Dinner is an important meal that fuels your body for the evening and sets the stage for a restful night. However, relying on heavily processed dinner foods can have detrimental effects on your metabolic health. These foods are often high in unhealthy fats, refined sugars, and additives, which can disrupt your metabolism, lead to weight gain, and increase the risk of chronic health issues like diabetes and heart disease.

We checked in with Michelle Saari, RD at EHealth Project, and Jesse Feder, RDN, CPT at My Chrons and Colitis Team, to learn about two highly processed dinner meals you should avoid if you want better metabolic health. They revealed that frozen pizza and fast food are the ones to steer clear of. Read on to learn why you should cut them out.

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Frozen Pizza

Frozen pizza is a prime example of an empty-calorie dinner, packed with refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and excessive sodium but lacking in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The high levels of refined flour and sugars in the crust can lead to rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar, disrupting your metabolism.

“Frozen pizzas are a quick dinner, but they can impact your metabolism due to their high content of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats. The crust can cause blood sugar levels to spike and drop, potentially leading to insulin resistance over time, which leads to excess fat storage. The saturated fats from cheese and processed meats can also increase the body’s fat storage, making it harder to burn calories,” says Saari.

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Fast Food

Fast foods often qualify as empty-calorie dinners due to their high content of unhealthy fats, sugars, and refined ingredients, coupled with a lack of essential nutrients. Common items such as burgers, fries, and sugary sodas deliver a lot of calories without the nutritional benefits needed for a healthy diet.

“Fast food meals are made with high amounts of fat, sodium, and unhealthy oils. This can also lead to weight gain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and stroke, to name a few things,” Feder states. “The ingredients in fast food meals are also highly processed and refined, which can be digested quickly and leave you with a decreased metabolism.”

To maintain a healthy metabolism and overall well-being, consider healthier alternatives. For instance, replace frozen pizza with homemade pizza using whole grain crust, fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and a moderate amount of cheese. Instead of fast food, prepare quick and nutritious meals at home, such as grilled chicken with a side of quinoa and steamed vegetables or a salad topped with beans, nuts, and a light vinaigrette.