Healthy Eating; Pain or Gain?

 Healthy Eating Pain or Gain?

You all have experienced the effects of healthy eating throughout the different stages of life. The experience, after-effects and benefits of them can be mind-blowing as well as overwhelming too. Most of us are in love with the healthy food and the positivity it has brought in our life. But, have you ever noticed that for some of you, certain healthy food can give more harm than good. Some times you will feel ill after having a particular healthy food and find it hard to cope with the after effects. There can be issues faced by few people switching to healthy eating, let’s look into the issues and at the same time try to deal with them.

Even healthy food can make you fat

It is tough to search for real healthy food while selecting groceries, there are a number of healthy foods available in the market, offering you varying levels of claims regarding their nutritional value. Some popular coined terms that can be seen on the packages can be like, low fat, vegan, gluten-free, low carb, without added sugar and so on. This food can be offering you adequate nutrition but are definitely not healthy. Some of these foods are full of added sugar and can adversely affect your health.

1.    Granola bars

These are sometimes described as high-energy bars made of oats, brown sugar, raisins, coconuts and nuts and consumed as snacks. They are very nutritious considering their fiber and protein content. But remember not everything is good for everyone and each food has its own share of pros and cons. The high quantity of added sugar in granola bars can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart problems. Sugar alcohols present in them can also cause bloating. Instead, make your own honey or jaggery-based or sugar-free granola bar at home with oats and your favorite dry fruits and have them as a snack.

2.    Flavored yogurts

Yogurt with added fruit flavors and sweeteners can be found in every grocery store and is quite popular among all age groups for its nutritious value and being a good source of protein. But these are often loaded with artificial sweeteners and their super sweet taste can manipulate your taste buds to crave more sweet substances. Instead, plain nonfat yogurt is the best as a regular intake of healthy bacteria is great for your gut health and you can flavor it with fresh mint leaves, cinnamon powder, almonds, honey or maple syrup. Try to avoid flavored yogurt as this will create problems with your sugar levels.

3.    Protein drinks

Protein is an important part of diet especially when it is related to muscle growth and repair. Protein also plays a greater role in weight management, so it is essential to keep plenty of protein-rich food in your diet. These days there is a trend to get quick protein intake from protein shakes or drinks made from powdered protein made either from egg or milk. There are also protein powders in the market with soybean or rice with added vitamins and minerals, artificial flavors, thickeners and sugar. They promote muscle gain and also prevent muscle loss. But there are things which are beyond our imagination, as they are high in added sugar and calories. Some protein drinks can convert a glass of milk into a drink of more than 1200 calories, which can lead to unwanted weight gain and an unhealthy spike in blood sugar levels. Instead of having protein shakes regularly, take them before or after exercise and try to fulfill your daily protein requirement from whole food sources like fish, poultry, eggs, milk, lentils, tofu, nuts, low-fat cheese and yogurt. Fruit like guava is rich in protein with 4.2 grams of protein in each cup of cut fruit.

4.    Sports drinks

    Sports drinks are beverages with lots of electrolytes and sugar in the form of glucose or high fructose corn syrup. They are meant to help athletes replace water, electrolyte and energy before or after training or competitions. This type of drink provides quick hydration and absorption of water and minerals. But most people who are not athletes make a habit of consuming them after a quick workout session or physical activity. Please take a break from sports drinks, if you indulge in them just as any other beverage, for they are required only if you work out outdoors for more than an hour in hot and humid conditions. The best drink to hydrate you is water, milk, fruit juices, coconut water and watermelons.

5.    Gluten-free snacks

Gluten, a sticky substance found in flour, is a type of protein that is found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. Gluten is common in foods such as bread, pasta, pizza and cereals. Gluten provides no essential nutrients, people with celiac disease have an immune reaction that is triggered by eating gluten. Food like fruits, vegetables, certain whole grains, dairy products, rice, meat, fish and poultry and oils are gluten-free.

A gluten-free diet typically avoids ingredients that contain gluten and is beneficial for those who need them, but they are not healthier than food that contains gluten. Though a gluten-free diet is safe but not nutritious, it contains unnecessary ingredients to process it, lacks dietary fibers as well as essential vitamins and may lead to weight gain. You can have a vitamin deficiency, and gastrointestinal problems and may inadvertently lead to the consumption of more processed food.

