Image via WikipediaUgh, say the word diet and what comes to your mind? Probably one of the dozens, if not hundreds of low calorie, artificially sweetened and flavored food that is supposed to jumpstart your weight loss program. Well, we are being duped by food manufacturers. These foods are skillfully designed to keep that weight on-and the scale at a standstill. Why? To keep the consumer coming back buying more.
This post will provide some information about the dangers of diet foods and their hindrance to weight loss programs.
The artificial sweetener conspiracy
I think that many of us know today that artificial sweeteners are dangerous. There is simply no way around it, Splenda, NutraSweet, and the many others "0" calories sweeteners are chemicals that cause a cascade of unnatural reactions in the body including damaging the beneficial flora in the gut resulting in impaired immune function. In addition to impaired immunity, these sweeteners, which also include high fructose corn syrup which, due to their unnatural structure, causes the liver to have to work harder to break it down, where it is then quickly converted into fat (unlike natural sugar), causing weight gain.
Just think about it, with the preponderance of diet foods on the market, why do you think that obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and others ailments are still plaguing so many Americans? In addition to sedentary lifestyles, the chemicals in the food are keeping us fat-and sick.
Good carbs?
Many find themselves reaching for supposedly good carbs like pretzels or the bags of veggies sticks. Unfortunately, these diet offenders can stimulate the appetite, are full of sugar, which increases the glucose and insulin levels, making it more difficult to lose weight, and salt. Further, they can also increase carbohydrate cravings-I know this first hand, creating the cycle of consuming more carbs which in turn will cause the carbs to eventually stored as fat, defeating weight loss efforts.
Alternatives
The only safe alternatives to the chemically altered foods are to consume the natural vitamin, mineral and antioxidant rich foods that God created man to consume.
For crispy, crunchy snack alternatives, try vegetables sprinkled with olive oil and baked in oven until brown and crisp. Make sure that your vegetables are locally grown which are higher in nutrients, making them much healthier.
Sources:
"Diet and You"
This post will provide some information about the dangers of diet foods and their hindrance to weight loss programs.
The artificial sweetener conspiracy
I think that many of us know today that artificial sweeteners are dangerous. There is simply no way around it, Splenda, NutraSweet, and the many others "0" calories sweeteners are chemicals that cause a cascade of unnatural reactions in the body including damaging the beneficial flora in the gut resulting in impaired immune function. In addition to impaired immunity, these sweeteners, which also include high fructose corn syrup which, due to their unnatural structure, causes the liver to have to work harder to break it down, where it is then quickly converted into fat (unlike natural sugar), causing weight gain.
Just think about it, with the preponderance of diet foods on the market, why do you think that obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and others ailments are still plaguing so many Americans? In addition to sedentary lifestyles, the chemicals in the food are keeping us fat-and sick.
Good carbs?
Many find themselves reaching for supposedly good carbs like pretzels or the bags of veggies sticks. Unfortunately, these diet offenders can stimulate the appetite, are full of sugar, which increases the glucose and insulin levels, making it more difficult to lose weight, and salt. Further, they can also increase carbohydrate cravings-I know this first hand, creating the cycle of consuming more carbs which in turn will cause the carbs to eventually stored as fat, defeating weight loss efforts.
Alternatives
The only safe alternatives to the chemically altered foods are to consume the natural vitamin, mineral and antioxidant rich foods that God created man to consume.
For crispy, crunchy snack alternatives, try vegetables sprinkled with olive oil and baked in oven until brown and crisp. Make sure that your vegetables are locally grown which are higher in nutrients, making them much healthier.
Sources:
"Diet and You"
