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Healthy Eating Myths Exposed
By
Doris Temple |
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Every time I watch food commercials, I hear another healthy eating myth. Certainly advertisers are not the source for facts on healthy eating.
First, let's get right down to the basics. The food you eat has the most value, or nutrient content you could say, when it has had the least amount of processing. This would even include when you cook your vegetables. Just a light touch is the best. Heavy cooking breaks down the food and with it the nutrients. Why else would the vegies get mushy? Fresh produce have the nutrients you need. And best of all, they are in perfect balance for ease of absorption.
Ok, we have that established. Now what about where the produce comes from?
This is an important consideration. Was the produce grown in an industrial farm setting that uses chemical fertilizers, sewage sludge fertilizers, and chemical pesticides? Sure, you could wash your fruits and vegetable before preparing. But, do you really get all the residue off? And depending on the point of plant growth when the chemicals are used, they could actually be right inside the pulp of the fruit. Take apples for example, spraying of the blossoms resulting in chemicals in the apple itself. Then again, there are the fruits that don't survive a good scrubbing, like the berries.
Now, the organically grown produce is produced using a standard. One that does not permit the use of chemical fertilizers, sewage sludge, or chemical pesticides. Instead, the environment is enhanced by the use of natural products, and good old fashioned composting. The nutrient value of the soil is maintained by the use of rotating crops. Of course, organic fruits and vegetables should still be washed to wash off any residues that land during transport. A further benefit is that organics does not allow irradiation nor genetically modified foods.
So, the best value for you is to buy your produce organic whenever you can. The lack of chemicals itself could probably save your health.
Alright, let's move on...
Manufacturers have pushed their foods for years. But, now they're saying how nutritious they are, all nicely balanced with the food groups. Factually, no manufacturer can prepare any meal more nutritiously than you can in your home.
Why is that?
Processed food has to make it from the 'factory' to the store and then to your house. So, it needs to have something in it to make it survive it's journey. That something would be preservatives. Nasty stuff. These are chemicals. They are not nutrients. Your body does not react the same way to chemicals. Nutrients act to enhance the body's own chemistry right down to the cellular level. Chemicals, on the other hand, alter the body's own functions right at the cellular level.
The chemicals that are in processed foods are not only preservatives, there's dyes and flavor enhancers. Many of the ingredients are linked to obesity and other health problems. MSG is known to cause weight gain. In fact, it is used in labs to make lab rats fat so that obesity studies can be done. This ingredient can even be found in foods promoted as weight loss.
Then there is aspartame. This chemical has the ability to cause enough change in your body that you slowly become sick without ever suspecting a food additive.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is man made. This is linked to diabetes. Avoid foods with this ingredient.
Hydrogenated oils is another common ingredient in foods. It acts to raise both the good and bad cholesterol levels and at the same time it inhibits the absorption of nutrients. Then add the the fact that it has no essential fatty acids, they're all destroyed. And you end up with a man made substance that not only has no value, but also prevents absorption of nutrients. What is the body's response to this...
Hunger. Essential fatty acids are required by every body system you have. If you don't get them, it is like the body is starving. The natural response to starving would be to eat. And that is exactly what people do. So, you end up with obesity as and epidemic. By the way, taking out the trans fat is of little consolation. You still have the effects of the hydrogenated oil which have no nutrients and the effect of inhibiting other nutrients from being absorbed. It is good to remove the by product known as trans fat, but it is just not enough to be able to call it healthy eating. Another myth exposed.
Put it all together for steps toward healthy eating...
Steps Toward Healthy Eating
1. Cut back on all processed foods.
2. Choose organic processed foods over the same in non-organic. The chemicals are far fewer. But it is still processed, so limit this too.
3. Buy organic fresh fruits and vegetables whenever you can.
4. Shop at your local farmers market for significant savings in both the organic and non-organic foods.
What you need to know is that the most benefit you get in food is from that food with the least amount of man's hand in its preparation. Using this datum will help you make the healthy decisions in your food selections.
Author's Bio
Doris Temple created www.mom-going-organic-sensibly.com to fill the need for unbiased information. The site provides information about organic food, products and healthy nutrition. Find out what is in your food and how to eat healthier.
(c)Copyright 2008 Doris Temple ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE
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