6.    Breakfast cereal

Breakfast cereals come with several benefits like they are the perfect way to start your day with a well-balanced, fiber-rich breakfast. They help you meet your daily vitamin and mineral requirements, fortified with iron and B vitamins that our diet commonly lacks and are convenient to have. But being high in sugar, they are also capable to increase your blood sugar level to go high and crash down in a few hours, making your body demand more sugar. Consuming too much sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The best thing to have for breakfast can be oatmeal, eggs, wholewheat toast, coffee, fruits and nuts.

7.    Diet beverages

Diet beverages are sugar-free, artificially sweetened beverage with few or no calories. They are marketed as beverages for diabetics or for those who want to reduce their sugar intake. Almost all popular beverage has a light or diet version but they contain sugar substitute like aspartame, sucralose and stevia. Though marked as zero or low calories, they provide no nutritional value instead they reduce calorie intake and support weight loss. But they may prompt sugar cravings, increase in appetite and weight gain. You need to understand why you need diet beverages? If you are having it for caffeine then tea and coffee provide better alternatives and health benefits. If you are having diet beverages for its sweetness then better have sweet fruits like mangoes, apple and berries.

8.    Plant-based meat products

Plant-based meat is produced directly from plants, instead of an animal, plant ingredients are turned into meat to feel, taste and appear like real meat. Plant-based meat is composed of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and water. Soy food, pea protein, spices, natural flavors and jackfruit are used to make plant-based meat products that mimic traditional meat. They are healthier than traditional meat as they are lower in saturated fats, and calories and high in fiber. They are heart-healthy, weight friendly but high in sodium, low in nutrition and full of flavors, colors and artificial textures. That may lead to lifestyle diseases like hypertension and inflammation. If you are vegetarian no need to switch to them and compromising your health, if you are non vegetarian than fish and poultry are excellent as they provide you ample protein as well as real nutrition.

9.    Plant-based milks

Plant-based milk or nondairy milk is a plant beverage with a color resembling milk. They are water-based plant extracts with strong flavors and are used as alternatives to milk like oat milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk and cashew milk. Some of the verities like almond milk are extremely healthy as it is lower in calories and fat than traditional animal-based milk and a good option for those with milk allergies or lactose intolerance. But plant-based milk has a long list of thickeners, sweeteners and preservatives in it and can trigger symptoms in people with food sensitivities.  

Feeling ill after switching to healthy food

Switching to healthy food after years of indulgence in all kinds of food will be tricky at start as your body might have become accustomed to how you treated it with goodies, savouries and junk food. This means there can be positive as well as negative aspects. Your body is accustomed to eating too many sugars, processed foods, too many or too few calories, caffeine, not much exercise, no sleep and lots of stress plus alcohol intake.

All these vices will not go easily and instead create hurdles in a new lifestyle. These negative changes can explain why you are eating better but feel worse. The best way is to let go of all your past habits gradually, this way your body will become less reactive and feel better.

Food items like caffeine and sugar are highly addictive and create change in the body. If you know that you are increasingly having more sugar, carbohydrate or caffeine cut these things out gradually from your daily diet and start with the new nutrition plan. You can experience blood sugar swings, cravings, lethargy, anxiousness, mental fog, headaches and basically withdrawal symptoms. In 2 to 3 weeks, you will feel better with no symptoms whatsoever and you will feel the positivity after shunning unhealthy food and habits.

Best healthy food

You need to make smart choices of food and look for the least processed food and more fruits and veggies on your plate. The best healthy food to have daily is fresh fruits like apples, berries, oranges, bananas, kiwi, lemons, mangoes, peach pears and olives, wholegrains like oats, brown rice, quinoa, vegetables like leafy green vegetables, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, garlic, onions, cabbage, legumes, lettuce, radish, eggplant and mushroom, egg, fish, poultry, nuts and seeds, milk, yogurt and cheese.

For a better life free from any health complications, you need to take initiative, plan your life, health and diet in a better way and shift to healthier ways. Live life, enjoy life and spread healthy habits to make everyone get benefit from them.