Food for Thought

I'm sure that you've heard the phrase "you are what you eat", but have you actually thought about what the costs and benefits are of eating specific types of food? I'm not referring to the concept of consuming a healthy or unhealthy diet. I'm referring to the effect that specific foods have on our bodies. Whether it's due to allergies/intolerances, hormones, genetics, etc., everyone's body responds differently to food.

It's important to know how your body will react to the foods that you eat in order for you to optimize your health. If you have allergies/intolerances to specific types of food, then you should avoid those foods at all costs as they will harm your body regardless if the food is considered to be healthy. If you have hormonal imbalances or if you notice that you gain weight when you are consuming more fat, then it's important to be mindful of the amount of fat or types of fat that you're eating so that your body could function at an optimal level. Easy enough right? Well...not quite. If it were that easy, then everyone would be healthy and medical providers and professionals in the health care field would be out of jobs.

I first started to learn a lot about food and its' effects on the body when I took my first nutrition class in college. That was the moment that really sparked my interest in the power of food. In my nutritIon class, I primarily learned about carcinogenic (cancer causing) foods, which are foods that processed or refined. In addition, I wanted to know more about what kinds of food I should be incorporating into my diet in order to prevent illnesses and diseases. That is when I started to do my own research on the specific benefits of "healthy foods" like fruits and vegetables. I learned a lot about how antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods help prevent illnesses and diseases. However, while doing my research I also learned that not all fruits and vegetables are created equal.

Say what?! That's right! Not all fruits and vegetables are created equal! The reasoning for that is that some fruits are just higher in sugar than others so if you eat too much fruit that is high in sugar it's like you're eating candy. The same thing goes for vegetables. Starchy vegetables are high on the glycemic index meaning that they also raise blood glucose levels just like fruit that is high in sugar.

I'm not saying to stop eating foods that are high on the glycemic index completely. I'm just saying that it's important to be mindful of the effects that the foods that you eat have on your body. If you're noticing that you're holding on to access weight or that you're at a plateau, then try cutting out foods that are high on the glycemic index like ripe bananas and potatoes. Try incorporating some anti-inflammatory foods like berries and leafy greens as well as antioxidants like blueberries, turmeric, and ginger.

I hope that this post serves you with some insight on how even some "healthy food" options may not always be beneficial to your body. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out!

Stay Healthy!

Via

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