The Hidden Dangers of Healthy Foods
Foods with healthy buzzwords sound fantastic, like yogurt, kale chips, or granola. But beware of all those fancy sounding buzzwords that are just as bad for you as they are good! Many of them, such as gluten-free and “live active cultures,” focus on just one part of the food puzzle and don’t necessarily mean a food is healthy for you. If a cookie is labeled as “Healthy”, it still might contain a lot of fat, calories, and sodium.
Foods that are good for you
Despite what many people believe, there is no need to stay away from your favorite guilty foods. Despite their popularity, there are a variety of foods that are extremely healthy. Whether they are baked, fried, or raw, they are all nutritious and can help keep you from gaining unwanted weight. Healthy foods can be quite tasty, too. For example, pasta is an excellent choice because it is low in fat, low in salt, and can help keep you full for longer. If you’d like to increase your intake of pasta, consider buying steel-cut varieties and cooking them with olive oil and parmesan cheese.
Foods that are bad for you
Eating nutrient-deficient foods is a recipe for disaster. They are easier to eat when we’re stressed, but can also wreak havoc on our health. Sometimes deceptive marketers sneak in unnatural ingredients into seemingly healthy meals. These include artificial ingredients and unnecessary preservatives. Here are the worst of these hidden dangers:
Foods that are high in fat
Healthy fats are essential to good health, but which ones should you be eating? Fortunately, the good fats found in avocados and nuts are the ones that are actually beneficial for your health. These fats are mostly monounsaturated, with a small percentage of saturated fat. These fats help to develop cells and are important for heart health. These fats are beneficial to your health in a number of ways, including lowering your LDL cholesterol.
Foods that are low in fat
The American Cancer Society recommends eating food with less than three grams of fat per 100 calories. It also recommends that you choose products that contain less than 30% fat. In addition, you should avoid red meat and processed meat. Instead, choose lean meat, low-fat dairy, and nuts and seeds. You can even enjoy dark chocolate if you want a little bit of chocolate. Moreover, you can enjoy these foods in moderation.
Foods that are high in fiber
Soluble fiber can be found in many different foods. Lentils are one of the best sources and contain nearly seven grams of fiber per cup. One serving of cooked lentils has the recommended daily allowance of fiber. Similarly, you can consume approximately 28 grams of fiber from 1.5 cups of chickpeas or garbanzo beans. While barley has a lower fiber content than legumes, you can eat it as a side dish, add it to soup, or cook it into a pilaf.
Foods that are high in protein
Several foods are high in protein. The most bioavailable are those that provide all nine essential amino acids. Choose complete proteins. These proteins have high bioavailability and are highly absorbable in the body. Incomplete proteins are less absorbable but still have health benefits. Try ancient grains such as quinoa and oat bran. They are low in fat and contain large amounts of protein. Read on for some of the most popular high-protein foods.