If just one ingredient holds some sort of health benefit, food marketers automatically deem the item healthy. But if you blindly follow some health trends without really looking into the ingredients you may find yourself frustrated with your lack of progress. Dietary foods are not always the best for your health.
Just because something is labeled “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy or good for you. Many of these trends mislead their consumers by falsely advertising the benefits of their product. Taking some extra time and research what you’re putting into your body to fully understanding the benefits of the food you’re consuming.
Blindly following health trends can leave you feeling as if you have made little to no progress, resulting in frustration and discouragement. These trends come and go but understanding the benefits of what you’re fueling your body with can prepare you for a long term healthy lifestyle.
Meal Replacement Bars & Protein Shakes
Just like most convenient grab and go healthy foods, shakes and are full of highly processed ingredients. They are filled with artificial sweeteners, sodium, and denatured proteins. All of which will set you back on your journey to a healthy lifestyle.
In addition to added ingredients and fillers, many of these products contain too much protein and not enough carbohydrates to metabolize and make use of the protein, according to a registered dietitian.
Most people can only metabolize about 20 grams of protein in a single serving, while most shakes come packed with about 60 grams. Not only are you consuming more protein than your body can process but the denatured proteins rather than whole-proteins are harder for your body to absorb.
Green Juices
You can’t escape the “detox” trend that’s been circulating the internet for some time now. Kale, celery, and apples are some of the ingredients used in these juice cleanses. The cleanse is said to help you lose weight, enhance your skin, improve your mood, and sleep more peacefully.
But our bodies already have systems in place to detox our bodies naturally. The liver works to rid your body of toxins, by eating whole foods rich in fiber and antioxidants it will do the job just fine on its own.
Juicing also removes fiber nutrients from the ingredients but leaves the sugar behind, simply eating the whole fruit will give you more sustainable energy. Just like everything, green juice can be beneficial in moderation rather than the entire contents of your diet.
Acai Bowls
The Acai berry originated near the Amazon River Delta in South America and was a staple in the river tribes diet for centuries. Just two decades ago, outside of Brazil acai was unheard of but has grown to be one of the most popular health trends in America.
Food marketers claim the berries provide numerous potential health benefits such as supporting healthy cholesterol, advancing focus and clarity, increases joint strength and eases circulation issues.
But the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) say there’s no real definitive scientific evidence to support using acai for health-related benefits.
To answer your question, are acai bowls healthy or have I fallen victim to the trend? While acai berries are a wonderful antioxidant, the average smoothie bowl contains approximately 50 grams of sugar. That is more sugar than a Cola drink or a serving of ice cream, and it would take at least a two and a half-hour walk to burn off.
Agave Nectar
Sugar alternatives are a dime a dozen due to rising concerns about the harmful effects caused by sugar. Many sugar alternatives on the market are synthetically made but agave syrup has recently gained attention for being a natural replacement.
The problem with sugar is its large amounts of fructose, which can cause metabolic health concerns when consumed in excess. Sugar contains about 50 percent fructose, but agave contains anywhere from 70 to 90 percent.
The plant originated in the southern US, South America, and Latin America. It has been used in Mexico for thousands of years, but the product sold today is drastically different. The agave sap is filled with healthy fibers that are beneficial to metabolism and insulin. But after treating agave sap with heat and enzymes, all of the health-promoting properties are destroyed.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Bio: Paisley Hansen is an avid student of health and fitness and overall well-being. She has devoted herself to the field, loves acquiring new knowledge about anything related to health and fitness, and leads a very healthy lifestyle for her family to follow. In recent years she has decided to share much of her knowledge in this field. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book, outside with her family or at the gym.
Hometown: Bend, OR United States Occupation: Freelance writer Interests: Fitness, exercising, health, healthy eating, beauty, fashion, wellness, motherhood.
