Are you trying to get that summer body but having no luck? Do you feel sluggish after eating certain foods? Would you like to not only look better but feel better all the time? Maybe it is time to experiment with your nutrition! While we do not condone eliminating certain types of food (after all, everyone needs a treat now and then) or without consulting a physician first, paying careful attention to your eating habits can be incredibly helpful when trying to achieve your desired physique, alleviate pains and discomforts, and obtain overall good health. Here are four foods we believe you can skip on…and their yummy alternatives!
Sugars and Starch
If you struggle with your body composition, start by being more mindful of your starch and sugar consumption. Overconsuming sugar can negatively impact your body’s ability to regulate itself on a cellular level, dramatically increasing inflammation, derailing hormones, and spiking insulin levels while also flooding your body with excess calories that become stored as dangerous fats (ex. visceral fat, arterial fatty deposits, etc.). Sugar also makes you less sensitive to the hormone leptin, which helps you feel hunger and fullness. Sugar has been linked to the development of acne, high blood pressure, heart disease, liver failure, type 2 diabetes, and a whole host of other diseases that can dramatically decrease your quality of life.
Generally, starches are less risky than refined sugars, and that is because they are complex carbohydrates. Starches will gradually alter your blood sugar and energy levels, whereas refined sugars will give you a rush and a crash. That being said, starches can still be tricky. Most of the starches modern Americans eat are processed so much that they act like sugars in the body. Furthermore, mass production typically strips most of the nutritional value from the starch, making it little more than a vehicle for empty calories.
You can improve your mood, physique, and the function of all of your body’s systems for the long haul by making simple starch and sugar swaps and paying attention to the added sugars on nutrition labels. Instead of using white or brown sugar in your baking, try Stevia, coconut palm sugar, or any other sugar substitute that won’t impact your blood sugar levels. You can get healthy, unprocessed starches in your diet by incorporating nuts, seeds, legumes, sweet potatoes, and peas into your meals.
Unhealthy Fats
Eating the right kinds of fat is an incredibly important part of having a healthy body. You can’t live without it. The issue is that most of the foods we eat contain harmful saturated and trans fats, meaning that they’re solid at room temperature and prone to sticking to arterial walls. Some examples of these fats include shortening, butter, margarine, and animal fats. Other harmful fats are omega-6 fatty acids, which can be found in many common cooking oils such as vegetable oil, corn oil, and seed oils. Each of these fat sources has been linked to weight gain, inflammation, and metabolic damage, as well as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
The key to proper fat intake is to seek natural sources of monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and omega-3 fatty acids. These fats lower blood pressure, reduce blood lipid concentration, quell inflammation, and promote brain, eye, and joint health. In fact, research is underway exploring the link between omega-3 fatty acids and a reduced risk of stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Some sources of these benefit-rich fats are nuts, avocados, seeds, eggs, and certain types of fish.
Try experimenting with different fats. Swap out your canola oil with avocado or coconut oil. Eat the salmon filet for dinner instead of a butter-basted steak. See how you feel after introducing an omega-3 supplement into your daily routine for a few months.
French Fries
It’s time we revisit the fry. According to National Geographic, the average American eats approximately thirty pounds of French fries per year. While it’s okay to have things like this on occasion, the issue with fries is that they’re high in calories, offer little nutritional value, and contain large quantities of acrylamides–carcinogenic substances that form when potatoes are fried, baked, or roasted. The World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations have stated that the levels of acrylamide in foods like fries, potato chips, and certain breads and crackers pose a “major concern” to global health. More research is needed to determine the exact dangers of dietary acrylamide exposure.
Processed Meats
Lastly, consuming processed meats increases your risk of developing detrimental conditions such as colon cancer and heart disease. Sausages, hot dogs, salami, bacon, ham, jerky, corned beef, and packaged deli meats all fall into this category. Bacon, for instance, has been classified by the World Health Organization as a “Group 1 carcinogen,” meaning that it has been proven to cause cancer.
If you must eat meat, try swapping out your ham sandwich or hot dog for a grass-fed, hormone-free chicken breast. Instead of having ham for Christmas dinner, get a yummy rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store or break out your turkey recipe from Thanksgiving. Better yet, oven-roast salmon filets purchased from your butcher–skip on the processed protein and get a hearty dose of healthy omega-3s all in one go!
In Closing
Adopting a healthy diet is crucial to looking and feeling your best. And that’s not all–it will ultimately save your life. Luckily, you’re not the only one invested in your well-being. These days, many employers and insurance companies have adopted robust wellness programs that reward you for making healthy choices. Be sure you’re taking advantage of any discounts offered by your job or insurance plan. Make sure you’re signed up for your work’s benefit package if one is offered. If you have an individual plan, scour your benefit summary for savings opportunities, fitness club memberships, nutrition counseling, weight loss programs, smoking cessation resources, etc. Use every tool at your disposal to keep yourself healthy, and you’ll live a long and happy life.
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Article updated 10/31/24.