It is common knowledge that sugar -- especially in the large quantities that we typically consume it -- is just NOT good for our bodies. The thing is though -- sugar is pretty addictive. I mean, don't you just crave it and want more when you take a bite of a delicious treat? Not fair! It only serves us well to recognize that sugar is made to be a "treat that you want to eat on occasion" and find ways to cut it out as much as possible! Believe me, I'm not lecturing by any means as I have a sweet tooth myself, I just keep it on the down-low as much as I can.
The whole idea of keeping our metabolism going “full speed ahead” as we age is one of those secrets that everyone would like to discover!
As Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist states: “’Metabolism’ is really a catch-all word for the different processes going on in the body, but, when it comes to weight loss, most people are talking about energy metabolism, or how your body burns calories”.
Okay. So, it is inevitable. You will age --whether you are currently 25, 35, 50 or 60....it happens.
Do you remember being able to eat throughout the day as a teenager when activity was constant? Then, suddenly, your 20s roll around and you get your first job...sitting...a lot. At first that might be fine since metabolism still is chugging along nicely at a really good rate. Then, 30s roll around, then 40s...and beyond.
Okay, the truth is, not everyone likes to cook. There is no mystery to this as it is pretty obvious that food companies, fast-food restaurants as well as regular restaurants glamorize their own food options to keep you out of the kitchen. It's that easy. But, the truth is -- you don't have to be a master chef or overachiever to keep to healthy eating plans.
While I'm not exactly crazy about everything this article on Healthy Eating has to say, it does make a few important points to keep in mind with better food preparation. Why not build a healthy smoothie when you are in a rush to get to work? It certainly is better to make a healthy smoothie with real fruit and veggies as opposed to rushing through a fast-food window at McDonald's to grab an egg McMuffin.
While we have heard many times over in the media and what we've read in newspapers, many processed foods such as candies or other junk foods do contain artificial dyes. What is revealed in this study though is that a rather large percentage of products are marketed to kids! In fact, "candies marketed to kids had the highest proportion of products with artificial dyes (96 percent) followed by fruit-flavored snacks (95 percent), drink mixes and powders (90 percent), and frozen breakfast foods (86 percent)".
There is so much confusion in the media about carbohydrates. Yes, while eating large quantities is not a good thing, it is in the carbs we choose to eat that makes a really big difference.
Bread in particular has been "vilified" as a "bad" food to eat. But, not all bread is the same and certainly the way it is prepared makes a big difference as well.
But, before you say "NO" to all bread carbs, try to be impartial. Unless you have Celiac Disease or a true wheat intolerance, there's no reason to not have a delicious slice or two of bread with your meal.