What constitutes a good diet? Healthy eating plans available today often focus on some of the basics but fall short by including artificial sweeteners, refined sugars, chemically laden dairy products and other nutritional disasters. If you really want to know what you should be eating when focusing on health and fat loss, take a look below.
The Dairy Myth
We all believe that milk is good for us. In principal, it is, but not in the form that we find most easily available. Commercial milk production involves routinely injecting hormones and antibiotics into animals that are contained in small spaces in order to produce a maximum amount of product for the lowest cost. Then the milk is pasteurized, killing off the natural enzymes. This milk isn't very healthy, nor is it a good source of protein.
To get true health benefits from any dairy product, look for raw milk. Raw milk still contains all the enzymes that help digest milk properly, and it comes from animals that are treated properly, without the addition of questionable chemicals. Use raw milk products sparingly and if you can't get those, stick to organics.
The Facts about Fats
No, not all fats are created equal. We have certainly learned that with the brouhaha that developed when we figured out that the margarine that was supposedly better for us than butter turned out to be worse. There are really only two types of fat, that aren't already in your food, which you should be consuming; olive oil and coconut oil.
Yes, I know that coconut oil has a bad reputation, but the facts may surprise you. Coconut oil has lauric acid, a compound that is antibacterial and antifungal. It is also made of medium chain fatty acids that are instantly turned into energy rather than being stored in the body. The research backs up these claims, so enjoy the flavor if you fry up anything.
The Carbohydrate Debate
Low carb, no carb, high carb or what have you; carbohydrates are a topic of a lot of conflict. Let's set the record straight, your body needs carbohydrates to function properly. The real question is which types of carbohydrates you use to fuel your body.
Simple carbohydrates are quickly processed into sugars that enter your blood stream, perpetuating a cycle of ups and downs, encouraging your body to produce insulin. That insulin removes the sugars by turning them into fat.
Complex carbohydrates, especially when eaten with a protein, take longer to be converted into sugars and usually come with an additional benefit of fiber. The protein releases glucagon, which combats the insulin response. As a basic rule, avoid any white foods, but most especially, avoid sugar!
Green up Your Diet
With little dairy in your diet, you may be wondering where you will find calcium. Calcium is plentiful in dark, leafy greens such as kale, mustard greens, broccoli and bok choy. The calcium available in plants is much more available to you, so you get a better return on your investment. They also taste fantastic.
Kale can be stir fried with garlic, organic butter and some sea salt for a great side dish. It can also be baked, carefully, to create delicious veggie chips for a snack. Of course, in addition to calcium, greens have fiber, vitamins, antioxidants and more.
Healthy eating plans should focus on real foods, eaten in moderation. If the diet you have been handed by your nutritionist or doctor doesn't do that, it might be time to rethink how you are eating.
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