- To lose one pound a day for a month, you must first make sure that you note down all your calories in and out.You should intake more than 700-1500 calories a day and exercise off from 2000-3000.Not too hard right ?
- You must eat constantly and light to both speed up your metabolism and keep from becoming dehydrated. To lose one pound a day for a month requires precision.6 small meals a day, fruits, fish, chicken, eggs, raw vegetables. No cokes, pig, extra fats, trans fat, or overuse of carbohydrates. No mayo, extra salt, or sugar. Take coffee black, always eat breakfast.
- Your exercise regimen, in order to lose one pound a day for a month, must consist of one-two hours of isometric or muscular exercises followed by at least two hours of high intensity cardio. The weight training should be with very light weights because heavy weights will give you muscle, which is quite dense and heavy. This will not be easy if you've never done this before. Basically you must fool your body into thinking that your lifestyle is going to be much more active than it has been by constant activity.Remember our muscles are more lazy than us so don't skip a single day.
- A lot of the weight you will lose if you decide to lose one pound a day for a month at the beginning will be water weight. To make sure that you don't become dehydrated and stay healthy, you must up your water intake to 12-16 glasses a day. Do not substitute Gatorade, Monster, Red Bull, Powerade, or any of those sugar drinks.Eat bananas and drink fruit smoothies. Naked Juice is ok.
- Once you lose one pound a day for a month, you can't just stop cold turkey. You must keep up a less intense regimen to keep your body in shape. Also, once you have lost weight for a month, the regimen should be habit. Keep it up to keep the weight off. It's much easier to maintain weight loss than lose bad weight. Good luck.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Tips to Lose One Pound A Day For A Month !!
Want to lose one pound a day ??? No, i am not crazy, seriously you can by putting yourself on the fast track to healthy weight
loss. It is very possible to lose one pound a day for a month, with
discipline and the right techniques.Here are some instructions to lose quick weight, follow it correctly to reach your goal :)
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Homemade tips to get rid of sun tan
We tend to use fairness cream which contain bleach that are harmful to the skin in the long run and should be avoided.
- A mixture of lemon juice, rose water and cucumber juice should be applied on the face as a face pack. Lemon juice is citric acid that helps remove the tan and the cucumber and rose water are cooling agents.
- Mixing together some honey and lemon juice and applying it on the affected area can be one of the best anti tan pack mixtures.
- Preparing a paste of some raw milk, turmeric and some lemon juice. This mixture should then be applied on the skin and be allowed to remain till it dries up. Thereafter, it should be washed with some cool water.
- Prepare a mixture of oats and buttermilk. This mixture should be rubbed onto the tanned area as the oats will help in exfoliating the skin and on the other hand the butter milk is known to be extremely soothing for the skin.
- Mixing together some gram flour, lime juice and some curd on the affected area on a regular basis gives best results against tanning.
- Applying some fresh lemon juice and allowing it to remain for at least 15 minutes on the elbows, knees or patchy areas helps remove the tan and making it fair.
- A regular use of fresh coconut water on the hands and face is known to be very effective in getting rid of a tan as well as making the skin supple and soft.
- Aloe Vera gel is an excellent remedy for taking care of dark tans. It will lighten the skin in as little as a week, if applied everyday to the affected area. However, aloe has the property of making your skin photosynthetic and can darken it if you go out in the sun without sunscreen lotion.This makes it important to remember to use sunscreen every time you go out.
- A cream with equal parts of milk powder, lemon juice, honey and almond oil can be applied and left on for 20 minutes. This will help lighten your tan. You can store this for about a week and use it thrice daily for best results.
5 Signs That Your Body Is Starving For Vitamins
When your body is trying to tell you something—for example, that you're skimping on critical vitamins—it may go to some strange lengths.
With today's diet of processed foods, it's easy to become vitamin-deficient, either by not eating enough of the right foods or not absorbing them properly due to digestive issues.You may not get a disease, but you can end up with impaired functioning, because vitamins are cofactors for all the biochemical reactions in the body. We need them in order to function properly. That impaired functioning can sometimes manifest in mysterious ways.
Here are five unusual warning signs that you may be vitamin-deficient.
The good news: Most are fixable with dietary tweaks—all the more reason to make nutrition a top priority. But if food cures don't work, be sure to check in with your doctor.
Body Sign No. 1 : Cracks at the corners of your mouth.
