5 Healthy Foods...Or, Are They?

I've been studying nutrition for a solid 4 years now (and as a hobby for long before that) and I'm still constantly amazed by some of the things I'm finding out! Just when I think I've got this thing handled, new information comes up that makes me feel that all the good I thought I was doing has just been undone. For instance, I fed my babies soy milk because they were allergic to dairy, and then a few years ago we find out that processed soy has got phytoestrogens and can cause problems during adolescence (I'll have to post another whole story to address the mama guilt around THAT one!). So, in spirit of trying to help you parse through some of this information (remember, I'm just the messenger☺), I give you 5 foods touted as 'health' foods that actually aren't very healthy at all...and alternatives for them.

1. Whole wheat bread: this one is tricky. We all think that wheat bread is healthy and virtuous. However, did you know that the wheat bread Subway uses has over 50 ingredients in it? One of which is banned in Europe, Singapore and Australia! It's called Azodicarbonamide (try saying that 3 times!). This particular chemical gives people asthmatic symptoms and allergies, which is scary.

What to do instead? Get the salad at Subway and even add an avocado on top!Also, if you love bread, go for Ezekiel. It doesn't have any flour, and it's a true whole grain. Good stuff.

2. Agave nectar (sniff, sniff): most agave is nothing more than a laboratory-generated super-condensed fructose syrup (almost 80% higher concentration than high fructose corn syrup!), devoid of virtually all nutrient value. And, did you know that the first thing your liver processes is fructose and/or alcohol? This means it's not in its fat burning mode so it turns it right into belly fat.

What to do instead? Use alternative sugars: coconut palm sugar (low glycemic), maple or coconut sugar, or Stevia (pure Stevia products, not Truvia and Purevia, which are really processed).

3. Almond milk: by itself, it's fabulous. However, the stuff at the store usually has an ingredient called carrageenan. Derived from red seaweed and used to keep ingredients from separating, it is particularly destructive to the GI tract, triggering inflammation and other gastro-intestinal issues (IBS, bloating, etc.) and has shown to give cancer to lab rats. Other products that use this ingredient include Silk, Starbucks, So Delicious, Horizon, Zico, Blue Diamond, Pacific, Carnation and Tempt. The trick is they don't put it in all their products so be sure to check all your labels.

What to do instead? I check all my labels very carefully. The 365 Whole Foods brand as well as Silk Pure Almond (unsweetened) are both safe. Or, you can also simply make it at home: blend 4 cups of water with 1 cup of almonds (soaked overnight) and strain it. So easy!

4. Gatorade: this one is quite toxic. We were all given this stuff growing up when we were sick or playing sports, right? Here's the deal: all it is is a bunch of chemicals and salt. Up until very recently it had something called BVO which is banned in other countries and is a flame retardant (btw, this is still in Powerade).

What to do instead? Drink electrolyte rich coconut water! Some other great electrolyteboosters are celery and chia seeds. 5. Frozen yogurt: this one I hate to put in here because I know how many hearts I'm breaking! One of the most processed foods on the planet, this creamy, low calorie, probiotic promised goodness swirled into your cup is one of the worst "healthy" fads to hit the franchise market. Frozen yogurt is filled with refined sugar (corn syrup, dextrose, evaporated cane juice), artificial colors and preservatives, carrageenan (see above), and other fillers like cellulose gum (this is made from wood pulp). You don't even get those fabulous probiotics you think you'll be getting because it usually comes packaged in powder so those little guys are already dead.

What to do instead? There is one company that seems to be doing a body good: Red Mango. They seem to be making a big effort to keep is healthier and are taking good care to add probiotics into their yogurt. Eat the plain stuff, add some fruit on top and you're you'll be fine. Or, try the real stuff! Regular plain yogurt (Greek is my fave) with some raw honey and berries is great for your gut and is a very yummy treat.

Finally, if you're looking for a cold, creamy treat, go for real ice cream or try Coconut based ice cream, which is my personal fave!

Here's to a happy, healthy bod!