Nutrition

Some don’t believe me, maybe now you’ll take me seriously.

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By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

Buying local, fresh foods from Farmers’ markets, organic farms, or from your local grocer can go a long way for your budget and your health.  However, not everyone can benefit or wants to shop healthy.  Here are the top five foods to avoid or minimize in your diet for a longer, healthier life and a leaner waistline, followed by the top five foods that will give you amazing health benefits.

Food #1 Low-fat Foods

Food labeling can be very deceptive when it comes to food geared for weight loss.  Low-fat foods are one of the products to be careful about.  Just because the food says “low fat,” does not mean the food is low calorie.  Be sure to check the label and see how many calories are typically in the product.  Most people associate low-fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more.  Do not be fooled by this deceptive labeling technique.

Food #2 Sugar-Free Foods

Sugar-free foods are geared to people with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes.  Sugar-free foods have low calories and no sugar.

However, look at the label under sugars, and you will see something interesting.  Sugar-free foods tend to have sugar alcohols, which is an ingredient designed to give it sweetness.  Most of the time, sugar alcohol is made from sugar products, which can lead to increased calories.  Sugar alcohols carry between 1.5 and 4 calories per gram.  Not only do you get extra calories, but you also can get cramping, bloating, and other gastrointestinal problems if you ingest too much.

Food #3  Commercial Smoothies

Normally, smoothies are associated with healthy eating.  They have skim milk, fruit, and yogurt, so they are considered a great, healthy food.  Some commercial smoothies, however, have many hidden calories from extra sugar.  Some smoothies are also made with ice cream, so you end up ballooning sugar, fat, and calorie content.  Most of the time, the fruit in smoothies is blended up into fruit juice, or fruit juice is added.   This eliminates the fiber that is found in the skin of most fruits.  My advice:  Make your smoothies at home, and leave the commercial smoothies on the shelf.

Food #4 Commercial Yogurts

Yogurt, again, has been considered a natural health product containing calcium, probiotics, and other products that have been shown to be beneficial to our health.  Look at the label again, and you might see something surprising.   When looking at the label, some of the first few ingredients in yogurt are different forms of sugar.  All this extra sugar can lead to weight gain and stubborn, hard-to-lose body fat.  So again, read the label and see exactly what is in the product before you choose the yogurt of choice.

Food #5 Sugary energy drinks including items with added vitamins and minerals

Energy drinks have been advertised as giving you that extra pick-me-up during the day, and a way to increase the intensity of your workouts.  Energy drinks can contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar, which gives you that initial pick-me-up, but you end up crashing hard later.  Also, some drinks that have added vitamins and minerals, can have loads of sugar as well.  So stop and think before you drink and choose something lower in calories and sugar, maybe something like coffee or tea.

Food #1 Swiss Chard

Aging can create many different problems for people.  Wrinkles, lack of balance, and our eyesight can worsen, and are just some of the different things that happen with the aging process.  Swiss chard is considered a super food because of some of the amazing caroteniods that can be found in this leafy green vegetable.  Swiss chard contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to help with good eyesight.   These two caroteniods have been shown to build up in the eyes, which help with the way light rays enter our eyes and are absorbed.

Food #2 Pepper, Especially Capsaicin

So most of you are probably asking why pepper is on the list.  Pepper is a zero-calories food that can add a lot of flavor to your foods.  Not only does it pack a great punch to your foods, but capsaicin has been shown to have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties.  It has also been shown to be helpful in fighting some cancers because of its anti-cancer effects.
Food #3 Wheatgrass

There are plenty of juices out there that contain Wheatgrass which is chock full of vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy.   Loaded with Vitamins, B, C, and E, this food can help to clean out your system and fight infections.   Not only does this food contain essential vitamins and minerals, but it also is a complete protein.  This food is full of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for building muscle.   The high concentration of vitamins helps protect the body from stress that our bodies are under daily.

Food #4 Tahini

Tahini is now found in most grocery stores as an excellent source of all the B vitamins as well as calcium.  B vitamins are essential in development of healthy cells in the body, especially red blood cells.   B vitamins can also help in raising metabolism, and help our immune system become stronger.  Tahini also holds a surprising amount of calcium, zinc, and copper.  The high levels of calcium can help keep bones strong and healthy, and might be responsible in fighting some cancers. Tahini also holds an abundance of fiber, specifically sesamin and sesomolin, which can have positive effects in lowering cholesterol.
Food #5 Avocado

This amazing fruit helps reduce inflammation through some of the carotenoids found in the green, fleshy part of the avocado. This vegetable also has a tremendous amount of fat, but the good fats that are beneficial to the body. The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps to lower the risk for developing heart disease. Avocados also have phytosterols, which keep inflammation in the body under control.

by David Zinczenko

Remember when Britney Spears was a baby-faced singer with some cute dance moves? Remember when Lindsay Lohan was a funny actress who made neat movies? Remember when Tiger Woods was a great golfer who never made a wrong move?

Remember when breakfast was the healthiest meal of the day?

Food marketers didn’t shave Britney’s head, or sneak rum into Lindsay’s Coke, or teach Tiger how to text message. But they sure have done a job on breakfast. And that’s too bad, because a smart breakfast ought to be the most important meal of the day. And eating a good one ought to be easy. Studies show that people who take time for a morning meal consume fewer calories over the course of the day, have stronger cognitive skills, and are 30 percent less likely to be overweight or obese.

But when food marketers get their hands on it, “a hearty breakfast” turns into something more like “a heart-unhealthy breakfast.” Because an unhealthy heart is exactly what many of the country’s most popular breakfast joints are setting you up for, by peddling fatty scrambles, misguided muffin missiles, and pancakes that look like manhole covers. These foods are loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates, which catapult your blood sugar, sap your energy levels, and tell your body to store fat. Start your day this way and you’ll be ready for a second breakfast—and a nap—before 11 a.m. To help you avoid the morning mishaps, we searched out the good, the bad, and the greasy and uncovered some of the best and worst breakfast foods in America.