The Deficiency : Iron, zinc, and B vitamins like niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and B12. It's common if you're a vegetarian to not get enough iron, zinc, and B12. Ditto if you're skimping on essential immunity-building protein due to dieting.
The Fix : Eat more poultry, salmon, tuna, eggs, oysters, clams, sun-dried tomatoes, Swiss chard, tahini, peanuts, and legumes like lentils. Iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C, which also helps fight infection, so combine these foods with veggies like broccoli, red bell peppers, kale, and cauliflower.
Body Sign No. 2: A red, scaly rash on your face (and sometimes elsewhere) and hair loss.
The Deficiency : Biotin (B7), known as the hair vitamin. While your body stores fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), it doesn't store most B vitamins, which are water-soluble. Body builders take note: Eating raw eggs makes you vulnerable, because a protein in raw eggs called avidin inhibits the body's ability to absorb biotin.
The Fix : Reach for more cooked eggs (cooking deactivates avidin), salmon, avocados, mushrooms, cauliflower, soybeans, nuts, raspberries, and bananas.
Body Sign No. 3: Red or white acne like bumps, typically on the cheeks, arms, thighs, and butt.
The Deficiency : Essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D.
The Fix : Skimp on saturated fat and trans fats, which you should be doing anyway, and increase healthy fats. Focus on adding more salmon and sardines, nuts like walnuts and almonds, and seeds like ground flax, hemp, and chia. For vitamin A, pile on leafy greens and colorful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and red bell peppers. This provides beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which your body will use to make vitamin A. For vitamin D you can take a supplement—2,000 IU a day in one that also contains vitamins A and K, which help with D absorption.
Body Sign No. 4: Tingling, prickling, and numbness in hands, feet, or elsewhere.
The Deficiency : B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. It's a problem directly related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin, noting that these symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression, anemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.
The Fix : Seek out spinach, asparagus, beets, beans (pinto, black, kidney, lima), eggs, octopus, mussels, clams, oysters, and poultry.
Body Sign No. 5: Crazy muscle cramps in the form of stabbing pains in toes, calves, arches of feet, and backs of legs.
The Deficiency : Magnesium, calcium, and potassium. If it's happening frequently, it's a tip-off that you're lacking in these. And if you're training hard, you can lose more minerals (and water-soluble B vitamins) through heavy sweating.
The Fix : Eat more bananas, almonds, hazelnuts, squash, cherries, apples, grapefruit, broccoli, bok choy, and dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and dandelion.
With today's diet of processed foods, it's easy to become vitamin-deficient, either by not eating enough of the right foods or not absorbing them properly due to digestive issues.You may not get a disease, but you can end up with impaired functioning, because vitamins are cofactors for all the biochemical reactions in the body. We need them in order to function properly. That impaired functioning can sometimes manifest in mysterious ways.
Here are five unusual warning signs that you may be vitamin-deficient.
The good news: Most are fixable with dietary tweaks—all the more reason to make nutrition a top priority. But if food cures don't work, be sure to check in with your doctor.
Body Sign No. 1 : Cracks at the corners of your mouth.
The Deficiency : Iron, zinc, and B vitamins like niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and B12. It's common if you're a vegetarian to not get enough iron, zinc, and B12. Ditto if you're skimping on essential immunity-building protein due to dieting.
The Fix : Eat more poultry, salmon, tuna, eggs, oysters, clams, sun-dried tomatoes, Swiss chard, tahini, peanuts, and legumes like lentils. Iron absorption is enhanced by vitamin C, which also helps fight infection, so combine these foods with veggies like broccoli, red bell peppers, kale, and cauliflower.
Body Sign No. 2: A red, scaly rash on your face (and sometimes elsewhere) and hair loss.
The Deficiency : Biotin (B7), known as the hair vitamin. While your body stores fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), it doesn't store most B vitamins, which are water-soluble. Body builders take note: Eating raw eggs makes you vulnerable, because a protein in raw eggs called avidin inhibits the body's ability to absorb biotin.
The Fix : Reach for more cooked eggs (cooking deactivates avidin), salmon, avocados, mushrooms, cauliflower, soybeans, nuts, raspberries, and bananas.
Body Sign No. 3: Red or white acne like bumps, typically on the cheeks, arms, thighs, and butt.
The Deficiency : Essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D.
