Eating fruits and veggies is great practice for your good health. Think colorful food selections that grow from the earth.
The food you eat should be processed by your body, not a factory. Fill up most of your plate with fruits and veggies and skip the less-than-stellar selections listed below to build your plate for power.
The top five foods every consumer should leave off the grocery list:
5. Deep Fried Foods:
Cooking at high temperatures can result in the formation of toxic chemical compounds that are not good for your health.
4. Processed meats:
The Harvard School of Public Health reports that eating processed meats may increase one’s risk of heart disease and diabetes when a diet consists of regularly eating about 50 grams (1.75 ounces) of processed meat per day. Processed meat includes deli slices, sausage and bacon.
3. Soft drinks (diet or regular):
Most sodas contain food dyes and preservatives. It is uncertain how safe these drinks are and they provide very little by way of healthy nutrition and nutrients.
2. Condiments in a bag:
Mustard and ketchup in small packets are engineered to remain stable. They contain additives that your body doesn’t need.
1. Refined and artificial sweeteners
We don’t know if these substitutes are harmful. Claims are confusing and these substitutes provide no healthy nutrients.
Recent research has found a possible link between artificial sweeteners and glucose intolerance. The American Heart Association released its recommendations which state that most American women should consume no more than 100 calories in these sweeteners per day (about 6 tea- spoons).
The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons).
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References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23335051
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/processed-meats-unprocessed-heart-disease-diabetes/
http://www..nature.com/nature/journal/v514/n7521/full/nature13793.htmlpubmed/23335051
Author: Heather Klaus, Medcor, Wellness Program Manager. Heather oversees Medcor’s internal wellness program for nearly 900 associates nationwide. She also develops and supports wellness programs for Medcor clients. Heather is a regular author and contributor to health and wellness blogs, videos and newsletters. Heather holds a Bachelor’s in Science from Northern Illinois University in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a certified trainer, fitness instructor and Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant. http://www.medcor.com. Contact: heather.klaus@medcor.com
