate-loaded rice for grilled vegetables. Or just order the much-healthier jalapeno-BBQ salmon.

Eat This Instead!
On the Border Jalapeno-BBQ Salmon
530 calories
18 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1,600 mg sodium