There is a lot of confusion out there about which foods are healthy and which are not. If you want to lose weight and avoid chronic disease, then you should NOT eat these foods. There’s no need to tone down anything. That’s because if you follow the advice as to not eat the foods that are bad for you written in this article you will lose weight faster than you ever dreamed possible. And the bottom line is: Stay away from sugar and salt. In this way you’ll keep extra weight off you for the rest of your life…and that’s a promise.
Here’s a list of 9 foods that are generally very unhealthy (there are some healthy alternatives mentioned whenever possible).
1. Sugary Drinks: Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. However some sources of sugar are worse than others, and sugary drinks are the absolute worst. When people drink sugar calories, the brain doesn’t’ ‘register’ them as food. For this reason, people don’t automatically compensate by eating less of other foods instead, and end up drastically increasing their total calorie intake. Sugar, when consumed in large amounts, can drive insulin resistance in the body and is strongly linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is also associated with various serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Sugary drinks are also THE most fattening aspect of the modern diet and drinking them in large amounts can drive fat gain and obesity.
Alternatives: Drink water, soda water, coffee or tea instead. Adding a slice of lemon to water or soda water and add some taste if you don’t like it plain:
2. Most Pizzas: Pizza is one of the world’s most popular junk foods. This is not surprising, given that it tastes awesome and is incredibly convenient to eat. The problem is that most commercially prepared pizzas are made with seriously unhealthy ingredients. The dough is made from highly refined wheat flour, and the meats on them are usually processed. Pizza is also extremely high in calories.
Alternatives: Some pizza restaurants use healthier ingredients. Homemade pizzas can also be healthy, as long as you choose wholesome ingredients.
3. White Bread: Bread is generally made from wheat, which contains the protein gluten. For this reason, all wheat-based breads are a bad idea for people who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. However, most commercial breads are unhealthy, even for people who do tolerate gluten. This is because the great majority of them are made from refined wheat, which is low in essential nutrients (empty calories) and leads to rapid spikes in blood sugar.
Alternatives: For people who can tolerate gluten, cracked bread is an excellent choice. Whole grain bread is also definitely better (or less bad) than white bread. Also, gluten free bread is available in health food stores.
4. Most Fruit Juice: Fruit juice is often assumed to be healthy, but this is a mistake. Many fruit juices are actually little more than fruit-flavored sugar water. It is true that the juice contains some antioxidants and vitamin C, but his must be weighed against the large amount of liquid sugar. In fact, fruit juice contains just as much sugar as a sugary drink like Coke or Pepsi, and sometimes even more.
Alternatives: There are some fruit juices that have been shown to have health benefits despite the sugar content, such as pomegranate juice and blueberry juice. However, these should be considered as supplements, not something you drink every day to quench thirst. Drink water instead. And please, when you shop, read the labels.Stick to real fruit.
5. Industrial Vegetable Oils: In the last 100 years or so, people have increased their consumption of added fats to their food. However, this is entirely explained by a drastic increase in the consumption of refined vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, and canola oil. These oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids, which humans never consumed in such large amounts before. There are many serious concerns with these oils. They are highly sensitive to oxidation and cause increased oxidative stress in the body. They have also been linked to increased risk of cancer.
Alternatives: Use healthier fats like coconut oil, butter, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil instead.
6. Margarine: Margarine used to be considered a healthy alternative to butter. Fortunately, most people have now realized that is far from being true. Margarine is a highly processed pseudo-food that has been engineered to look and taste like butter. It is loaded with artificial ingredients, and is usually made with industrial vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated to make them more solid. This increases their trans-fat content significantly. Keep in mind that manufacturers are allowed to label their products with ‘no trans-fat’ as long as it contains less than 0.5 grams per serving, which is still a significant amount.
Alternatives: Use real butter instead, preferable from grass fed cows.
7. Pastries, Cookies and Cakes: Most pastries, cookies and cakes are extremely unhealthy. They are generally made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour and added fats, which are often disturbingly unhealthy fats like shortening. These tasty treats are literally some of the worst things that you can put into your body. Almost no essential nutrient, but tons of calories and unhealthy ingredients.
Alternatives: If you really need to have something sweet, stick to fresh fruit.
8. French Fries and Potato Chips: Whole, white potatoes are very healthy. However, the same can NOT be said of the products that are made from them, such as the ever popular French fries and potato chips. These foods are very high in calories, and it is easy to eat excessive amounts. Several studies like consumption of French fries and potato chips with weight gain. These foods may also contain large amount of acrylamides, carcinogenic substances that form when potatoes are fried, baked or roasted.
Alternatives: Potatoes are best consumed when boiled, not fried. If you need something crunchy to replace potato chips, raw fresh celery, baby carrots or nuts.
9. Gluten-Free Junk Foods: Gluten-free is the rage these days. Research surveys show that about 1/3 people in the US are actively trying to avoid gluten. The problem with many gluten-free diets, is that people replace the gluten-containing foods with processed junk food that happen to be gluten-free. These gluten-free replacement products are often high in sugar, unhealthy oils and refined grains like corn starch or tapioca starch. These refined starches lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar, and are extremely low in essential nutrients.
Alternatives: Choose food that are naturally gluten-free, like unprocessed plants and animal foods. Be aware that gluten-free junk food is still junk food!
About the Authors:
Mitchell Levy is the Chief Instigator of Ahas at the Aha Amplifier and Chief Marketing Officer at VedaFoods. Mitchell has coached tens of thousands of individuals on improving their work lives and running their businesses better. He has 30+ years of thought leadership, strategy planning and sales/marketing experience, is a former board member, CEO & advisor of many organizations, has written 46 business books and created over 70 University courses. To find out more about Mitchell, visit http://mitchelllevy.com.
Carly Alyssa Thorne is a speaker, author, consultant, producer, and director on Conscious Business Collaborations, specializing in multi-sensory, multimedia, and the mind-body-business-spirit interconnectedness. Carly has worked with individuals, families, and companies on comprehensive health programs and led numerous retreats. To find out more about Carly, visit http://www.CarlyAlyssaThorne.com.
Why VedaFoods:
Are you open to learning new ways of living and eating a healthier lifestyle that will help maintain your blood sugar levels throughout your day? If so, VedaFoods is here to help you.
VedaFoods was created after three years of research and persistent efforts. The product is delicious, all natural, vegan, sugar-free, and a delicious easy way to prepare foods for those that are concerned about their sugar. VedaFoods is perfect for those who may be insulin resistant, pre-diabetic, diabetic or are just plain wanting to lead a more sugar-conscious, health-conscious lifestyle.
VedaFoods offers five different flavors; Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican and Thai. Each variety has different spices which add an array of flavors and tastes. Many spices are rich in medicinal properties, so VedaFoods are not only delicious; they are also medicinal, which restores balance. Check it out on www.VedaFoods.com. The best part? You can order VedaFoods on-line, it comes in convenient pouches that take 5 minutes to make and each pouch serves 2 people.
You can find out more about eating and living a healthier lifestyle by visiting: VedaFoods at http://www.VedaFoods.com
DISCLAIMER: Any advice or subject covered in this blog are from our own personal experiences. Please seek proper counsel from your own personal advisors whether it be your doctor for medical and or health issues, an accountant for financial advice or any professional necessary. Before making any decisions using information contained in our Videos, Podcasts, websites, teleconferences or any other form of communication, you should receive advice from your licensed professionals. All information is subject to verification, errors and omissions.