Health Freak Alert! Part 1


I am going to post doctrine via Anna here so take it for what you feel...it's my own personal opinion.  And it has to do with health and nutrition...of course. :)  It is, was, my major after all.  Yes I have about a year left to finish but I feel like I have maybe a glimpse of what I'm talking about, after all my husband is David Sherwood...nutrition 'freak' of the century.  He's taught me a few things as well.

OK so all to often I hear people talking about calories or grams of fat etc.  This bothers me.  I don't know how long it's been the 'fad' but this calorie counting thing has got to go.  The reason it bothers me so much is because we should be worrying about what we're actually eating instead of how much.  There are limits of course but essentially if you are eating the right things you could have as much of it as you want! I know you are thinking, ya right.  The point is, if you are eating the right things you'll have just the right amount, you wont feel the need to overeat or to limit your intake either.  Your body is an amazing thing that knows just what it needs, just have to learn how to listen to it.  

The biggest problem is too many ingredients that are in our foods 'block' or confuse that signal...literally!  These are the things that we should be looking for in our foods and avoiding like the plague...not because it has too many calories or too much fat.  

A few examples of these bad ingredients that I'll focus on today are High Fructose Corn Syrup, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) and any sort of Hydrogenated fat...and don't even get me started on artificial no calorie sweeteners. Ah! But I encourage you to do your own study (be careful of your source) of these things and not just take my word for it...this is just a watered down version.  I think you'll find yourself wondering why this stuff is allowed in our food.

HFCS is bad because unlike normal sugar it's doesn't turn on your 'I'm full' button and it is so quickly absorbed that it causes problems with your blood sugar and fat uptake.  And don't even get me started on the corn company...government involvement etc.  But mostly the last reason to avoid HFCS and products that contain HFCS is that they are a marker for poor-quality, nutritionally depleted, processed industrial food full of empty calories and artificial ingredients.  If you find 'HFCS' on the label you can be sure it is not whole, real fresh food full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  Stay away if you want to stay healthy.

Next is MSG...this stuff is baaaaad.  Unfortunately like any other thing out there there is a lot of differing opinions and studies out there on this stuff.  But the fact is, it is a neuro-toxin, it is addictive and it's an additive for the distinct purpose of making food taste better than it would be without and making it so you can't stop eating it!   I think we have forgotten what 'real' food tastes like!  Food flavored with real ingredients and spices that are naturally full of antioxidants and other good things actually taste good!  We don't need these harmful additives.  

Next is Hydrogenated fats (trans fats)...well basically once you intake trans fat you don't ever get rid of them.  They become apart of you forever.  And you don't want that because they just reek havoc on your body.  It not only increases your bad cholesterol but it actually lowers your good which is why it greatly increases your risk for lots of health problems. And lets face it, they are what make you fat!  The worst part is that these fats are not essential for us in any way! We don't need them AT ALL like we do other fats.  The ONLY reason they are in our foods is because of convenience for the manufacturer and producer.  It increases shelf life and reduces need for refrigeration.  Hello!  Are you telling me that I consume this fat daily simply because it makes the producer more money!  Thanks for caring!  Not!  Thanks instead for killing me slowly for a profit.  

Unfortunately this is what happens a lot in the food industry.  We cannot take 'their word for it' just because it says something or is available to us doesn't mean it wont kill us.  We have to take control of our own lives and diets in order to stay healthy.  

But back to calorie counting.  Take Yoplait Whips and Yoplait yogurt for just 1 example (sorry mom).  Holy cow..this stuff is supposed to be healthy for you?  It's low calorie right and they tell you so on their commercials so it has to be.  Wrong!  Truth is most of their flavors are full of HFCS and artificial sweeteners.  Also the ingredient label is like a mile long...full of fillers and other junk you can't even pronounce!  Why can't I just have good old fashioned real yogurt?!  Look at this label...mostly the ingredient list near the bottom...

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 CUP(227g)
Servings per Container ABOUT 4
Amount per Serving
Calories  210Calories from Fat 80
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g14%
  Saturated Fat 6g30%
  Trans Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol  35mg12%
Sodium   115mg5%
Potassium   400mg11%
Total Carbohydrate  25g8%
  Dietary Fiber 0g0%
  Sugars 24g
Protein  7g14%
Vitamin A 8%·  Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 30%·  Iron 0%
INGREDIENTS:

CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SUGAR, PURE MAPLE SYRUP, PECTIN, VANILLA EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVOR.
CONTAINS LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES: S. THERMOPHILUS, L BULGARICUS, L. ACIDOPHILUS, AND BIFIDUS

This one is called Brown Cow yogurt. One good choice above yoplait...there are like what 6 ingredients?  Now look at one of Yoplait's labels...(click on it to make it bigger if you need)

Yuck...Why add all that stuff to your yogurt?!  And if you say because I was craving a pineapple upside down cake you know what?! You are better off making a real pineapple upside down cake with real ingredients (my idea of this later) and getting your fix that way!  :)  Seriously though.  