The Fix : Skimp on saturated fat and trans fats, which you should be doing anyway, and increase healthy fats. Focus on adding more salmon and sardines, nuts like walnuts and almonds, and seeds like ground flax, hemp, and chia. For vitamin A, pile on leafy greens and colorful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and red bell peppers. This provides beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which your body will use to make vitamin A. For vitamin D you can take a supplement—2,000 IU a day in one that also contains vitamins A and K, which help with D absorption.
Body Sign No. 4: Tingling, prickling, and numbness in hands, feet, or elsewhere.
The Deficiency : B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. It's a problem directly related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin, noting that these symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression, anemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.
The Fix : Seek out spinach, asparagus, beets, beans (pinto, black, kidney, lima), eggs, octopus, mussels, clams, oysters, and poultry.
Body Sign No. 5: Crazy muscle cramps in the form of stabbing pains in toes, calves, arches of feet, and backs of legs.
The Deficiency : Magnesium, calcium, and potassium. If it's happening frequently, it's a tip-off that you're lacking in these. And if you're training hard, you can lose more minerals (and water-soluble B vitamins) through heavy sweating.
The Fix : Eat more bananas, almonds, hazelnuts, squash, cherries, apples, grapefruit, broccoli, bok choy, and dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and dandelion.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Common Fitness Mistakes We Do During Workout
Many workout and fitness plans get derailed by some common mistakes and bad habits. Be careful to avoid the following mistakes.
Working out without a battle plan
Some people walk into the gym and wing it -- with no sense of how well they're working out all their muscles, then wonder why they don't make progress. Write down a workout plan: Map out all your workouts to the set. Figure out your goals and set a plan to get there. Read books for ideas if you must, or take advantage of the trainers the gym makes available. They can advise you on proper form, the right machines for you, the frequency of your workouts and so much more.
The cost of one or two sessions is well worth it when you consider the invaluable advice you'll get. Stick to your plan, and keep notes. A plan allows you to monitor your progress.
Working out without stretching
Stretching beforehand prevents muscle cramps and injuries by loosening up your ligaments and muscles. Stretching after workouts loosens up your muscles and ligaments, promoting healing.
Trying to do too much at once
Enthusiasm can push you into doing too many sets, lifting too much or running too long. At best, your body's extra soreness hampers future workouts, but injury is the true risk. If you push your body too far, it breaks.
You also want to get enough rest between workouts to let your body heal. Your body needs time to repair the damage a workout does. Alternate days of strength training -- do upper body one day, lower the next. This way, you'll be sure to minimize damage. A little soreness is OK, however. After all, the tiny tears in muscles that result from working out create mass as they're repaired.
Failing to push yourself
However, pushing your body as reasonably far as possible is the key to making progress. An unchallenging 20-minute cardio session or easy sets don't test your body. Make sure once you start finding sets easy that you raise the stakes to continue meeting your goals.
Failing to vary your routine
Once your body accustoms itself to a routine, your growth slows. A workout strengthens your body by taking you beyond your comfort zone. Change exercises in your workout plan periodically. Switch your cardio from the treadmill to the exercise cycle. Use a barbell instead of dumbbells for those bicep curls. Take a class you've never tried --there's something for everyone offered in most gyms these days.
Doing incomplete workouts
Doing cardio alone doesn't develop fat-burning muscle like weights do. Focusing on chest exercises shortchanges other muscles that now have to compensate to balance an overdeveloped chest with your body. You don't have to work out every muscle group every day. Alternate upper and lower body workouts, and mix up heart-strengthening cardio with strength training. Stay balanced, and your body will show the results.
Working out without focus and efficiency
A good cardio session can take 20 to 30 minutes. A good weight workout can take 30 to 45 minutes. That 60-second rest period becomes 3 minutes if you don't watch the clock, making a 30-minute workout last more than an hour. Stay focused and keep the workout moving towards completion. Too long of a rest period can decrease your workout's effectiveness.
Drinking sports drinks instead of water
Sports drinks contain electrolytes. They also contain sugar, and not the good kind. Most sports drinks contain corn syrup, which sends your liver into overdrive to process the high sugar concentration, storing anything else taken in as fat. Check the labels of sports drinks to avoid the extras that you don't need, and only drink sports drinks when you need them -- they're not meant to quench your everyday thirst.
