Nutrition
Foods to Avoid
TRANS FATS (Hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated and fractionated oils. Examples: margarine, vegetable shortening). These are used in the restaurant industry and in most processed foods. The food industry loves them because they do not turn rancid quickly and they can help keep packaged goods on the self for several months or years.
Why are Trans Fats dangerous? They raise the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower the “good” cholesterol (HDL), raise total cholesterol and contribute to chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Eating only 4 grams a day can increase your risk for heart disease by 25%! Even if a label says 0 grams trans fat, check the ingredient list. If you find partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredient list, don’t eat it.
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP is a sweetener in may processed foods. The danger of HFCS is that our brains do not recognize it as real food. HFCS triggers your body to want to keep eating which can be dangerous if you are trying to watch your waistline. HFCS has been around for about the past 50 years and since then, Americans eat more than 63 pounds of it every year! When you eat packaged foods, you are likely to find HFCS. The food industry loves this sweetener because it is cheap and it keeps you wanting more of their product.
REFINED GRAINS are one of the most destructive foods yet they are highly accessible. When you think of refined foods, think white … such as white pasta, white bread, white rice, instant oatmeal, white flour, and sugar. These foods are bad for us because they contain very little nutrition. When a grain is processed from whole grain to refined grain, all of the healthy nutrients get lost. The vitamins, minerals, amino acids, oils and fiber get left behind leaving starch and empty calories.