28 foods you shouldn't eat at your desk

If you're one of those people who eats at your desk (guilty!), it's important that you be mindful of what you're consuming.

Not only do you want to stick to foods that will minimize blood sugar swings and optimize brainpower and mental focus — but you'll also want to think about whether what you're eating is in any way offensive to those who sit around you ... especially if you sit in an open office.

Foods that are messy, crumby, smelly, noisy, or sugary can have a serious impact on both yours and your coworkers' productivity.

Check out the list below:

Anything smelly

There's nothing worse than sitting next to someone who eats hard boiled eggs for breakfast.

Well, maybe there is: Sitting next to a coworker who eats reheated fish for lunch.

Smelly foods like the following should stay out of the office:

• Reheated fish

• Hard boiled eggs

• Brussels sprouts

• Raw onions

• Garlic

• Pungent spices

• Tuna salad

• Stinky cheese

Anything messy

Would you really want your CEO to walk by as you're licking the bone of the rib you just scarfed down? I'm guessing you wouldn't. Eating messy foods at your desk is unprofessional. It can be visually offensive to those around you. Plus, if anything happens to drip on your nice white shirt, you'll be stuck sporting a nasty stain the rest of the work day.

Here are a few messy foods to avoid:

• Burritos

• Spaghetti with red sauce

• Ribs

• Wings

• Tacos

Anything too crunchy or loud

If the sound of your crunching or slurping is even giving you a headache, imagine how your desk neighbors feel!

If you're not sure how loud you're being when you eat a particular food, ask someone around you if it's distracting. Or, try eating that food at home and ask your partner or a friend to be honest about whether the crunch or slurp is annoying.

Here are some noisy foods to avoid (if you can't figure out how to eat it quietly):

• Soup

• Potato or tortilla chips

• Pretzels

• Nuts

Anything too greasy

Similarly to messy foods, greasy foods aren't a great idea at work for a few reasons.

One:Your keyboard, computer mouse, and anything else on your desk will be shiny for days. And two: Greasy foods often smell, well, greasy, which may be offensive to those around you.

• French fries

• Burger

Anything your coworkers are allergic to

You need to be aware of and sensitive to your coworkers' food allergies.

Try not to bring these foods in to work — but if you do, eat them away from the people who have allergies, and always wash your hands once you're finished.

Here are some common allergens:

• Peanuts/peanut butter

• Tree nuts

• Shellfish

Anything distracting to your coworkers

Okay, so anything noisy or smelly or gross-looking will be distracting — but candy and cupcakes can be, too ... for different reasons.

Bringing in the occasional treat for a coworker's birthday or a holiday is a nice thing to do and will be appreciated by all, but constantly offering your desk mates candy or brownies, day after day, can get a bit distracting.

• Candy

• Cupcakes

• Brownies

Anything that will hurt your productivity

High-fat, high-sugar meals and snacks make us sleepy and have low energy, Lisa De Fazio, a healthy-lifestyle expert and registered dietitian, previously told Business Insider.

If you want to maintain a high level of productivity throughout the day, stay away from these foods:

• Doughnuts

• Cookies

• Ice cream

Now check out 19 natural ways to boost your energy:

See Also:
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The 22 MBA programs where students go on to earn the most money
A look inside $23 billion LinkedIn's New York office, where employees enjoy perks like free gourmet meals and a speakeasy hidden in the Empire State Building

SEE ALSO: 15 things successful people do during their lunch break