Unless your workout is intense -- and we're talking marathon-intense -- you probably don't need a sports drink. If you need some flavor, try a spritz of lemon or lime. There are concentrated, sugar-free flavors available in packets and syrups that add flavor but no calories to your drink. Give them a try.
Being active only during workouts
Most of us live sedentary lives. Workouts become harder to stick with when they're the only time you're physically active. Sitting around slows circulation and fat burning, counteracting your workouts. Do more outside the gym. Park the car and walk more. Play sports. Add hobbies and get out more. Or stay in, clean up the yard or remodel a room. It's true what they say about bodies in motion -- they tend to stay in motion, and that's a good thing.
Failing to fuel your body with a sound diet
Nutrients key the regeneration of muscles. Your body needs protein and vitamins...not excess fat and junk food. Make sure what you take in each meal furthers your fitness goals, rather than hamper them. Go with lean meat, fruits and vegetables over processed and fatty foods. Make sure you eat regularly to keep your metabolism moving and to maintain energy for those workouts. Plan your diet like you plan your workouts if possible. It matters just as much.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Best Ways to Boost Your Energy When You're Struggling Big Time
Feeling tired more often than not? A study from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that women are typically more exhausted than men.So here are some ways to stay alert throughout the day.
Hydrate
Start the day with a glass of room temperature water (your body has to work to heat it up if it’s ice cold, which could tire you out even more), and keep hydrating until you hit the sack. “Everybody puts too many starchy carbs in their diet, and sodas, which negatively affect your blood sugar," making you feel pooped. Water moves those downers through your system faster.Move It
25 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five to seven times a week will help you fall asleep faster and go into a deeper sleep so you’re more rested during the day. Plus, you’ll enjoy that natural energy high after your workout.Step Away from the Screen
Staring at your computer for hours on end burns your eyes and your energy. Find a private spot in your office and do a few sun salutations. Stand with your feet hip distance apart, inhale and bring your hands straight above your head. Then exhale, bend forward, bringing your hands to touch the floor or your thighs. Lengthen your arms in front of you and look forward. Exhale back down with your belly to to your thighs, and then inhale back to standing.
Just Breathe
Take five deep breaths while picturing happy images, and you can actually up your serotonin ("happy hormone") levels. Note: Deep breathing comes from the belly rather than the diaphragm. Make sure you’re doing it correctly by putting your finger on your bellybutton and feeling yourself getting a Buddha belly as you breathe in.
Good Morning
Can't seem to get out of bed? Try three downward dog and plank positions for three to five breaths each first thing in the AM. It’s a nice way to rev your internal engine and your core, making it easier to harness that power center throughout the day.
Feed Your Bod
Filling up on those refined sugar-loaded snacks at the corner coffee shop while you race through the day? Not doing yourself any favors; you’ll crash from the sugar spikes. Make sure your balanced diet is packed with protein and rich in fiber. Take in plenty of whole grains, broccoli, cauliflower, apples and jicama.
Stock Up on Supplements
Women tend to be deficient in Vitamin D and magnesium, which help your body stay energetic.Some expert recommends 1,000-2,000 milligrams of Vitamin D daily, magnesium (either as a supplement of 100 to 250 milligrams a day or two to three Brazil nuts twice a day). Also suggests Siberian ginseng and ginger extract—which both help to replace stress hormones that are deficient in the body—but advises seeing an expert in Eastern medicine to determine the proper amount for you.
What Your Menstrual cramps might mean
Having your period sucks. Not only do you have to deal with PMS, but you're greeted with menstrual cramps. That pain in your abdomen and pelvic region can range from annoying to debilitating. But if your cramps are chronic, it could be a sign that you're suffering from something more serious. Read on for the scoop from some experts, and always consult your doctor with questions.
