The main objective when following the detox diet is to avoid processed foods! Processed foods add no nutritional value, basically when processed foods are consumed they break down into mostly sugar, and sugar will turn into fat if the body does not burn it off.
Get the background on what the Dr. Oz detox diet is all about.
What are Processed Foods?
The majority of processed foods are stripped of their natural ingredients, removing most of their nutritional value. They are also usually packed with artificial ingredients such as; preservatives and chemicals for enhancements and to extend the life of the products. Processed foods are considered bad carbohydrates because they have no real health benefits, they are mostly sugar, chemicals and preservatives that contribute to weight gain and other health related diseases. Also processed foods do not provide the energy your body needs to function and feel good, leaving you feeling tried and unmotivated.
Some Processed Foods to Avoid:
1. White Breads and White Pastas:
White breads and white pastas are made with refined white flour: Why should you avoid white breads and pastas? Well, white bread and white pasta are bleached flour.
Bleached flour has most of the fiber removed from it, and contains almost no health benefits. When fiber is not present in bread it makes it a simple carb that your body treats similar to sugar, so when you are consuming white breads you are really consuming sugar.
White bread has no real nutritional value (no polyfats, no protein no vitamins or minerals or antioxidants). White bread just doesn’t have the fiber and nutrients that whole wheat bread has.
Whole wheat bread and whole wheat pastas is a great substitute. The key is to look for foods that contain good carbohydrates such as; whole wheat flour and whole gains, check the ingredient label for whole wheat flour or whole gains not enriched or white flour. Enriched wheat really is refined white flour so be sure to check the label before you make a purchase.
2. Packaged Snack Foods:
High-calorie package snack foods, chips, cheese snacks, cookies and cakes are high in trans fats and hydrogenated oils. Most packaged snack foods such as; candy, chips, cookies and packaged food mixes contain ingredients that are high in artificial sugar and fats. Trans fats and high fructose corn syrup are ingredients that you need to be aware of, these artificial, high sugar and fat ingredients, found in most packaged snack foods are the biggest offenders to look for, eliminate these foods from your diet and you will lose weight while eating a healthy diet.
What are Trans Fats (Hydrogenated Fats)?
Trans fats are hydrogenated fats and are listed on the ingredient label as hydrogenated fat, read the ingredient list for this ingredient and walk away from products that contain this on supermarket packaged foods. Manufacturers use trans fats because it is cheaper to process and it extends the shelf life of food. Like saturated fats, trans fats raise LDL “bad” cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. But unlike saturated fats, trans fats lower HDL “good” cholesterol and may do more damage, says the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA advises limiting saturated fat consumption to less than 7% of daily calories and trans fat consumption to less than 1%. Some studies also showed that a diet high in trans fatty acids may be linked to a greater risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
A food Substitution for high package snacks: There are a lot of great natural food substitutes such as; nuts, popcorn, fruits or even whole wheat cookies. Here is some information on healthy snacks and some great healthy low calorie snacks you can make yourself.
3. Commercially Fried Food:
Trans fats can be found in many restaurant foods – but especially in fried foods like French fries, fried chicken, doughnuts, chicken nuggets and pizza crust. Get the scoop on healthy low calorie dishes along with high calorie dishes to watch out for when eating out.
Key: Minimize the intake of both saturated fat and trans fat by checking the food labels. Effective January 1, 2006, all packaged food products must list trans fats content on the Nutrition Facts panel. The amount of trans fats per serving of food will appear under the Total Fat section of the label.
More Diet Tips and Tools: More Diet Articles to support your weight loss goals:
Workout tips to burn more calories:Including an exercise program to your diet will help you lose more weight and get into shape.
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