This yogurt comparison is a perfect example of this obsession with fat intake...So you might be thinking well look how much fat is in that Brown Cow stuff!  9 Grams!!  Where there is 0 fat in Yoplait yogurt!  Ya well there is also a lot more 'sugar' in the 'real stuff' too and calories but again doctrine by Anna, you are way better off eating the first stuff than the second...10X over.  And without getting into to big a sermon...just take my word for it...if you want. :)

Any dairy product you buy and eat is going to be 'better for you' if you use the more real version...sour cream, cottage cheese, milk, ice cream, cheese...the list goes on.  You can find low calorie, low fat versions of all this stuff out there but just because it has lower calories doesn't mean it's better for you!  It just means it's 'filled' with all sorts of other junk to compensate.  Just take a look at the label next time you are at the store.  The shorter the ingredient list the better off you are...generally.  :)

Here is another example of something not dairy that by reading the ingredient labels you can make a better choice... peanut butter...And even though the low calorie choice may have fewer calories look at the junk in it!!

A lot of peanut butters have either HFCS in them or hydrogenated fats in them..or both!  Take a look at this Jif label...full of fillers and junk to make it less caloric but is it really healthier?!  No!

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size 2 Tbsp (36g)
  • Amount per Serving
  • Calories 190
    Calories from Fat 100
  • % Daily Value*
  • Total Fat 12g19%
    • Saturated Fat 2g10%
    • Trans Fat 0g
    • Polyunsaturated Fat 3.5g
    • Monounsaturated Fat 6g
  • Cholesterol 0mg0%
  • Sodium 220mg9%
  • Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
    • Dietary Fiber 2g7%
    • Sugars 4g
  • Protein 7g
  • Calcium2%
  • Iron4%
  • Niacin30%
  • Vitamin B66%
  • Folic Acid8%
  • Magnesium15%
  • Zinc6%
  • Copper10%
Not a significant source of vitamin A and vitamin C.
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Ingredients:

PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SUGAR, SOY PROTEIN, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (RAPESEED AND SOYBEAN), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, MOLASSES, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, NIACINAMIDE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, ZINC OXIDE, COPPER SULFATE, FOLIC ACID, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE.

And soy?!  Oh boy!  I'll save that for another day too...

Now lets look at another Jif product that you can find in the same section of the store...Jif Natural

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size 2 Tbsp (33g)
  • Amount per Serving
  • Calories 190
    Calories from Fat 130
  • % Daily Value*
  • Total Fat 16g24%
    • Saturated Fat 3g15%
    • Trans Fat 0g
  • Cholesterol 0mg0%
  • Sodium 80mg3%
  • Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
    • Dietary Fiber 2g10%
    • Sugars 3g
  • Protein 7g
  • Vitamin A0%
  • Vitamin C0%
  • Calcium2%
  • Iron4%
  • Vitamin E10%
  • Riboflavin2%
  • Niacin20%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Ingredients:

MADE FROM PEANUTS, SUGAR, PALM OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, MOLASSES.

Look how much smaller and real the ingredient label is!  Crazy!  You can pronounce everything!  And yes it has more 'fat' in it but I assure you it's HEALTHIER for you.  

As long as you are getting the right fats in your diet or the right sugars or the right  calories, you are healthy...you will be healthy.  The key is to mimic this concept in all aspects of your diet and you will be healthy!  

I could spend all day posting and comparing labels because this is what we do here at the Sherwood home...when we shop we probably spend an extra 20 minutes than the average joe looking at labels and picking the better choice.  So I know labels.  And I'm not even talking about the 'Nutrition Facts' part.  I don't even look at that section!  I am talking about the ingredients part.  That's the section you want to read and review.  FORGET' about the calories and the grams of this or the grams of that!  As long as you are satisfied with whats IN the product then the rest of it shouldn't matter... it will be just what you need it to be.  And you'll find yourself healthier and happier.  

I know that eating healthy and being healthy in this world is a hardship.  How could it not be when the majority of what's offered is working against us and we have no ability to fight back or have a say?  We just have to make the best choices we can and learn what we can.  There is so much more but I will save it for another post because I understand the simple math of calorie in > calorie out = weight gain and so far you're thinking this will just make me weigh more because I am eating more calories!  The truth is you can't do just this and be healthier...it takes a whole lot more than just cutting out HFCS, MSG, artificial sweeteners and trans fat...although it's a really good start!  The key to good health is synergy of the food and overall health which includes every food group and every aspect of your body; rest, exercise etc.  

And again I don't claim to know everything...I am still learning and would love to go back to school one day and will continue to learn throughout my life because I love this stuff.

This stuff is so important to me.  I believe in it.  My family and friends joke and poke about it and that's OK but I will continue to be the annoying health freak of the family if it makes and keeps my family healthy and if I can influence just one for good.  I only share because I care.  :)hehe   

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