Normal Cramps
Felt in the lower abdomen, these are usually mildly painful and can last for a couple of hours. After you take a pain reliever, you should be able to go about your day.Ovarian Cysts
If you're experiencing very heavy cramping and bleeding, there's a chance you might have ovarian cysts, which are very common in women. The treatment for this condition can range from going on birth control to surgery. See your doctor if you think this might apply to you.Ruptured Follicle
When an egg is released from the ovaries it is pushed out through a follicle and sometimes that follicle will burse or release an egg really quickly, which results in a pain that feels like a sharp cramp.Endometriosis
If you're feeling pain during sex or worse-than-normal cramps, you may be suffering from endometriosis. This is a condition that causes the endometrium, the cells that grow in your uterus and are shed during periods, to grow into other areas of the body like the bowel or intestines.Salpingitis
In this situation, your fallopian tubes become inflamed due to an ovarian cyst or other infection. This condition makes it harder for the eggs to pass through the tubes which will usually result in painful ovulation and bad cramping.Chronic PID
If your cramping is extreme, it might be PID. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is often caused by a sexually transmitted disease. Although, it can also be caused by a broken infected cyst. PID can cause extreme cramping that doesn't always disappear right away. It's recurring or chronic.Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Most Unhealthy Processed Food You Need To Avoid
Processed foods have the advantage of saving time and this makes them tempting to people who have a busy lifestyle and for those who don’t particularly like to cook. Most processed foods also come with a low price tag that is hard for many consumers to resist. However, at some point we really need to look at the hidden costs that processed foods have on our health.
It is no secret by now that the vast majority of processed foods are not healthy. In general, they are very low in nutrients, especially micronutrients like antioxidants and vitamins, while simultaneously being high on calories. They also contain industrially engineered ingredients that can be very harmful to the human body.
Eliminating all processed foods from your diet may be quite difficult. However, you can significantly improve your healthy by eliminating the worst of the processed foods. Below, you will find a list of some most unhealthy processed foods.
Like hot dogs, chicken nuggets are at the pinnacle of industrialized foods. While you may think that chicken nuggets are mostly protein, the typical chicken nugget, including the famous chicken McNuggets, are more than 50 percent fat and they contain more carbs than protein. Keep in mind too, that the carb portion is made of very unhealthy carbs found in the fillers and breading.
Most chicken nuggets are deep fried, often in an oil containing trans fat. Trans fat causes cell membrane deformities that contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Most chicken nuggets also contain many unhealthy additives such as MSG and tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).
There is nothing nutritional about sodas; they are empty calories. Moreover, they contain substances that can hurt you. As if sugar wasn’t bad enough, almost all sodas today use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as a sweetener and this is even worse than sugar. HFCS has been shown to be damaging to the liver as well as causing blood glucose spikes even worse than normal table sugar would. Soda pop is a primary contributor to the obesity problem in the United States.
Soda pop is also one of the most powerful acid producing substances we can put into our bodies. As such, they cause our naturally alkaline body pH to become acidic. Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment and can’t survive in an alkaline environment. An acidic body is also much more susceptible to viral and bacterial attacks since it weakens the natural defenses of the body’s immune system.
Hot dogs have been a staple of the American diet for decades. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council reports that Americans eat about twenty billion hot dogs a year. They also report that ninety-five percent of all American homes serve hot dogs. Of course, lunch meats like bologna also have similar ingredients.
The vast majority of hot dogs and other highly processed meats on the market contain loads of salt, MSG, sodium nitrate and other preservatives, artificial flavors, cheap unhealthy fillers, and mechanically separated meat and poultry. Most people don’t realize that mechanically separated meat has been so highly processed under extreme heat and pressure that whatever nutritional value it had to begin with is lost in the processing. For example, proteins become denatured under these extreme industrial conditions. If you have an absolute craving for a hot dog, look for nitrate free organic hot dogs with no preservations, artificial flavors, or meat byproducts.
For the purpose of this article, cookies, cake, muffins, and crackers have all been lumped into a single category because the health issues associated with them are similar. Beyond the obvious high levels of sugar and salt, most of these products also contain trans fat. Trans fat is added in part because it is much cheaper than healthy fats and this makes them more profitable. However, trans fat is also added to prolong shelf life and to improve the texture. In fact, there are whole “food science” labs devoted to figuring out how to use trans fats and other industrial foods to achieve the perfect texture in these types of products.
To determine if a product contains trans fat, you should not go by what it states on the front of the label. The USFDA actually allows manufacturers to label their products with “zero trans fat” if each individual serving contains less than 0.05 grams of trans fat. Many manufacturers simply reduced the size of a serving to reach this magic number. So, instead of a serving size being three cookies, they might say it is one cookie so they could put a “zero trans fat” on the label. To know for sure if a product actually contains trans fat, you need to look at the ingredient list and look for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated.” If these words appear, then the product contains trans fat.
