Recently, I’ve come across a particularly fascinating website, called ‘Eat This, Not That.’ The hours upon hours I’ve spent going through all the lists of what foods to eat more of and what foods to avoid could probably be put to better use, but I just couldn’t tear my eyes off the screen. I admit I’m totally addicted to this site. It’s insanely useful, especially since I’ve discovered how certain foods I thought were healthy actually aren’t at all (that means you, granola)! The food industry only has one purpose and one only, that is, to make MORE money from YOU. So they stretch the truth and print enticing phrases like ‘0g fat!’ or ‘5g whole grains’ or ‘100 calories only!’ and hide the true facts in fine print.
My entire world has been turned upside down with the discovery of this wonderful website. So here are several pointers I’ve learned that are pretty interesting.
8 foods you should eat every day:
-Spinach
-Yogurt
-Tomatoes
-Carrots
-Blueberries
-Black beans
-Walnuts
-Oats
I definitely eat spinach everyday - it's the only veggie here that's regularly edible. Plus cherry tomatoes and carrots (sometimes). I eat yogurt whenever they have it, but not so much the rest. I still have a ton of organic instant oats brought from home waiting to be consumed.
14 health foods that AREN’T:
-Bran muffin
-Chicken Caesar salad
-Tuna melt
-Chicken wrap
-Turkey burger
-Fruit smoothies
-Granola bar
-Pasta salad
-Yogurt with fruit
-Bagel with cream cheese
-Pasta primavera
-Dried fruit
-Fish sandwich
-Margarine
Okay, seriously?! I have come to the conclusion that salads aren't always healthy. In fact, with all the dressing + croutons + fried chicken people top on their veggies, the calorie count usually comes up to more than that of a burger. Not even kidding. It's scary. You know what else is scary? I have been eating most of the foods on this list! Like the muffin, and the salad, and turkey wraps, and of course granola bars (America's favorite breakfast bar), yogurt with fruit, bagels, dried mangoes... Oh my poor body must be crying out in protest.
7 habits of highly obese people:
-They choose larger plates, which provides more space to pile their food up
-They eat while looking at food, so their mind is always on food
-They eat with maximum efficiency, shoveling food into their mouths quickly so they can go for seconds
-They clean their plates, which, if you’re at a formal business meal, you shouldn’t
-They chew less
-They dive in at a buffet, instead of going around, deciding what they want
-They skip breakfast, which can increase the risk of obesity by 450%
This list is scary. I do not want to be highly obese, and so I will avoid any of these behaviors. Although... I do eat pretty fast. Tomorrow I will start by chewing 30 times before I swallow. For every bite.
6 Superfoods in disguise:
-Full-fat cheese for muscle-building nutrients
-Iceberg lettuce for antioxidants
-Mushrooms for immunity
-Pork chops to preserve muscle and lose weight
-Red-pepper flakes to reduce calorie intake
-Vinegar for antioxidants and lower blood sugar
4 Diet myths debunked:
-Chug 8 glasses of water a day. But running to the bathroom every 5 seconds gets annoying after a while. Besides, other liquids contain water too.
-Don’t drink juice – there’s tons of sugar in it. But there’s also vitamins and antioxidants, making it worth the occasional sugar rush.
-Stop eating after 7pm to prevent weight gain. But sometimes there’s just no avoiding a late dinner after a hectic day. Plus, a calorie is a calorie, no matter what time you eat it. Of course, you should still keep your meal light and not chow down on 20 Oreos.
-Have just one bite of dessert. But, let's face it - that’s just impossible. So plan ahead and skip the bread or appetizer if you’re going to indulge.
Somehow I have trouble believing this list. But hey, if it's online, it must be true, right? I have no idea.
8 Foods that help you beat stress:
-Almonds, pistachios and walnuts
-Avocados
-Skim milk
-Oatmeal
-Oranges
-Salmon
-Spinach
Not that I get stressed a lot though, especially with this light-load semester.
9 Best foods for your skin:
-Almonds. They’re good for your skin and protects against sun damage
-Flaxseeds. They iron out wrinkle lines and give you better skin
-Cooked tomatoes. They keep the skin smooth and supple
-Sweet potatoes. They smooth out wrinkles.
-Spinach. They reduce the likelihood of developing skin tumors
-Canned tuna. They keep your skin smooth and tight
-Carrots. They reduce blemishes, plus they’re good for your eyes.
-Green tea. They’re full of antioxidants, which help fight skin cancer.
-Dark chocolate. Chock full of antioxidants, they reduce skin roughness and provide protection against the sun.
Is it just me, or is this website super fascinating? Although I think it's mainly catered to American food, because it talks about all kinds of restaurants and foods here.
But oh well. Read it. It’s a total eye-opener.
P.S. I just chanced upon this riveting website called 'Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project,' and read the entire thing in minutes. It's captivating. It's by this elementary school teacher who is tired of how un-nutritious and awful school cafeteria lunches are, and she's speaking out on her blog to advocate change. I think it's incredibly brave and amazing, what she's doing.
And seeing the pictures of kids' lunches, I am really grateful for the food we get at Taylor. At least we have more choices and they're more appealing. Also, in one post, she says the kids don't get recess, and they only get one hour a week for gym class. Seriously?? These are little kids we're talking about, they NEED to run around! You can't expect them to sit around all day in the classroom! I think America's schools need a 180 degree change. No wonder there are so many obese people here. It all starts when you're young! I don't know why, but I'm getting incredibly fired up about this issue. Kids can't speak for themselves, so we have to fight for their rights!
No comments:
Post a Comment