There are some nutritionists who recommend that we should only eat processed or junk foods several times a year, while some health experts recommend never. Are there some foods that we should avoid altogether? The website Trueactivist.com recommended that we should avoid some foods if we want to improve health. Read on to discover more which foods to avoid:
- Refined flours: White bread is loaded with refined flour, and bread is also calorific. The reason why refined flours are harmful to health is because they are stripped off all their nutritional goodness, and the body finds it difficult to digest foods with minimal nutrition value.
- Margarine: Sunflower spreads like margarine are grey before colorants are added. Some spreads made to reduce low-density lipoproteins (unhealthy cholesterol), while it is a useful ingredient for baking. A better fat type would be butter or coconut oil. Although the latter two fat types are saturated fat, they are natural fat sources that are not loaded with additional synthetic ingredients.
- White rice: This rice type similar to refined flour, as it has been stripped of all its nutritional goodness. It can cause a spike in blood glucose levels, which can leave the body feeling fatigued.
- Frozen meals: Many conventional frozen foods are loaded with sugar, salt, hydrogenated fats, and a host of other artificial ingredients to add flavour.
- Cured meats: Many of these meat sources contain nitrates, which is a preservative that has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer and heart disease. Food sources include bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats.
- Microwave popcorn: There are two types of popcorn – microwave and pan popcorn. Much of the corn available on the market today is from genetically modified crops, which provides no nutritional goodness. Microwave popcorn can also destroy the lungs through its chemical ingredient diacetyl. If you love popcorn then stick to pan popcorn, fry it in coconut oil, douse it in sea salt, and use organic kernels.
- Protein or energy bars: These are loaded with hydrogenated fats, soy proteins, and refined sugar. There are some healthy protein bars that are made with a variety of seeds and dried fruit, but avoid calorific flapjacks and protein bars that include hydrogenated fats to bind the ingredients. Always check the ingredients beforehand to learn what you will be placing in your body.
- Soy type products: Soy protein has long been deemed a healthier protein source, but much of the soy that is grown today is from genetically modified crops. The toxic chemical, hexane, is used to process soy additives, and this has been linked to cancer, birth defects and reproductive issues. In addition, non-fermented soy contains a high number of estrogens, which can cause hormone imbalance.
- Low fat or diet foods: Although the foods may be low in calories, the sweeteners used can put your body at risk of developing neurological damage and endocrine disruption. High fat sweet treats are not unhealthy if they have been grown naturally. Think of full fat cream cakes, full fat yoghurt, and fat sources like butter and coconut oil.
There are probably many other unhealthy foods that we should avoid, but avoiding the above food types will help the body in a natural state of equilibrium and encourage natural healing when the body needs it.
