Artificial Sweeteners
When I was in my 20s, long before I became a nutritionist, I ate every single “sugar-free” food out there! Diet pop, diet juice, diet yogurt, diet granola bars, diet chocolate bars, if it had less sugar and carbs,I ate it! It wasn’t until I had to do an elimination diet to figure out the cause of my chronic headaches and horrible digestion that it actually occurred to me that maybe artificial sweeteners weren’t my ticket to the lean body I craved! I gave them up completely and next thing I knew, my headaches disappeared and I had lost that last stubborn 5 pounds.
Since then, multiple studies have confirmed that artificial sweeteners actually increase the risk of the very things they were designed to prevent. That’s right, artificial sweeteners have been connected to an increased risk of obesity, metabolic disorders, diabetes, and cravings for sugar.
If you’re anything like me, you’re shaking your head wondering what the point is then! There is absolutely zero benefit in consuming anything with artificial sweeteners. That includes your sugar-free chewing gum too!
Alternatives: Coconut sugar, raw honey, maple syrup are my favorite sweeteners.
Vegetable Oils
You know all those oils at the grocery store in the clear plastic containers labeled “cholesterol-free” and “heart healthy”? That is the biggest fabrication ever! These processed oils, sunflower, soy, cottonseed, canola and corn along with a few others are highly toxic for many reasons:
• These oils are heavily processed and often contain trans fats, in one study, some contained up to 4% trans fat.
• Vegetable oils are highly inflammatory, which is a huge concern considering inflammation is the root cause of many degenerative diseases including cancer and heart disease. If you would still believe saturated fats are to blame, you’d be wrong. In fact, recent studies have shown that these vegetable oils have a much bigger impact on your cardiovascular health.
• Many of these oils, especially corn, soy and canola, are likely to include GMOs.
Alternatives: I use coconut oil most often for cooking, along with ghee (clarified butter) or organic butter because they are more stable due to their saturated fat content. For salad dressings I use organic virgin olive oil.
Whole Wheat Bread
I know you have a special place in your heart for bread. I also know you’ve been switching out the crusty white variety for the “whole grain” version in an attempt to eat healthier. I would love to give you a high five for your efforts, but instead I have to be the bearer of bad news. Commercial whole wheat bread really isn’t much better than the plain old white stuff. It’s easy to be swayed by the fancy marketing on your loaf of Dempster’s bread, but unfortunately, it’s just marketing.
A quick look at the ingredient list will show that there are plenty of added garbage still lurking inside such as added sugar, vegetable oils (yep the same ones listed above) and a whole host of preservatives. The bottom line is that your average whole wheat bread is still highly processed and will spike your blood sugar, causing fat storage, cravings and inflammation.
Alternatives: Look for artisan breads that contain less than 5 or 6 ingredients. Preferably organic and older ancestors of wheat such as spelt and kamut as they contain more fibre, less gluten, and are easier to digest. Other grains such as quinoa and oats are great choices too, so long as they pass the 5 or 6 ingredient rule!
Ciara Foy
Innovative Fitness Nutritionist
www.InnovativeFitness.com
Principal, Ciara Foy Nutrition
m: 416-271-4369 | e: | w: www.ciarafoy.com | a: 100 King Street West, Suite 5700, Toronto, ON, M5X 1C7
