Cookies are one of the most fun foods you can eat—they exist simply to offer a single serving of sweet, crunchy (and often chocolatey), and gooey goodness.
And yet, not every cookie is created equally, and even though most that are sold on grocery store shelves lack the satiating fiber, protein, and healthy fats that tell your body, "I'm full," some are undoubtedly worse than others.
While the following popular cookies sold at supermarkets nationwide might satisfy your sweet tooth, research on their nutritional facts prove that these products are packed with an alarming amount of calories, fat, sugar, and/or harmful additives. So, the next time you're looking for a cookie fix, be sure to steer clear of these less healthy options. And next, don't miss Costco's Most Popular Items Right Now.
Chips Ahoy! Chewy Brownie-Filled Cookies
Per 2 cookies: 150 calories, 7 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 150 mg sodium, 23 g carbs (0 g fiber, 11 g sugar), <1 g protein
These cookies are just filled with corn syrup, caramel color, and artificial flavor. If you're looking for that fresh-from-the-oven taste, go for something with an ingredient list that contains actual ingredients—not a laundry list of processed ones.
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Oreo Mega Stuf
Per 2 cookies: 180 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 90 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (0 g fiber, 17 g sugar), <1 g protein
This cookie is made up of a dangerous trifecta: It's high in calories, fat, and sugar. Plus, it's packed with processed ingredients ranging from palm oil to artificial flavors. If this is your go-to cookie, we suggest breaking up with it ASAP. Or, at least, limit yourself to just one.
BelVita Cranberry Orange Crunchy Breakfast Biscuits
Per 4 cookies: 230 calories, 8 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 220 mg sodium, 36 g carbs (3 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 3 g protein
Here's a little hint: If you see cranberry and orange together on a sweet treat, run for the hills. The berry and citrus fruits are among the lowest-ranking when it comes to fruit sugar. Translation: Most of that sugar count is entirely from added sugars, as opposed to naturally occurring in the fruit. For breakfast, you could—and should—be doing much better on the protein and fiber fronts, too.
RELATED:Surprising Side Effects of Eating Cookies, According to Science
Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies
Per 1 pouch: 280 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 210 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (2 g fiber, 18 g sugar), 2 g protein
Famous Amos cookies are tiny, but the calories and fat add up quickly. We know they're one of your favorite treats from the vending machine, but steer clear.
Mrs. Fields Triple Chocolate Cookies
Per 1 cookie: 210 calories, 10 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 170 mg sodium, 28 g carbs (1 g fiber, 19 g sugar), 2 g protein
The smell of a Mrs. Fields cookie may bring back pleasant memories of middle school days spent in the mall, but there are better cookie options that don't serve up an unhealthy dose of partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil—otherwise known as the manmade trans fats that have been banned from use in food products by the FDA.
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Grandma's Peanut Butter Cookies
Per 1 cookie: 190 calories, 10 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 190 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (2 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 4 g protein
Grandma's peanut butter cookie recipe calls for a lot of fat—15% of your daily allowance in just one cookie (and 30% if you're eating both cookies in the unsealable to-go package). And those aren't the healthy monounsaturated fats you know and love from nuts; they're mostly hydrogenated vegetable oils and vegetable shortening.
Mint Oreo Fudge Cremes
Per 1 cookie: 120 calories, 6 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 55 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 12 g sugar), <1 g protein
If you're looking to get rid of belly fat, here's our advice: Stay away from anything "fudge-covered." These cookies are less covered in fudge and more covered in vegetable oils, sugar, and cornstarch.
Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies
Per serving: 170 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 150 mg sodium, 26 g carbs (1 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 1 g protein
A "fluffy" creme sandwiched between two chewy oatmeal cookies—it certainly sounds sinful, and it kind of is. Not only is this Little Debbie cookie sandwich loaded with high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor, and partially hydrogenated oil, but it's also high in sodium.
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Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes
Per 2 cookies: 120 calories, 3 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 45 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (1 g fiber, 14 g sugar), 1 g protein
These cookies don't contain high fructose corn syrup, but they're loaded with 14 grams of sugar. Beware of misleading health-food buzzwords that can actually get in the way of your quest for a better bod. For a healthier option, try one of these 9 Best Protein Cookies For Muscle Growth, According to Nutritionists.
Keebler E.L.Fudge Double Stuffed
Per 2 cookies: 180 calories, 9 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 95 mg sodium, 24 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 14 g sugar), 2 g protein
Unfortunately, the Keebler Elves' powers of nutrition aren't that magical. These Double Stuffed E.L.Fudge cookies are full of diet-destroying sugar, fats, and calories.
Pepperidge Farm Milk Chocolate Milano
Per 3 cookies: 170 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 60 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (1 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 2 g protein
Milano cookies feel like an upscale treat, but a serving of these milk chocolate cookies serves up over a quarter of your daily recommended intake of added sugars. No, thank you!
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Lance Choc-O Lunch Cookie Sandwiches
Per 6 cookies: 220 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 240 mg sodium, 34 g carbs (2 g fiber, 18 g sugar), 3 g protein
Any chance of these cookies beating out Oreos for a healthier nutrition profile was foiled by their packaging. They're branded as a "lunchtime snack," but eating a whole serving means your kids have downed nearly 55% of their recommended daily intake of added sugars and more than 20% of their daily intake of fat. Along with this diet disaster, watch out for these sneaky foods with bogus serving sizes.