Do you want to know why so many breakfast cereals are “fortified” with vitamins and minerals? The reason is because otherwise they would be so devoid of nutrition, no one would want to buy them. Fortified means that the vitamins are artificially added during the processing of the food. It’s no better than taking a crunchy vitamin, and in fact, usually a low quality vitamin. For example, these fortified cereals often add a form of vitamin D that is not easily used by the human body.
Most breakfast cereals are also loaded with sugar, or worse, high fructose corn syrup. If they contain corn, as many do, then you can bet it it is genetically modified (GMO) corn because this type of corn is much cheaper and this increases their profit. GMO corn has been shown to cause tumors in rodents in a recent study conducted in Europe. Research studies have been limited in the United States and other countries because Monsanto and other biotech companies threaten scientists with lawsuits if they conduct research with their patented seed. However, there have been many anecdotal cases showing cattle and other farm animals getting sick and/or dying from eating GMO corn.
While you may be surprised to see granola bars on a list of the 7 most unhealthy processed foods, this is actually one of the reasons they are listed here. The marketing of granola bars are exceptionally deceptive. They are usually marketed as an exceptionally healthy food when in fact they are just the opposite. This means people tend to eat more of them thinking they are actually eating a super convenient, tasty, healthy food when they really are not. Parents also tend to feel good about giving granola bars to their kids but they really aren’t any healthier than a candy bar.
Regardless of what you see on the front of the packaging or hear in the commercials, almost every brand of granola bar contains high fructose corn syrup. If you don’t believe this fact, try going into any supermarket and finding a box of granola bars that don’t contain this harmful ingredient. You’ll be hard pressed to find one! Even if they say they are made with honey or maple syrup, read the ingredient label. Some will put a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup for flavor but most of the sweetness is still derived from high fructose corn syrup. They are also sometimes loaded with fat, including trans fat, and lots of sodium too!
Most condiments and salad dressings contain high fructose corn syrup as this is a really cheap way food manufacturers can add bulk to their product and improve the flavor with very little cost. Many also contain trans fats and food additives like MSG. Another factor that makes them so unhealthy is that we tend to not think about what’s in condiments when we apply them to our food. Even a healthy fresh vegetable salad can quickly become an unhealthy meal if an unhealthy dressing is added.
One way to eat healthier is simply to make your own condiments and salad dressiongs where you can control the ingredients. You can usually store salad dressings and homemade ketchup for at least a week in the refrigerator.
In conclusion, one of the healthiest steps you can take to improving your health is eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, the processed foods you eat. It is also important for you to carefully read the ingredient label when shopping and not just depend on what it says on the front of the package.
It is no secret by now that the vast majority of processed foods are not healthy. In general, they are very low in nutrients, especially micronutrients like antioxidants and vitamins, while simultaneously being high on calories. They also contain industrially engineered ingredients that can be very harmful to the human body.
Eliminating all processed foods from your diet may be quite difficult. However, you can significantly improve your healthy by eliminating the worst of the processed foods. Below, you will find a list of some most unhealthy processed foods.
Chicken Nuggets
Like hot dogs, chicken nuggets are at the pinnacle of industrialized foods. While you may think that chicken nuggets are mostly protein, the typical chicken nugget, including the famous chicken McNuggets, are more than 50 percent fat and they contain more carbs than protein. Keep in mind too, that the carb portion is made of very unhealthy carbs found in the fillers and breading.
Most chicken nuggets are deep fried, often in an oil containing trans fat. Trans fat causes cell membrane deformities that contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Most chicken nuggets also contain many unhealthy additives such as MSG and tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ).
Soda Pop
There is nothing nutritional about sodas; they are empty calories. Moreover, they contain substances that can hurt you. As if sugar wasn’t bad enough, almost all sodas today use high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as a sweetener and this is even worse than sugar. HFCS has been shown to be damaging to the liver as well as causing blood glucose spikes even worse than normal table sugar would. Soda pop is a primary contributor to the obesity problem in the United States.
Soda pop is also one of the most powerful acid producing substances we can put into our bodies. As such, they cause our naturally alkaline body pH to become acidic. Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment and can’t survive in an alkaline environment. An acidic body is also much more susceptible to viral and bacterial attacks since it weakens the natural defenses of the body’s immune system.
Hotdogs & Other Processed Meats
Hot dogs have been a staple of the American diet for decades. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council reports that Americans eat about twenty billion hot dogs a year. They also report that ninety-five percent of all American homes serve hot dogs. Of course, lunch meats like bologna also have similar ingredients.
