When you are trying to get healthy and lose weight, there are certain foods you should avoid. Most of these food are obvious because they contain ingredients known to cause weight gain. There are some foods not as obvious and can be just as bad for you. These foods are a problem because most people do not know how to avoid them and therefore consume them more often than they should. Here are five such foods you should never eat again.
White bread
White bread is a local staple but the truth is, it doesn’t have any nutritional value. It contains a lot of sugar and isn’t as filling as desired. Substitute your white bread for whole grain or whole wheat bread when possible. Also substitute bread on your sandwiches with lettuce leaves or whole grain tortillas.
Fried Foods
Many people only associate fried food with fast food restaurants and do not realize they also consume them at home. Avoid frying any meal, consider baking or broiling instead. Fried foods are not nutritious and can cause blood pressure and cholesterol levels to rise. They can also cause you to gain weight needlessly.
Cream-based salad dressings
Salads can be very nutritious but can become unhealthy when covered in cream-based dressings that contain a lot of fat and calories. There can be more calories in your salad dressing than in the rest of your entire salad. Try oil-based salad dressings instead. They taste lighter, and have less calories.
White rice
Rice is a common staple but the truth is, white rice can cause your body to store fat when it doesn’t need to. It also has no nutritional value. Local rice (Abakaliki) and brown rice is the best option because it is full of fibre, vitamins and nutrients. It will also keep you satisfied longer so you are less likely to overeat.
High fructose corn syrup
High fructose corn syrup can quickly cause you to gain weight and even make you have cravings for more sugar and sugary foods. Overeating sugary foods and foods that are high in fructose corn syrup can even lead to diabetes and other health problems. Avoid processed sugars and opt for fresh fruits and berries.
VANGUARD
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The list is a good start but for the Nigerian diet it is practically impossible to keep people away from these food choices…it is certainly not sustainable…..I will rather suggest more subtle introductions for a longer lasting lifestyle change so rather than say do not eat any more white bread and white rice why not start by reducing the portions you do eat……Hers another replace all these so called Fruit Juices in our markets with just drinking Water and freshly squeezed juices….like watermelon or oranges…A lot more goes into all these Lifestyle changes but it should never be so dramatic as otherwise it will never be sustainable…….but hey this is only my 10 pence….let the conversation begin……I am a wellness coach……