Bauducco Sugar-Free Chocolate Wafers
Per 5 cookies: 150 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 55 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein
They may be sugar-free, but that doesn't mean they're good for your belly. These wafers are sweetened with maltitol—a plant-based sweetener that a study in theInternational Journal of Dentistry has associated with stomach and abdominal pain, as well as excessive internal gas and flatulence. They also contain two of our worst sweeteners for weight loss—the gut-harming artificial sugars sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
Oreos
Per 3 cookies: 160 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 135 mg sodium, 25 g carbs (14 g sugar), 1 g protein
Oreos—both milk's and your bad gut bacteria's favorite cookie. That's because simple carbs and sugar molecules (of which you'll find 14 per Oreo serving) are the main source of fuel for pathogenic bacteria, fungus, and yeast, which can conquer and kill off the good bacteria that help keep your hunger hormones in check and that love-handle-inducing inflammation at bay.
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Double Stuf Oreo
Per serving: 140 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 90 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (0 g fiber, 13 g sugar), 1 g protein
If you can stick to a serving, Double Stuf is actually a slightly better choice for your bod when compared to the original version. But you're getting one less cookie in that portion size, so you'll have to fight that "just one more" urge even harder. Quiet that little voice in your head with our 14 Easy Steps to Crush Cravings.
Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookies
Per 4 cookies: 140 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 150 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (0 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 1 g protein
Although Lorna Doone's shortbread recipe was originally given to Nabisco by a Scottish employee from Pittsburgh, we doubt the version he passed on from his mother called for high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and artificial flavor.
Nilla Wafers
Per serving: 140 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 115 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (0 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 1 g protein
These vanilla wafers may appear simple and innocent, but they're made with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial flavoring, and soy lecithin, which you really shouldn't need unless it's a chocolate treat.
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Chips Ahoy! Candy Blasts Chocolate Chip
Per 2 cookies: 170 calories, 8 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat), 110 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 1 g protein
These candy-coated morsels may be bright, but they're likely to dull your mind, thanks to being coated in partially hydrogenated oils. Scientists have found that trans fats tend to turn solid once they're inside your body, where they jam up your arteries, including those in your brain. Multiple studies have found that those with the most trans fat in their blood have significantly worse cognitive performance, physically smaller brains, and impaired memory, compared to those who consume fewer trans fats.
Nutter Butter
Per serving: 140 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 105 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (1 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 2 g protein
If you have a peanut butter obsession, chances are good that you've indulged in Nutter Butters a time or two. Who can blame you? Nabisco truly nailed the sweet and crunchy combo. Nutritionally speaking, though, they're not top-notch. Chowing down on a package of these peanut-shaped cookies will set you back where it hurts, thanks to their empty calories, hydrogenated-oil fat, appetite-revving sodium, and blood-sugar-spiking sugar.
Pepperidge Farm Salted Caramel Milano Cookies
Per 2 cookies: 120 calories, 6 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 85 mg sodium, 15 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 1 g protein
There are nine grams of sugar per two-cookie serving of these Milano cookies—and let's be real, there's a good chance you'll eat more than two. No thanks!
Fiber One Soft-Baked Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Per 1 cookie: 120 calories, 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 120 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (5 g fiber, 10 g sugar), <1 g protein
Although the idea of soft, chewy cookies reminds us of home, don't wallow in the nostalgia. These cookies may technically be classified as a "good source of fiber," but that doesn't mean they're a solid nutritional choice. They're made with chemically-bleached flour, inflammatory vegetable oils, artificial flavor, and TBHQ, a corrosion inhibitor used in biodiesel fuel. Try some of these high-fiber foods instead.
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Chips Ahoy! with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Per serving: 140 calories, 6 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 80 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (0 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 2 g protein
The combination of chocolate chips and peanut-butter-cup chunks are an efficient way to derail your diet in less than a minute. Get back on track with these 15 ways to break your bad eating habits.
Keebler Fudge-Covered Coconut Dreams
Per serving: 170 calories, 9 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 60 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (1 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 1 g protein
We'll say it again: Be wary of any cookie that bills itself as fudge-covered. There are 12 grams of added sugars in every serving of these Keebler cookies.
Pepperidge Farm Brussels Cookies
Per 3 cookies: 150 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 65 mg sodium, 20 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 2 g protein
These cookies may look thinner than Milanos, but don't let that confuse you into thinking they're a smart choice.
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Chocolate Marshmallow Oreo Cookies
Per serving: 140 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 90 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 13 g sugar), <1 g protein
There's a reason multiple Oreo products made their way onto our list. They're full of artificial flavorings.
And if you're making cookies at home, don't miss The 30 Worst Mistakes You're Making When Baking Cookies.
Keebler Vienna Fingers
Per 2 cookies: 150 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 95 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (0 g fiber, 10 g sugar), 1 g protein
With high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient, these cookies shouldn't be on your grocery list.
Original Chips Ahoy!
Per serving: 160 calories, 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 110 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (1 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 1 g protein
These cookies aren't stuffed with brownies or topped with additional sugary ingredients, but that doesn't mean they're good for you. The original Chips Ahoy! cookies still contain 11 grams of sugar per serving and include high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient.
Pepperidge Farm Soft-Baked Montauk Milk Chocolate Cookies
Per 1 cookie: 140 calories, 6 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 85 mg sodium, 22 g carbs (0 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 1 g protein
With 3.5 grams of saturated fat in each cookie, these are better left on the shelf.
Newtons
Per 1 cookie: 100 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 90 mg sodium, 21 g carbs (1 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 1 g protein
Formerly known as Fig Newtons, Newtons cookies now come in flavors like strawberry and triple berry, in addition to the classic fig. These cookies have fewer calories and fat than some of the others on this list, but having 12 grams of sugar in each cookie hardly makes them a health food.
Walkers Shortbread Cookies
Per serving: 150 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 100 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 2 g protein
With just four grams of sugar per serving, these cookies are better than many of the others on this list. But they still have five grams of saturated fat in each individually-wrapped package, so proceed with caution.
For more healthy eating advice, check out these 14 Healthy Snacks That Will Actually Make You Feel Full.
