Rated #1

< Back

Health/Nutritional News

 

14 foods to kick out of the kitchen forever

Make the following food swaps to stay on track with your fitness goals—even when your schedule’s insane.
Hitting the grocery store every week isn’t easy when you’re swamped with work, the gym, friends, family—the list goes on. That’s why it’s even more important to have healthy staples in your pantry when you’re looking to maintain your fitness—and avoid the drive-thru. But some shelf-stable foods, like white rice, canned soup and pasta sauce, can sabotage the health goals you’ve been gunning for.

On the other hand, picking nutrient-dense, power-packed foods will help you train longer, build muscle and give you more energy all around, says Jim White, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios. Skim through this list for 14 food swaps to make STAT.

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereal
When you’re reading a cereal box label, it’s easy to be fooled: By adding vitamins, food companies can make even junky cereals look like good choices. “Even those marketed as ‘healthy’ can be high in sugar,” says nutrition expert Kate Geagan, R.D.N. Think of it this way: Four grams of sugar on the label translates to one teaspoon of added sugar.

Make this no-cook breakfast in no time. Soak steel-cut oats (not instant oatmeal) overnight. In the morning, top with almond milk, nuts and fresh fruit for sustained energy and performance, suggests Geagan.

Pretzels
Newsflash: Buying whole-grain, fat-free pretzels won’t help get rid of your gut. Pretzels lack healthy fat; protein and fiber, so it’s easy to eat an entire bag in one sitting—and still not feel satisfied.
Stock this instead: Pistachios

Pistachios satisfy a craving for something salty but also deliver nutrients that keep you feeling full. They also have the largest serving size of any nut—you get to eat 49 pistachios instead of 23 almonds, 21 hazelnuts, 18 cashews or 14 walnuts. “In-shell pistachios are the best, because research has shown that the shells slow you down considerably, and you will consume about a third to a half less,” Geagan says.

 

White rice
White rice isn’t as fluffy and harmless as it seems. “Aside from being stripped of nutrients, fiber and antioxidants, white rice is digested and absorbed quickly, creating a spike in blood sugar and insulin, leading to fat storage,” says New York Rangers nutritionist Cynthia Sass, R.D.
Stock this instead: Brown, red, black or wild rice

Pick up brown rice or pilaf in the grocery store, or ask the Chinese takeout guy to substitute brown rice for white. It might cost a few more bucks, but it’ll be worth it. “Whole-grain rice options are higher in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, and are digested and absorbed more slowly, which leads to a slower rise in blood sugar and insulin, allowing your cells to burn the good starch for fuel, rather than stock it away in fat cells,” says Sass.

White or “multi-grain” bread
As tempting as it is to go old-school and pick up soft white bread, nutritionally you’ll be better off leaving it on the shelf. White bread contains zero whole grains, which help stave off heart disease and diabetes. Even breads labeled “multi-grain” is deceiving, says White. They can contain enriched flour—the stuff without fiber that’ll only spike your blood sugar, not fill you up.

Stock this instead: 100-percent whole-grain wheat or rye bread
“Look for a whole grain as the first ingredient in the ingredients list,” advises Elisa Zied, R.D., author of Younger Next Week. “Better yet, look for '100-percent whole grain' on the label. Men need three or more one-ounce servings of whole grains each day; they help with weight management and protect against many diet-related chronic diseases.”

Generic peanut butter
Spreading PB on fruit or whole-wheat toast is a smart snack, but many popular brands have a hidden ingredient that can lower levels of “good” cholesterol and make your “bad” cholesterol levels skyrocket: “If it’s not natural, there can be trans fats in peanut butter, and a lot of people don’t know that,” says White. “Even if it says ‘zero trans fats’ on the label, if it’s fully hydrogenated, which a lot of your peanut butters are, there can still be 0.5 grams of trans fats.”
Stock this instead: Natural peanut butter

Read the ingredient list before you pick one. The list should have three things and three things only: peanuts, salt and oil, says White.

