Ingredients To Avoid In The Diet To Stay Healthy
Keeping fit is not always easy and large retailers don’t give us much help: supermarket shelves are full of ingredients to avoid in the diet. Let’s be honest, do we really check the nutrition labels of the products we buy every time we shop?
Few actually do it. Although we are among those who care about their health, we don’t always check the labels.
However, we must not forget that some foods have a negative nutritional value, and therefore can cause ailments ranging from bloating to allergies or some chronic illness.
Let’s examine the following list of ingredients to avoid in the diet and discover some of their effects on the body. Let’s remember to avoid them as much as possible to take care of our health.
1. Refined flours, among the ingredients to avoid in the diet
The first products to avoid in our diet are refined flours. They have a high carbohydrate content therefore:
- They inflame the intestines.
- They provide empty calories.
- They stimulate nervous hunger.
- They cause mood swings.
- They raise blood glucose levels.
It is best to replace them with wholemeal flours. In fact, it is not a good idea to stop eating flour entirely, as it is a source of energy and fiber. Instead, it is enough to choose healthier alternatives.
2. Refined sugar among the ingredients to avoid in the diet
The second food we should avoid in our diet is present in almost everything we eat and this makes it a big deal. Refined sugar alters metabolic functions, causes intestinal inflammation and compromises the function of the immune system.
- In some cases it is difficult to spot because it has several names such as dextrose, fructose or corn syrup.
- The best option to avoid this is to choose fresh, natural foods. Some, like fruit, naturally contain it; in these cases it is a natural sugar that will rarely hurt us if we pay attention to the portions.
3. Sausages
Sausages are processed meats with more fat, salt and sugar than fresh meats. When cured meats are consumed, the digestive process slows down. As a result, food is processed from the stomach much slower than normal and intestinal gas production increases.
The best alternative is to choose natural products such as veal, chicken or turkey breast, rabbit and fish.
4. Aspartame and monosodium glutamate
The other ingredients to avoid in the diet are artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and monosodium glutamate. While they help make foods tastier, they can cause insulin resistance issues.
For these ingredients we recommend what has been said for refined sugar: avoid them at all costs. You can always use organic honey for sweetening.
5. Trans fats among the ingredients to avoid in the diet
How many times in recent years have we heard that trans fats are one of the ingredients to avoid in the diet? In fact, they are the most harmful fats that can be introduced into the body.
However, they are among the substances found in foods that have undergone the frying process.
If consumed in excess, the chances of cardiovascular problems and blockage of the arteries increase. Plus, they’re hard to digest, so your gut health also suffers in the long run.
It is advisable to choose non-fried foods. If possible, we prepare the food we consume ourselves and check nutritional labels.
6. Potassium bromate
Another ingredient to avoid in the diet is potassium bromate. To find it, you need to read the labels of some products, such as hot dogs.
According to experts, the problem is that: “once the bromine is dissociated, it is released into the body. Toxicological studies have found possible carcinogenic effects ”.
7. Artificial dyes
Have you ever wondered how food companies manage to obtain products with such inviting colors? We are talking about red 40 and yellow 5.
These artificial dyes have been associated with the appearance of certain cancers, inflammation of the colon and intestines, intestinal gas, bloating and diarrhea. For all these reasons, it is recommended that you avoid products that contain them.
In other words, although eating some industrial snacks from time to time is not harmful, consuming them regularly, as part of a bad diet, can really be.
Check the labels, but don’t get obsessive
It is important to pay attention to what you eat to follow a diet that is as healthy as possible, but there is no need to obsess or fall into chemophobia.
On the other hand, you should accept the recommendations of the World Health Organization and give priority to the consumption of fresh foods, such as fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables.
If you have any doubts about how to follow a healthy and balanced diet, you can always contact your doctor or nutritionist ; who will be able to advise you in the right way.
