You probably already know that certain food combinations do not sit well with your stomach. Even though you may be craving food combinations with different textures and flavors, certain foods just shouldn’t be consumed together because they can result in digestive problems and weight gain. On the other hand, eating the right metabolism-boosting foods together can be beneficial for weight loss.

To learn more about terrible food combinations for weight loss, we spoke with Rebecca Novak, a registered dietitian, chef, and founder of the Hungarian Chef. She said that you should avoid eating sandwiches with cheese and mayonnaise, french fries and soda, and fried foods with cheese-based sauces because they can be detrimental to weight loss plans and cause digestive issues. Novak says, “When you combine certain foods together, the energy density (the number of calories per gram) increases, which means that it’s easier to take in more calories than your body needs.” Find out more about these unhealthy food combinations below!

1. Sandwiches With Cheese And Mayonnaise

If you order a sandwich with both cheese and mayonnaise at the deli, you can expect a lot of unnecessary calories for weight loss. This is because both the cheese and mayo are loaded with saturated fat and sodium. These sandwich combinations are also very easy to overeat because they're unfortunately very tasty. "Cheese is high in saturated fat, which can raise levels of bad cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. Mayonnaise is also full of calories due to its high amount of fat; it even contains more calories than butter or olive oil," Novak explains.

Sandwiches that contain both cheese and mayo are energy dense, making it easy to eat more calories than your body needs. That's why it's best to just avoid this food combination if you want to lose weight. But that doesn't mean you can't eat sandwiches on a diet. You can eat healthy sandwiches that are made with grilled chicken, whole grain bread, and plenty of fibrous vegetables. Yum!

2. French Fries And Soda

You probably already know that french fries and soda by themselves can lead to weight gain, inflammation, and even insulin resistance. So, it should come as no surprise to you that eating french fries and soda together is a combination that contains high amounts of simple carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sugar which can cause your blood sugar to spike quickly.

"French fries are deep-fried and contain simple carbohydrates, saturated fat, and sodium; all of which can lead to weight gain if eaten in excess. Soda is also extremely unhealthy as it contains large amounts of sugar, which can lead to a spike in blood glucose levels and an energy crash shortly after consuming it," Novak notes. Instead of fast food fries, you can eat crunchy air fryer sweet potatoes that are antioxidant rich. Plus, you can swap out your soda with a fizzy, gut-healthy Kombucha.

3. Fried Foods With Cheese-Based Sauces Or Dips

Like the other two combinations, consistently eating fried foods like tater tots or french fries with cheese-based sauces or dips can stall your weight loss plans. This combination also has a lot of calories from saturated fat and sodium because of both the fried food itself and the cheese sauce it's dipped in. In the same sense, fried cheese foods like cheese curds or mozzarella sticks can not only lead to weight gain and inflammation, but they also can end up clogging your arteries over time.

"Fried foods are already high in calories due to the oil they’re cooked in; adding cheese-based dip or sauce on top of this increases the calorie count even more. Cheese-based dips and sauces are also high in saturated fat, sodium, and simple carbohydrates; all of which can contribute to weight gain if consumed often," Novak says. That's why if you want to lose weight, it's best to avoid this fried and cheesy food combination.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, while these food combinations may seem tempting, they can end up stalling your weight loss plans and can even lead to digestive issues. In addition to avoiding the food combinations mentioned above, Novak says that it's crucial to make healthy food choices when trying to lose weight. Choose lower-calorie foods that are nutrient-dense so you can get the most nutrition for the least amount of calories. And remember, if you eat too much of one type of food, even if it's a healthy food, it can still be detrimental to your weight loss efforts.