The Unhealthiest Great Value Foods

If you've got a busy schedule, a tight budget, or you simply enjoy shopping for everything all in the same place, then there's a good chance you shop at Walmart. The superstore has only grown in popularity, popping up in almost every town across the country because the ease of buying food, clothes, household products, sports equipment, and even building materials, all in the same place is just too good to pass up. Sam Walton launched the superstore that we know and love as Walmart way back in 1962. The store isn't showing signs of slowing down and the in-house brand, Great Value, continues making strides toward its mission of affordable quality.

Walmart's store brand is made up of various items that range from food to clothes, and more. But who makes these products and how are they different from other brands? The big surprise is that many of these items are actually manufactured by big name brand companies that you are probably familiar with, but they are simply sold under Walmart's Great Value label (via NCESC). This marketing strategy helps the store and the brands cut down on costs and sell more products. However, the Great Value label can be distracting. Don't blindly assume the brand is the healthiest choice, just because it's familiar. Many popular products are produced by brands such as Kraft and Sara Lee and they don't always use the healthiest ingredients. Here are the most unhealthy Great Value foods to avoid.

Great Value Original Pepperoni has very similar ingredients as other sliced pepperoni brands. There are 5 grams of protein per serving of pepperoni (about 16 slices), and it promises to be a tasty snack that goes great with crackers, on a pizza, or even toasted on a bagel with some cheese. Yet there are hidden dangers in this popular product. According to Food Revolution Network, the pepperoni itself is not where the dangers lie, but in the added ingredients BHA and BHT. These preservatives are frequently found in pantry items and other packaged foods in the United States to make them last longer and stay fresh on store shelves and in your home.

Japan, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and several other countries have actually banned these preservatives from being used in foods. However, they're still found in many foods in the U.S. BHT and BHA can interfere with your hormones and how they function, potentially making your body more susceptible to cancer and other harmful or deadly diseases (via Verywell Fit). Great Value Original Pepperoni slices do come with a small warning that notes the use of BHT, BHA and citric acid, but it does not explain the effects of prolonged or excessive consumption.

When it comes to making healthy decisions about your food, don't be fooled by a product just because it has no calories. This marketing tactic for sugar substitutes or other artificial sweeteners has long been debated because of the ingredient aspartame, which is often found in diet, low-sugar, and sugar-free products and passed off as a healthier alternative, according to U.S. Right to Know. This sweetener, which is often used as a sugar replacement in coffee, tea, and other beverages sounds great on paper. However, the research related to aspartame suggests otherwise. And you should have all the facts before you purchase Great Value No Calorie Sweetener.

Although aspartame has been approved by the FDA, there is extensive research that relates the chemical ingredient to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, dementia, seizures, obesity-related cancers and diseases, migraines, and many other health defects. As recently as 2016, a study found that aspartame consumed by pregnant women can affect the gut health of their offspring. The product has also been linked to glucose intolerance and problems with the way your metabolism functions. Despite being advertised as a healthier sugar alternative, aspartame may actually contribute to an increased appetite. Furthermore, the chemicals that make up aspartame have also been known to transform into formaldehyde during the breakdown process, which is toxic to people and animals (via U.S. Right to Know).

According to the label, Great Value Original Premium Sausage Links are yet another Walmart meat product that contains BHA, which is a possible carcinogen (via Science Direct). However, it also includes other artificial ingredients, including Propyl Gallate and Monosodium glutamate, along with unknown "natural flavors," and 480 mg of sodium. This combination creates the perfect unhealthy storm in this Great Value food product.

Monosodium glutamate, according to the Cleveland Clinic, can pop up in food naturally, but when it is labeled, such as it is on the Original Premium Sausage Links, it means it was added by the manufacturer. This additive is more commonly known as MSG in processed foods, and you may have even spotted it in the spice section of the grocery store. However, the additive has been linked to several serious, adverse health problems, such as obesity and insulin resistance. Studies show it can also interfere with your neurons and negatively affect your liver function (via EXCLI Journal).

Propyl Gallate is another preservative that is meant to prolong the shelf life of certain foods, according to Fooducate. This ingredient is commonly found alongside BHT or BHA and is also found in certain cosmetic products. Although extensive research has not been done, there is evidence that Propyl Gallate could cause cancer, and the preservative is banned or restricted in several countries, though it is considered safe by the FDA.

You may want to reconsider the next time you reach for Great Value Hot Cheese Crunch Snacks, similar to Cheetos or Flamin' Hot Cheetos, whether you're serving these up on game night for friends and other guests or simply adding them to your lunch box. The crunchy snack chips are not only extremely high in sodium, with 250 mg in each serving, but they're packed with different food dyes. Red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, and blue 1 are dangerous dyes that do not add nutritional value to products but instead make them appear more appetizing (via Toxicology of Food Dye). The Great Value Hot Cheese Crunch Snacks contain three of these, which puts them high on the unhealthiest foods list. 

Aside from yellow 5 and yellow 6, this product also contains the food coloring red 40, which gives your snacks a vibrant, appealing hue, but has also been known to contain small amounts of benzidine. It is important to know that the chemical benzidine has been proven to cause various types of cancer after frequent exposure, so it's definitely not something you want to be ingesting if you can avoid it. Urinary cancer has been shown to be the most common risk from benzidine exposure, but other forms of cancer, such as stomach, kidney, and liver have also been reported (via Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry).

Ramen noodles are more than just a college favorite, and can be found in pantries, cabinets, and lunch boxes all over the country. This hot, tasty, inexpensive treat is an appealing snack for so many reasons, one being that they're so easy to make. However, the sad fact is that they're extremely unhealthy because they contain high sodium levels. Walmart's Great Value Beef Style Ramen Noodles contain up to 770 mg in just a half a package. If you eat one or two packages of ramen in one meal, this means you could be consuming more than 3,000 mg of sodium in one sitting. 

Why is too much sodium bad for you? According to The American Heart Association, the average person should only have approximately 1,500 mg of sodium per day. Too much sodium in your diet can greatly increase the risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. High amounts of salt can also put a strain on your kidneys. As a way to compensate, our bodies will retain more water, which makes our hearts work harder (via Harvard University). Ramen noodles have also been known to contain dangerous additives and chemicals, which can interfere with the normal functioning of your body and hormones, according to Food Revolution Network.