Good health is essential to achieving the body of your dreams, but one should keep in mind that while not all foods are created equal, there are those which are harmful to the body and whose long-term consumption may lead to serious health issues. Keep in mind that most chronic diseases occur not only because of genetics, but also primarily as a result of a toxin built up from the foods we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink. Today I will give you more info on which foods to avoid at all costs, as they have the lowest quality rating and probably the highest health-hazard rating.
Soda Beverages – on average a cola type drink contains 10 to 15 grams of sugar per 100 ml of liquid. Ingesting so much sugar is not only going to ruin your glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, but it is also capable of making you pass out or vomit. Soda producers put phosphoric acid in order to avoid these effects. Most sodas nowadays are packed with high fructose corn syrup, which is an even worse choice than simple sugar and is scientifically proven to cause diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. My Advice is to drink freshly squeezed or 100% apple, pineapple or grapefruit juice.
Fried Foods – The main problem with frying is the fact that the oils used in frying are getting easily disintegrated and transformed into dangerous trans fats. Trans fat consumption is linked to chronic diseases, most notable of which cancer and arteriosclerosis. It’s important to choose fats that are resistant to high temperature, thus making cooking safer. It is an interesting fact, that decades ago McDonalds were using lard for frying their fries and the taste was much better and in general much healthier, compared to the low-grade vegetable fat they use for frying nowadays. My Advice is try fry only using small amounts of animal fats like full fat butter as well as coconut oil – don’t be afraid of the saturated fats content. It is also a better idea to put your food in a classic oven, as this method is safer and healthier compared to any other type of frying.
Sauces – Have you ever closely scrutinized the ingredient list of a typical salad dressing or barbeque sauce? If you do so it is very likely that you will notice a long list of weird ingredients, which will leave you wondering is this a food, or rather some type of chemical experimental cocktail. Most sauces contain preservatives, flavor enhancers, colors, sweeteners, modified starches, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and numerous other harmful substances. Consuming small amount from those does not pose a health hazard, but ingesting a concentrated combination of them is really an issue one has to consider seriously. My advice is to limit sauces consumption or at least read the labels carefully at the supermarket before making your choice.
Sweetened Products – Sweeteners have taken the world by storm. You can find them almost everywhere. Most people are preferring them simply because they don’t have calories and eliminate the need for sugar in addition to the food, but what people don’t realize is the fact that sweeteners are artificial substances, which the body cannot assimilate normally and cause health problems if consumed over long periods of time. Even most of the supplements are filled with sweeteners, most notable of which are: acesulfame-k, sucralose, aspartame, cyclamates, saccharin, and others. My advice is to avoid the consumption of foods containing artificial sweeteners and try natural ones like stevia.
Processed meats – Processed meats contain substantial amounts of preservatives, mainly nitrites, which are proven to be harmful for health. Processed meats are typically sausages and packaged meat products that have a long lasting expiration date.
My Advice is to choose only fresh cooled meat and never buy meat that has more than a week of shelf life – this is a clear sign that the meat was treated with preservatives.
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