The vast majority of hot dogs and other highly processed meats on the market contain loads of salt, MSG, sodium nitrate and other preservatives, artificial flavors, cheap unhealthy fillers, and mechanically separated meat and poultry. Most people don’t realize that mechanically separated meat has been so highly processed under extreme heat and pressure that whatever nutritional value it had to begin with is lost in the processing. For example, proteins become denatured under these extreme industrial conditions. If you have an absolute craving for a hot dog, look for nitrate free organic hot dogs with no preservations, artificial flavors, or meat byproducts.
Store Bought Cookies, Cake, Muffins, and Crackers
For the purpose of this article, cookies, cake, muffins, and crackers have all been lumped into a single category because the health issues associated with them are similar. Beyond the obvious high levels of sugar and salt, most of these products also contain trans fat. Trans fat is added in part because it is much cheaper than healthy fats and this makes them more profitable. However, trans fat is also added to prolong shelf life and to improve the texture. In fact, there are whole “food science” labs devoted to figuring out how to use trans fats and other industrial foods to achieve the perfect texture in these types of products.
To determine if a product contains trans fat, you should not go by what it states on the front of the label. The USFDA actually allows manufacturers to label their products with “zero trans fat” if each individual serving contains less than 0.05 grams of trans fat. Many manufacturers simply reduced the size of a serving to reach this magic number. So, instead of a serving size being three cookies, they might say it is one cookie so they could put a “zero trans fat” on the label. To know for sure if a product actually contains trans fat, you need to look at the ingredient list and look for the words “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated.” If these words appear, then the product contains trans fat.
Many Popular Breakfast Cereals
Do you want to know why so many breakfast cereals are “fortified” with vitamins and minerals? The reason is because otherwise they would be so devoid of nutrition, no one would want to buy them. Fortified means that the vitamins are artificially added during the processing of the food. It’s no better than taking a crunchy vitamin, and in fact, usually a low quality vitamin. For example, these fortified cereals often add a form of vitamin D that is not easily used by the human body.
Most breakfast cereals are also loaded with sugar, or worse, high fructose corn syrup. If they contain corn, as many do, then you can bet it it is genetically modified (GMO) corn because this type of corn is much cheaper and this increases their profit. GMO corn has been shown to cause tumors in rodents in a recent study conducted in Europe. Research studies have been limited in the United States and other countries because Monsanto and other biotech companies threaten scientists with lawsuits if they conduct research with their patented seed. However, there have been many anecdotal cases showing cattle and other farm animals getting sick and/or dying from eating GMO corn.
Granola Bars
While you may be surprised to see granola bars on a list of the 7 most unhealthy processed foods, this is actually one of the reasons they are listed here. The marketing of granola bars are exceptionally deceptive. They are usually marketed as an exceptionally healthy food when in fact they are just the opposite. This means people tend to eat more of them thinking they are actually eating a super convenient, tasty, healthy food when they really are not. Parents also tend to feel good about giving granola bars to their kids but they really aren’t any healthier than a candy bar.
Regardless of what you see on the front of the packaging or hear in the commercials, almost every brand of granola bar contains high fructose corn syrup. If you don’t believe this fact, try going into any supermarket and finding a box of granola bars that don’t contain this harmful ingredient. You’ll be hard pressed to find one! Even if they say they are made with honey or maple syrup, read the ingredient label. Some will put a tiny bit of honey or maple syrup for flavor but most of the sweetness is still derived from high fructose corn syrup. They are also sometimes loaded with fat, including trans fat, and lots of sodium too!
Pre-Made Condiments and Salad Dressings
Most condiments and salad dressings contain high fructose corn syrup as this is a really cheap way food manufacturers can add bulk to their product and improve the flavor with very little cost. Many also contain trans fats and food additives like MSG. Another factor that makes them so unhealthy is that we tend to not think about what’s in condiments when we apply them to our food. Even a healthy fresh vegetable salad can quickly become an unhealthy meal if an unhealthy dressing is added.
One way to eat healthier is simply to make your own condiments and salad dressiongs where you can control the ingredients. You can usually store salad dressings and homemade ketchup for at least a week in the refrigerator.
In conclusion, one of the healthiest steps you can take to improving your health is eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, the processed foods you eat. It is also important for you to carefully read the ingredient label when shopping and not just depend on what it says on the front of the package.
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