If there’s a process involved in making the foods you eat they are probably not good for you. Here are the worst ingredients:
Fructose corn syrup
Consuming high-fructose corn syrup is the fastest way to trash your health. It is now known without a doubt that sugar in your food, in all its myriad of forms, is taking a devastating toll. And fructose in any form — including high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and crystalline fructose — is the worst of the worst! Fructose, a cheap sweetener usually derived from corn, is used in thousands of food products and soft drinks. Excessive fructose consumption can cause metabolic damage and triggers the early stages of diabetes and heart disease.
Rid yourself: Avoid all fruit juices and sugar-sweetened beverages, sugary treats and dried fruit. Agave syrup is no better.
Grains – Especially Gluten
There is today decent evidence to suggest that people, even those who don’t have celiac disease, react poorly to foods that contain gluten. Yes, that also applies to the “heart-healthy” whole wheat, which actually isn’t healthy at all. Whole wheat also happens to have a very high glycemic index, leading to the blood sugar “roller coaster” that makes you crave another high-carb snack soon after eating.
Studies on low-carb diets (which eliminate sugars and starches like grains) suggest that people who need to lose weight or have metabolic issues should avoid ALL grains, which are the largest source of carbohydrate in the diet. For people who exercise and don’t need to lose weight, there is no proven reason to eliminate healthier, non-gluten grains like rice and oats. And look for the wonderful assortment of brown and red rice right here in Bali.
Rid yourself: Everyone who cares about their health should avoid gluten grains,especially wheat.
Trans Fats: double hit cholesterol
Trans fats, also known as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” fats, are unsaturated fats that have been chemically modified to increase shelf life and make them solid at room temperature. This process requires hydrogen gas, high pressure and is horribly bad for you. It is a mystery that anyone ever thought these terrible, industrially created fats would be acceptable for human consumption. Trans fats escalate levels of small, dense LDL cholesterol, lower HDL (the good) cholesterol, increased abdominal fat and may lead to various serious health problems.
Rid Yourself: Avoid artificial trans fats NOW as if your life depended on it (and it does).
Seed & Vegetable Oils
Often positioned as health foods, seed and vegetable oils like soybean and corn oil are extremely unnatural for the human body as we didn’t have access to them until very recently in evolutionary history.These fats contain an abundance of Omega-6 fatty acids, but we need to get Omega-6 and Omega-3 in a certain ratio to ensure optimal functioning of the body.Excess consumption of processed seed and vegetable oils may lead to systemic inflammation, cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
Rid yourself: Avoid excess Omega-6 fats from seed and vegetable oils. Increase intake of Omega-3 from fatty fish or cod liver oil instead.
