There are a number of articles in magazines and on the internet that suggest you should avoid all white foods if you are trying to lose weight or develop a set of six pack abs. This advice, while well-intentioned, should not be followed since there are a number of white foods that will actually help you lose weight.
What we need to consider is not just the color of foods, but the effect it has on your body and its value in helping you to burn fat. There are many white foods which should be avoided, but there is a similar number that should be included in your menu planning.
White Foods to Avoid
The white foods that you should avoid are fairly common in most western menus and in our grocery stores. For many people major adjustments in shopping and eating habits are required as a way to avoid these undesirable and unhealthy foods. Fortunately, those adjustments are truly pretty easy to make and after very little time most people don't miss them anymore.
The white-foods-to-avoid list is brief and easily to remember. There are numerous articles that outline the concerns with the use of these foods, so comprehensive discussion of the concerns with them will be redundant. A quick recap offers the basic information of the issues of each of these foods.
Avoid those foods and you have already made significant steps toward developing a healthy eating plan that will assist you in shedding some pounds, slimming down and staying in shape with a smart exercise plan.
The Good White Foods
Even though the white-foods above are definitely worth avoiding, casting the avoidance idea over all white foods is a bad idea. There are actually white foods which offer substantial nutritional benefits and some may really help you to drop extra pounds by helping your whole body to eliminate excess stomach fat.
One white food that many treat as something to stay clear of is potatoes. Often regarded as be too high on the glycemic index, potatoes are truly a high quality food that can be an important part of your meals. They are actually rich in many valuable vitamins and minerals as well as low in calories, which means they are very nutrient dense. When prepared properly (never, ever deep fried) they're delicious and may support a fat burning program. And when combined with the right balance of other foods the glycemic concerns are reduced since the blood glucose level response may well be minimized.
Among the white foods that can be highly beneficial are onions and garlic. Each of these white foods contain high levels of phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals. Onions were found in one study to be one of the few foods that was consumed by almost everybody who had lived a long time. The research showed that people who had lived for 100 years or longer ate quite a lot of onions during their lives.
Another white food to include as part of your meal planning is cauliflower. It's rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin c), fiber, and minerals. Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables, a group that includes broccoli and cabbage. These vegetables contain antioxidants that are known to help reduce the possibility of getting cancerous tumors, and studies have proven that they can inhibit breast, prostate, along with other high-risk cancers. Moreover, cauliflower has been shown to help to lower blood pressure and increase kidney function. Some nutritionists and doctors consider cauliflower a "superfood" due to its many benefits.
Mushrooms are often white and should included in your diet. They are filled nutrients and vitamins. White mushrooms have significant quantities of some antioxidants plus some varieties of mushrooms can also be rich in vitamin D.
So include some white foods like onions, garlic, potatoes, cauliflower, and mushrooms within your meals. Your palate will appreciate the taste and variety, your body will like the beneficial effects, and your waist will appreciate the fat burning qualities of these kinds of foods.
What we need to consider is not just the color of foods, but the effect it has on your body and its value in helping you to burn fat. There are many white foods which should be avoided, but there is a similar number that should be included in your menu planning.
White Foods to Avoid
The white foods that you should avoid are fairly common in most western menus and in our grocery stores. For many people major adjustments in shopping and eating habits are required as a way to avoid these undesirable and unhealthy foods. Fortunately, those adjustments are truly pretty easy to make and after very little time most people don't miss them anymore.
The white-foods-to-avoid list is brief and easily to remember. There are numerous articles that outline the concerns with the use of these foods, so comprehensive discussion of the concerns with them will be redundant. A quick recap offers the basic information of the issues of each of these foods.
- White bread – refined and highly processed, many nutrients are destroyed in the processing
- Sugar – no nutrition value and consuming sugar leads to a desire for other sweet, high-calorie, low nutrition foods, snacks, and beverages
- Mayonnaise – most commercial mayonnaise recipes use undesirable "bad" fats that add to belly fat, heart disease, and high cholesterol
- Tofu – highly processed food in which many nutrients are ruined in processing
- Salt – contains essential elements but most of your daily salt intake is already in the foods you eat. Avoid adding an excessive amount by taking the salt shaker off your table and reducing the amount in a number of recipes
- Artificial Sweeteners – contain numerous chemicals which have been shown to be toxic in large quantities. Also contribute to the "sweet tooth" problem of developing a desire for more sweet foods, snacks, and beverages, most of which happen to be lower in nutrition value.
Avoid those foods and you have already made significant steps toward developing a healthy eating plan that will assist you in shedding some pounds, slimming down and staying in shape with a smart exercise plan.
The Good White Foods
Even though the white-foods above are definitely worth avoiding, casting the avoidance idea over all white foods is a bad idea. There are actually white foods which offer substantial nutritional benefits and some may really help you to drop extra pounds by helping your whole body to eliminate excess stomach fat.
One white food that many treat as something to stay clear of is potatoes. Often regarded as be too high on the glycemic index, potatoes are truly a high quality food that can be an important part of your meals. They are actually rich in many valuable vitamins and minerals as well as low in calories, which means they are very nutrient dense. When prepared properly (never, ever deep fried) they're delicious and may support a fat burning program. And when combined with the right balance of other foods the glycemic concerns are reduced since the blood glucose level response may well be minimized.
Among the white foods that can be highly beneficial are onions and garlic. Each of these white foods contain high levels of phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals. Onions were found in one study to be one of the few foods that was consumed by almost everybody who had lived a long time. The research showed that people who had lived for 100 years or longer ate quite a lot of onions during their lives.
Another white food to include as part of your meal planning is cauliflower. It's rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin c), fiber, and minerals. Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables, a group that includes broccoli and cabbage. These vegetables contain antioxidants that are known to help reduce the possibility of getting cancerous tumors, and studies have proven that they can inhibit breast, prostate, along with other high-risk cancers. Moreover, cauliflower has been shown to help to lower blood pressure and increase kidney function. Some nutritionists and doctors consider cauliflower a "superfood" due to its many benefits.
Mushrooms are often white and should included in your diet. They are filled nutrients and vitamins. White mushrooms have significant quantities of some antioxidants plus some varieties of mushrooms can also be rich in vitamin D.
So include some white foods like onions, garlic, potatoes, cauliflower, and mushrooms within your meals. Your palate will appreciate the taste and variety, your body will like the beneficial effects, and your waist will appreciate the fat burning qualities of these kinds of foods.
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