In a world where the list is king, doesn’t it make sense to know what not to eat in addition to what you should eat?
That’s how I look at it and you know how much I love me a good list!
The foods you should never eat are deserving of their own list too, doncha think? But I’ve done one better on this particular list. While I’ve named the culprit in disturbing your peace (health and weight), I’ve also named the hero in restoring your well-being (begin applause now).
Let’s get right to business then and get rolling with this list. If you stick with me, you’ll know how to dodge these negative nutritional bullets and make better choices at the grocery store and when dining out.
Culprit #1: Deep-Fried AnythingSorry, but if you order deep fried, make deep fried or even use the words deep fried, you might as well look for a cardiologist at the same time. Deep frying is positively the worst possible choice for having anything prepared. And don’t let the words, “lightly fried” fool you either, as in tempura! It’s all wickedness!
Hero #1: Sauteed for FlavorThis cooking technique uses minimal oil (preferably olive oil) and gives your food the flavor and complexity you’re looking for. I sauté my green beans after steaming them in olive oil (not virgin, that’s too fine an oil for heat), a lot of fresh garlic, a little sea salt and a liberal grinding of fresh pepper. Unbelievable taste with very little fat and no bad fat, either.
Culprit #2: White BreadThud. Did you hear that? That’s the sound of white bread landing in your gullet. It’s squishy, gooey and gluey and it’s adhering to the sides of your intestines, do you feel it? Blech. Considering the negative nutrition associated with denatured flour, why would anyone make that choice in this enlightened century? Lose the white bread already!
Hero #2: Sprouted Wheat BreadOkay, check this out. When you sprout grain, then make it into bread, not only is a lot easier on your digestion, it’s packed full of nutrients traditional bread doesn’t have! Consider this nugget: your body looks at sprouted grain as veggies, not starch! That’s good news if your thighs sprout inches just by eating a sandwich with two pieces of bread!
Culprit #3: Shortening and/or MargarineSolidified fats get that way through a process called hydrogenation, which in turn, makes a multitude of sins called trans fats. Yes, we’ve all heard how bad trans fats are, right? Well, not only does margarine lower your HDL (good cholesterol) it also raises the bad (LDL). Ixnay all the way on margarine (and it’s evil twin shortening…which is essentially unflavored margarine).
Hero #3: ButterHallelujah and pass the butter already! Butter, though a definite saturated fat, will raise your good cholesterol unlike margarine. Just use it very moderately. Try Better Butter: half unsalted butter and half extra virgin olive oil whipped together and kept in the fridge in a covered dish. Just like soft spread margarine only 300 times better!
Culprit #4: White RiceOh. My. Gosh. Are you really still eating white rice? This depiction of a grain is full of nothingness. The fiber is missing, the B vitamins are virtually unheard of and the glycemic load will take you one step closer to Type 2 Diabetes, if that’s your go-to carb! Dismiss this!
Hero #4: Brown RiceWith three times the amount of fiber, more B vitamins as well as other nutrients, the carb load on brown rice is much easier on your body and a smaller amount will satiate, too. What’s not to love about that, especially if you’re trying to lose a few pounds?
Culprit #5: White SugarTo quote Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, surprise, surprise.” I bet you knew sugar would be on the list, didn’t you? How can it not. Did you know that consuming white sugar will actually stun your white blood cells from doing their important health preserving work? Yes, sugar impacts your immune system! It doesn’t just eat your teeth and add to your belly fat, it disrupts immune function. Repent from your sugar eating ways and return to the healthy fold!
Hero #5: Dark Chocolate and FruitYou thought I was going to list alternative or artificial sweeteners, didn’t you? Studies have shown that people who consume diet drinks tend to gain weight doing so. Why is this? The hypothesis is you can’t fool your body like you think — if it tastes sweet, your body may still react to it and gain weight.
Stinks, doesn’t it? But we need to LOSE our sweet teeth, people! That’s the problem, not finding the golden panacea that tastes just like sugar. If you want something sweet, have some fruit and an ounce of very dark chocolate (FULL of phytonutrients, yay!) Once you get over your addiction to sugar, this decadent treat (a bowl of fresh raspberries with melted dark chocolate drizzled over the top) will knock you flat. You’ll happily say NO to donuts!
That’s it for now, y’all! Stay tuned… there is always more to come! http://www.diet.com/
