In talking with people all over the world about food, I've come to the realization that most people truly do want to eat for excellent health and be at a normal weight. But everything they hear conflicts with everything else they hear The word "healthy" depends on who you're listening to and what their motives are.
For instance, on a trip to the grocery store the other day, I noticed the words "healthy snack" on a product box. So I looked at the ingredients and noticed four known carcinogens and toxins that are anything but healthy. That means this stuff is known to cause cancer.
Healthy? Healthy!?
So just know that the food manufacturers will say whatever they need to in order to sell products--your health be damned. They'd try to convince us that eating shredded cardboard is healthy if they think we'd believe it. Heck, we believe everything else, so that's probably next. You watch.
But by far the biggest blunders in the 'healthy eating advice' world are:
"Carbs are no good--they make you fat." (Usually spoken by companies that sell low carb processed foods.)
and
"Fat is the enemy. Low fat is the only way to go."
Well, I don't sell low fat foods or low carb foods. So you can take this to the bank...
Neither bit of drivel could be further from the truth.
Here's why:
Your body NEEDS both.
Depending on the source, carbohydrates provide fiber, B-complex vitamins and vitamins A and E, plus the minerals magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron and selenium.
These nutrients are not "optional" when it comes to your body--they're essential, and you pay a dear price when you're lacking them.
For instance, being low in B vitamins can cause fatigue, muscle degeneration, mental deficiency, depression, skin eruptions and headaches, among other things.
A zinc deficiency can lead to learning disabilities, poor digestion, rashes, menstrual problems, depression, delayed sexual development in kids, prostate problems, and erratic behavior.
So low carb diets can cause these problems!
The same thing can be said about fats.
Fats are critical to your body for cellular function, protecting your brain and nervous system, absorbing vitamins and nutrients and maintaining fertility.
Not having enough of the right fats causes brittle, aged-looking skin, hair and nails, repeated infections, moodiness and--get this--weight GAIN. (I'll explain why in a moment).
The key to eating for blubber loss and great health is NOT to stay away from carbs and fats... but to make sure the carbs and fats you are consume are GOOD ones.
Good carbs vs. bad
GOOD CARBS are natural, unprocessed and unrefined whole grains. They include whole wheat, oat, rye, spelt, quinoa, barley, millet, buckwheat and brown (not white) rice.
These grains and products made from them provide the essential nutrients I mentioned above, plus they taste delicious.
BAD CARBS, on the other hand, include white flour, white rice and white sugar, and all products made from them.
The bleaching and processing of the grains strips away ALL of the naturally occurring nutrients and fiber. Some may be added back after processing, but only a fraction of the amount that was originally in the grain.
Refined carbohydrates are quickly converted to sugar in your body and are easily stored in your body as fat. I once heard the phrase, "The whiter your bread, the quicker you're dead."
That's true.
However, WHOLE grains contain balanced amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They're broken down more slowly by your body and used more efficiently. Plus their fiber helps encourage regular bowel movements and can decrease your risk of colon cancer.
So next time you find yourself blindly counting carbs, think instead about looking for good vs. bad carbs.
Fats--the good, bad and the ugly
A moderate amount (2-3 tablespoons) of good fat each day is VITAL.
Good fats include olive oil (preferably extra-virgin, cold pressed), avocado, butter (yes--I said butter and NOT margarine), flaxseed oil, fish oil, nuts and even meats and dairy products in limited amounts.
These fats help you lose flab by turning off your body's hormone messengers that direct fat storage, especially around your midsection.
Healthy fats also help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
WITHOUT lowering HDL (good) levels. Plus regular consumption of them can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancers.
Bad fats are processed fats--also known as HYDROGENATED or partially hydrogenated fats and oils.
They contain trans-fatty acids, which are fats that are not found in nature, so your body CANNOT metabolize them.
Instead, they just accumulate, clog your arteries, and cause inflammation, cell damage and heart attacks.
Thank the processed food manufacturers for that wonderful invention!
These bad fats are found in deep fried foods, margarine, baked goods, powdered and artificial coffee creamers, and most processed (packaged) foods.
Look for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" on package labels. If you see them, do NOT buy the product.
And don't be fooled by products that profess to be "low fat." All that means is that they're lacking good, essential fat, and the fat has probably been replaced by sugar (a bad carb).
Isn't that incredible, what the food manufacturers do to try to fool us in order to make billions? And the effects are passed down to our children in our DNA. That's right, studies show that processed foods are a major reason for the skyrocketing numbers of birth defects and infertility otherwise known as "being sterile."
Click Here! to find out more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Desire_Moore
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