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5 “healthy” foods I don’t eat anymore

 


5 "healthy" foods I don't eat anymore


I have been interested in nutrition for as long as I can remember, and the more I learn the more my diet evolves.  Here are five things I used to eat that I've realized were really not as healthy as I thought.

1.  Dried fruit.  Sure, dried fruit has fiber and a few vitamins, but it's also a highly concentrated source of sugar that will spike your glucose and insulin levels quite quickly.  And yes, that goes for dates too.  Eat your fruit whole, and preferably with some fat or protein to blunt the glucose spike.

2.  Fruit smoothies or juices.  If I make a smoothie these days, it includes a lot of protein, some fiber and fat, along with a small amount of fruit--usually in the form of berries.  Most juices have as much, if not more, sugar as a soft drink, with no fiber to slow down the sugar rush.

3.  Whole grain bread or pasta.  I know they seem healthier, but watch the labels!  Most bread and pastas in the supermarket are super high in carbohydrate, with little nutritional value, and they break down into sugar as soon as they hit your bloodstream.

4.  Butter alternatives.  I used to buy the "heart healthy" alternatives, but if you look at what they're made of, the chemical concoction is a bit scary!  Our bodies know what to do with real butter, olive oil, and other easily extracted oils.  If you need a bunch of chemicals and deodorizers to create the alternative, our bodies mount an attack against the unknown in the the form of inflammation.  Not good!  Go with what Mother Nature gave us. 

5.  Fake meats.  I'm all for the occasional black bean burger or fermented non-GMO soy, but when you use chemicals to try and create something that looks and acts like beef, I just don't get it.  Neither do our bodies. :)

What is something you used to eat that you thought was healthy?


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