#6: Worst Breakfast Beverage
Starbucks Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whole milk and whipped cream (venti, 24 oz)
720 calories
27 g fat (17 g saturated)
103 g sugars

Pure black coffee is one of the world’s most potent elixirs. In fact, research shows that a morning cup can help decrease your risk of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and type-2 diabetes. That’s good news, since 77 percent of U.S. adults over 18 years of age drink coffee on a daily or occasional basis. But here’s the problem: There’s a big difference between an untainted cup of joe and the souped-up, sugar-loaded blends (this particular drink contains 26 scoops of sugar) that list coffee as one of the ingredients. And this Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha is the definition of caffeinated indulgence. You can switch to an equally delicious and refreshing drink (Starbucks has plenty, such as the caffe mocha, which is still coffee with chocolate in it, after all), and cut 520 calories in the process!

Drink This Instead!
Iced Caffe Mocha (16 oz, no whipped cream)
200 calories
6 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
26 g sugars

Bonus tip: Daily e-mails (or tweets) that contain weight-loss advice remind you of your goals and help you drop pounds, researchers from Canada found.

#5: Worst Pastry Breakfast
Cinnabon Regular Caramel Pecanbun
1,100 calories
56 g fat (10 g saturated, 5 g trans)
47 g sugars

This isn’t breakfast—this is dessert. And an atrocious one at that. The only speck of nutrition to be found in the bun comes from the nuts. Too bad they’re coated in sugar. This dangerously bloated bun contains nearly an entire day’s worth of fat and more than half of your daily allotment of calories. That’s as much as you’ll find in 8 White Castle hamburgers. The Cinnabon Stix below are far from a healthy breakfast, but they’re better than nothing (albeit barely).

Eat This Instead!
Cinnabon Stix
379 calories
21 g fat (6 g saturated, 4 g trans)
14 g sugars

#4: Worst Scrambled Eggs Breakfast
Bob Evans Border Scramble Biscuit Bowl
1,028 calories
57 g fat (25 g saturated)
3,055 mg sodium

Bob Evans also offers a Border Scramble Omelet, which contains nearly 400 fewer calories than this overflowing biscuit bowl. The difference in is the bowl itself (several hundred calories of carbohydrate-loaded dough) and the cheese sauce—this biscuit bowl boasts a Queso sauce that no one in his or her right mind would consider a healthy topping. Instead of switching to the Border Scramble Omelet, however, cut another hundred calories by choosing the Garden Harvest, which is also loaded with vegetables.

Eat This Instead!
Garden Harvest Omelet
542 calories
38 g fat (17 g saturated)
1,762 mg sodium

Bonus Tip: Walking into a restaurant doesn’t have to feel like a stroll through a minefield.

#3: Worst Breakfast Sandwich
Denny’s Grand Slamwich
1,320 calories
90 g fat (42 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3,070 mg sodium

Word to the wise: If a restaurant menu item is named for its monstrous size, there’s not a chance it’s good for you. Words like “Grand” and “Big” and “Double” are all tip-offs: Steer clear of this Frankenfood at all costs. This ginormous breakfast sandwich comes with a day and a half worth of sodium, as much saturated fat as you’ll find in 42 strips of bacon, and the caloric equivalent of four and a half cheeseburgers from McDonald’s.

Eat This Instead!
Veggie-Cheese Omelette
500 calories
37 g fat (12 g saturated, 0 g trans)
940 mg sodium

#2: Worst Pancakes
Friendly’s Apple Caramel Walnut Pancakes
1,540 calories
30 g fat (11 g saturated)
2,290 mg sodium

Friendly’s has one of the worst breakfast menus of any restaurant we’ve seen—we had to customize the “Eat This Instead” order below to make it even worth considering. Quick tip: When eating at Friendly’s, never order anything sweet or pastry-like, like these pancakes. No matter what you’ve ordered, you’re guaranteed at least 900 calories. And that’s before you get to the sides. For the best breakfast meal, choose protein-rich foods, like eggs, and skip all sugar- and carbohydrate-laden sides, like toast, muffins, or pancakes.

Eat This Instead!
Super Sizzlin’ Bacon Combo (with 3 scrambled Egg Beaters, hold the toast)
570 calories
29 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,310 mg sodium

Bonus tip: Most people wouldn’t assume pancakes are a healthy choice. But what about those who are trying to eat healthy and end up with a plate full of calories and fat?

#1: The Worst Breakfast in America
Cheesecake Factory French Toast Napoleon
2,460 calories
61 g saturated fat
1,769 mg sodium
246 g carbohydrates

The Cheesecake Factory never fails to amaze us. This outrageous restaurant consistently earns the title of “Worst” on nearly every list we create. Their French Toast Napoleon is no exception—it contains well over a day’s worth of calories (that’s about the equivalent of 19 bowls of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, to give you some idea). It also has 61 grams of saturated fat (three times your daily limit). The only saving grace here is that not all of Cheesecake’s breakfast items are inedible. You’ll be safe if you stick to the healthy (and healthy sounding) scramble, below.

Eat This Instead!
Shiitake Mushroom, Spinach and Goat Cheese Scramble
570 calories
16g saturated fat
994 mg sodium
13 g carbohydrates

Bonus Tip: Improve the way you look and feel—fast and forever—with these 25 Best Nutrition Secrets Ever! They’ve helped people lose 10, 20, 30 pounds or more in record time–and can help you too! (Bonus: You don’t have to stop eating your favorite foods or go on a diet.)