Avoid These 4 Food Trends to Maintain Good Health
Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen an influx of food trends come in and out of our lives. Whether they’re said to be good for you or not, we’re always willing to try the new fad diet to see if it’ll give us the fitness results we’re looking for.
From putting avocado on everything because it’s a superfood that provides us with plenty of nutrients and antioxidants to an organic diet that focuses on fresh, non-GMO foods, everyone has experienced their share when trying out new meal plans.
However, some of these “healthy” food trends may not be as good for us as we thought. After taking a look at four different diets to see whether or not they’re considered “good” for our health or not, you may be surprised at the truth behind many of today’s most popular trends.
Fat-Free Everything
Most people think when they need to diet, they need to completely eliminate fatty foods. However, many “fat-free” foods are often loaded up with sugar, sodium, or artificial sweeteners which help them maintain a tasty flavor. This will greatly increase calories and will essentially defeat the purpose of a “fat-free” diet overall.
Consuming “good” fats-- like omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats-- will help balance your diet and ensure you’re properly nourishing your body. When you eliminate fats in the foods you eat, it can actually harm your health more than make it better because fats support a number of crucial bodily functions.
What’s Considered “Good” Fat?
When you’re trying to stick to a fat-free diet, you’re missing out on certain nutrients that help your metabolism and overall health. There’s no need to completely withdrawal fats from your diet because they can provide major benefits for our eyes, bones, skin, teeth, hair, and heart.
A low-fat diet can damage your smile and make your teeth vulnerable to disease. Local family dentist, Dr. Anil Ralhan, says he can even sometimes notice if patients have changed their diet because they’re essentially eating more sugars which can lead to cavities and tooth decay. In these cases, he will work quickly to reverse the negative effects of sugars in order to help patients preserve a flawless smile.
Some healthy fatty foods to consider when focusing on your well-being and maintaining a steady diet include:
- Olive oil or coconut oil
- Fatty fish, like tuna or salmon
- Avocados
- Cheese
- Dark chocolate
- Eggs, including the yolk
- Nuts
Juice Cleanses
Although a juice cleanse is a great way to consume your necessary fruits and vegetables for the day, it also eliminates other nutrients from your diet, such as proteins and a sufficient amount of calories.
Most people attempt juice cleanses to lose weight or to remove toxins from their body, but what they don’t realize is that these cleanses are meant to supplement your meals, not replace them.
Many may see instant results after their juice cleanse, but what happens after? Many cleansers return back to their old eating habits and gain back the weight they just lost. It’s not a healthy technique when trying to lose weight and the results are definitely not long-term.
How Your Body May React to Juice Cleanses
During a juice cleanse, people will often feel fatigued, moody, weak, angry, light-headed, and irritable. It also may affect your ability to sleep through the night, it can change your bowel function, lead to dehydration, your skin may break out more, and it can even increase the risk of kidney damage.
These risks and side effects aren’t worth the temporary weight loss. If you ever want to attempt a juice cleanse, be sure to ease your way into it. You can start off by doing a pre-cleanse to help cut out any bad foods which also can be beneficial to your daily diet. Throughout your cleanse, remember to still consume nutritious, light foods to accompany your juice so it can supplement your body and maintain your health.
Gluten-Free… “Just Because”
Being gluten-free nowadays always raises concerns for many people. When someone says they’re gluten-free, others are often curious. “Are you actually allergic or highly sensitive to gluten, or are you saying you’re gluten-free just because?”
Many people see the diet as a great way to lose weight, however, if you’re not truly gluten sensitive, it may have a negative impact on your nutritional value. For people who want to eliminate wheat, rye, barley, and other healthy grains “just because,” they should be aware of the negative effects it has on their health.
What are the Risks of Gluten-Free?
One major risk of a gluten-free diet is that you’re eliminating all, or most, grains and some vitamins which greatly affects your nutrition. Removing grains from your daily food intake can put you at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and make you deficient in iron, folic acid, and fiber.
Another issue with this diet is that many products are labeled as “gluten-free,” however, they’re likely to be more processed and contain other unhealthy nutrients. It is still possible to receive the necessary nutrients we need to stay healthy from other grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans, but it does require more dedication and focus on a well-balanced diet.
Also, remember to not just replace “gluten” for “gluten-free” when grocery shopping because those options may not always be the healthiest choice and they could be using other ingredients that aren’t the best for your body.
Protein Bars
If you’re someone who starts work early in the morning, then it’s likely you don’t always have the time to eat the most important meal of the day-- breakfast. Many people are always on the go and look for a quick, convenient meal replacement such as a protein bar.
Although it’s typically the easiest go-to snack while you’re sitting at your desk, the majority of protein bars are essentially a candy bar. Many protein bars are packed with an excessive amount of sugar, cheap protein, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and other unhealthy ingredients.
It’s important to note that even the best protein bars shouldn’t be consumed daily to replace a meal. They’re a good option to have when you’re just too busy and don’t have the time to take a lunch break or when you need a quick post-workout supplement-- just don’t rely on them every day, and keep them around for emergencies instead.
The Best of Protein Bars
Remember it’s best to look for protein bars with less than 12 grams of sugar, low calories, no additives, and all-natural ingredients. Some of the best protein bars today to consider include:
EPIC: Made from non-GMO ingredients and protein from cage-free egg whites
Oatmega: Contain non-GMO ingredients, grass-fed whey protein, and an omega-3 boost
BhuFoods: All-organic ingredients with high protein, low-sugar, high fiber, and Monk fruit
Strong & KIND: Filled with whole food ingredients, low-sugar, and 10g of healthy protein
GoMacro: Only protein bar with good nutrient balance (10g of protein, 9g of sugar, 260 calories) that’s also allergen-free
Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel Bars: Made with grass-fed collagen, paleo-friendly, and 15g of protein
Remember-- Balance Your Diet and Be Wary of Fads
Before you commit to a new diet that eliminates certain foods from your daily habits, consider which nutrients are removed and what products are replacing them. If you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet while also remaining active and exercising, you’ll see that every new food trend or crazy diet won’t always be beneficial to your health.
Photo by Jonathan Colon https://skatesphere.
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