Five "health foods" that may be making you sick!
There are many of us who are
dieting and trying to live a healthy lifestyle. We exercise and go out of our way to eat the best foods we can. Most of us already know that trans-fats, white sugar and white flour are not the best health choices, especially if we want to keep our weight down. Unfortunately some of the very foods that we think are healthy are ones that can cause a lot of trouble for our bodies, and even make us ill. Below is a list of some surprisingly unhealthy “health foods.”
Artificial Sweeteners
Many people who are dieting, whether it is low calorie or
low carb diets, will opt for beverages with artificial sweeteners instead of
sugar. Admittedly sugar is certainly a troublemaker and should be avoided, but artificial sweeteners are actually worse for you and could even be dangerous to your health. All the artificial sweeteners are bad, but one of the worst sweeteners for us is NutraSweet (Equal, aspartame). There are over 92 different health related side effects associated with aspartame consumption, including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes,
emotional disorders and
epilepsy/seizures. There are more adverse reactions to NutraSweet reported to the FDA than all other foods and additives combined. A much better alternative to chemically derived sweeteners is stevia, which comes from a plant. It has been used for centuries with no know side effects. It can be purchased in most health food stores in the United States.
Sports Drinks
Although
marketers would have us believe that sports drinks are what the body needs when exercising heavily, the truth is that sports drinks are filled with
sugar (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) and salt (potassium and sodium) as well as artificial flavorings and colorings. Add a little salt to Cool-Aid and you have about the same thing. You would be much better off drinking spring water or diluted freshly squeezed juices while exercising.
Most Energy and Sports Bars
Most sports and bars are also filled with things that are not the best for our bodies, and are little better than
candy bars. Many of them contain sugar or artificial
sweeteners, chemicals, preservatives, and synthetic nutrients. Check the ingredients before you buy an energy bar. Try to find one that is made with whole foods, such as oats and flax seeds,
fruits, and natural sweeteners.
Soy Products
This is one of the most surprising ones of all, after all soy has been used for countless generations in Asia.
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