When it comes to losing weight, all calories are not created equal. A great example includes those calorie-free sodas that so many believe are a good idea when it comes to achieving a healthy weight.
How a low or no-calorie food can cause weight gain
Research found that those who typically drank two or more diet sodas had a waist-size that was six times that of people who didn’t drink diet soda – yet they are void of calories. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners have been shown to increase appetite as well as contribute to the toxic buildup within the body, causing it to store additional fat.
There has been a growing consensus among the medical community that low-fat, low-carb and other standard staples in the dieting world aren’t as beneficial as it was once thought. Instead, all of the evidence points to focusing on reducing highly processed foods – and ultimately concentrating on the quality of the calories ingested.
The revered Mediterranean diet is healthy due to the quality of ingredients
A study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine just this week, as cited by Reuters Health, found that the Mediterranean diet, considered the healthiest when it comes to preventing a host of diseases and increasing longevity, is not healthy because of one particular ingredient but the overall quality of the ingredients.
The Mediterranean diet typically includes healthy fats derived from foods like olive oil, tree nuts and fish – blowing that low-fat diet myth out of the water.
It’s the combination of eating healthier foods while avoiding foods that are considered “bad” or unhealthy like refined breads, sweets, sodas, red meats and processed foods that promote long-term health. Researchers have also found that there may be a synergy among including nutrient-rich foods that foster favorable changes, including battling inflammation that leads to chronic illness and disease, as well as obesity.
Pay attention to the ingredient list instead of the numbers
The bottom line is: pay more attention to what’s in your food rather than the amount of calories or fat, and you’ll be far more likely to achieve optimal health and the ideal lean look you want. Your best choices come from fresh foods derived directly from the earth free from deceptive ingredients and toxins.
-The Alternative Daily
