Diets come in about as many shapes and sizes as the people who try them. And in the words of perhaps one of the most famous dieters of all time: “If there were a shortcut to having a healthy body, I’m sure I’d have the secret by now.”
Oprah – “anything that represented a quick fix. A magic pill or potion. An easy way to get what I wanted without having to step onto that StairMaster every morning.”
But whether it’s low carb, low fat, keto, paleo or Mediterranean, nearly all experts do agree on one thing: it’s best to avoid ultra-processed foods. And now, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there is some “solid scientific evidence to back up that advice.
In other words, losing weight or avoiding putting it on in the first place, may be as simple as avoiding consumption of processed foods. But wait, that’s not simple at all.
If you are looking to trade fake food for the real deal, your brain and body will make it a tough transition.
Processed foods are chemical-laden, addictive foods usually sold in jars, boxes and bags, and armies of well-paid food scientists make it their missions to come up with recipes that appeal to your taste buds, even if it means causing havoc to your health.
Yep, you are fighting a battle that the giants of the “food” industry are paying millions for to make sure they hook you as a customer for years and also generations.
Well, let’s be honest, if you ate it as a child and had no idea, there is a high chance that your children will have the same sorts of items on their plates as well.
Hang on, did you know that there are around 17,000 new food products put on to our shelves every year?
This tells me that the chances of the same food landing on your children’s plate’s are becoming less likely if we don’t decide to revert back to the ‘did our gran and grandad eat this?’ thought process!
Why are processed foods not as good for us?
These foods are so hard to say no to because they are loaded with added sugars and fats, which physically change how they feel inside the mouth.
With this, we create emotional relationships with them because of the way they make us feel in the moment we eat them….let’s call them our triggers, just so you can start to identify the emotion with a word that might stick?
The altered texture and taste actually make the body crave more of it.
When you put processed foods into your body, not only are you choosing to fuel your body with nasty chemicals, you’re depriving it of the nutrients it needs.
What do I truly believe?
Processed foods are often stripped or void of “all of the good”, so it’s not like you’re eating an apple slice that’s been dipped in gasoline; you’re not even getting the fiber from the apple anymore. From weight loss to migraine relief, you can reap some serious health benefits if you ditch processed foods.
Here is my promise to you!
If you ditch the processed food items, not only will you lose weight faster, age slower, get less headaches and have better hair, skin and brain function, among others, you will actually start to hate processed foods.
So, the benefits are huge but it will take a lot of dedication and sacrifice if you are one of those families that open up the cupboards to well marketed, health ticks, high fibre, high protein, low cholesterol promises in many a packet.
