Benny gives us the low down on some ‘healthy food stories’ you may be running that aren’t so helpful…
Fruit juice: Fruit juice that has been robbed of its fiber and broad range of nutrients is basically just a concentrated source of sugar that lacks the supportive nutrients to help it digest and metabolize. Fruit juice elevates blood sugar more quickly than whole fruit, and the level of sugar that can be obtained from fruit juice is higher than the level found in whole fruit. For example, 120 calories’ worth of whole apples contains about 24 grams of sugar, while 120 calories’ worth of apple juice contains about 30 grams.
Protein bars: When you’re on the run and don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal or snack, protein bars can be a convenient substitute. The high protein content helps keep you full, and the added vitamins and minerals may cover possible deficiencies in your diet. However, many protein bars contain added sugars and artificial ingredients. Be sure to check the nutritional panel to make sure this snack is not to high is sugar or total carbohydrates
Nuts: These bite-size nutritional powerhouses are packed with heart-healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Of course, you can get too much of these good things: Nuts are high in fat and calories, so while a handful can hold you over until dinner, a few more handfuls can ruin your appetite altogether. And although nuts are a healthy choice by themselves, they’ll quickly become detrimental to any diet when paired with sugary or salty toppings or mixes.
Diet Soft drink: A new study has found that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda can cause weight gain, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease, adding to mounting research about the potential health risks of diet soft drinks. And that’s not all—the study also found that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda can interfere with your body’s normal response to sugar, deregulating normal blood sugar levels even more than regular soda.
That’s because the fake sugar essentially tricks your body into thinking you’re taking in the calories associated with the sweet taste. But that means the body doesn’t know how to process real sugar—and fails to release the hormone that controls blood sugar and blood pressure.
Energy drinks: Although known as “energy drinks,” many of these products don’t provide any real energy, as you would get from carbohydrates, for example. Instead they provide a stimulant – caffeine .There are also very high levels of B vitamins in some energy drinks that could be harming you.
Getting a lot of caffeine all at once along with potentially harmful megadoses of vitamins is unwise and may lead to serious health problems.
By Ben Lucas @Ben_Lucas1