 

Trail mix
When they’re dressed up with chunks of chocolate and dried fruit, many varieties of trail mix are more like candy. “A lot of the packages are really high in sugar. Just a fourth-cup serving can range up to 150 calories,” says White.

Stock this instead: Homemade trail mix
Customize the ingredients to your goals. To burn fat and build muscle, cut unwanted sugar and up the protein by focusing on oats, almonds and walnuts.

Canned corn
Vegetables seem like they’d be a good pick no matter which ones you choose, but because corn contains so much starch, it isn’t your best shot when it comes to nutrition.
Stock this instead: Canned green beans
Green beans are low in calories and better than corn due to significant amounts of nutrients like vitamin A, calcium and iron—and a lack of sugar.

Plain pasta sauce in a jar
Going with a meatless or cheese-free sauce doesn’t guarantee that it gets an A-plus. “Cooked tomato products are generally low in fat and contain a good amount of the prostate-healthy antioxidant lycopene, but they can also contain outrageous amounts of blood-pressure-raising salt,” says Dr. Janet Bond, R.D., author of Blood Pressure Down.
Stock this instead: Spicy marinara sauce

Look for a jar with some heat. When sauce is flavored with robust seasonings like chili pepper, less sodium is needed, notes Bond.

White pasta
When you’re eating white pasta, you’re getting robbed, as the stuff’s been stripped of its fiber and bran, says White. Calories are better spent on foods that are going to deliver several nutrients and keep you feeling fuller, longer.

Stock this instead: Whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, black or brown rice, and whole-grain couscous
“The switch will add more fiber and B vitamins,” says White. “And the taste difference? Once you get used to it, I find people prefer that over the white stuff.”

 

Canned soup
Canned soup is another spot where you’ll find heaps of sodium—we’re talking 800 mg per cup, says White.
Stock this instead: Low-sodium canned soups, or sodium-free chicken stock

The magic number for soup is 350 mg of sodium. Anything above that may have a negative impact on blood pressure. That goes for even the healthiest-sounding flavors, like vegetable or barley. An even better idea: Break out the blender and make your own soup. Combine sodium-free chicken broth, Roma tomatoes, broccoli, avocado and onions for a super-easy lunch or dinner.

Traditional beef jerky
The beef jerky you'll find in convenience stores lasts for a long time in the cabinet—plus it’s low in calories and offers a little bit of protein. But it also contains cancer-causing nitrates, high amounts of artery-clogging saturated fat and an amount of sodium that’s off-the-charts.
Stock this instead: Healthy beef jerky

Scan labels to find dried beef products that specifically say they don’t contain nitrates or artificial flavors. “Healthier jerky usually has 8 to 12 grams of protein, less fat and saturated fat, and less sodium,” says Dr. Susan Mitchell, R.D., author of Fat Is Not Your Fate.

Cereal bars
Stashing a few cereal bars in your gym bag for when you’re starving later in the day is good thinking, but don’t choose the wrong one: “Some of these cereal bars are loaded with sugar,” says White. “In fact, a 4-ounce cereal bar can contain up to 30 grams of sugar.”
Stock this instead: Hearty bars with ingredients you can see

The bar should pass the sight test: You should be able to make out individual pieces of fruit, nuts and seeds, like cashews, oats, cranberries, chia seeds and dates.

Powdered coffee creamer
If black coffee isn’t your thing, using creamer gives you a quick milky taste, but when you break down what you’re putting into your body, it just isn’t worth it. “It’s empty calories, fat, sugar and salt,” says White.
Stock this instead: Almond milk, coconut milk or skim milk
These milks give you three things that the powdered stuff won’t: calcium, water and some protein.

Movie theater–style popcorn
Just because you’re not pumping butter-flavored oil into a tub of popcorn in the theater doesn’t mean you’re safe. “A lot of the ‘movie’ popcorns out there now have trans fats and are loaded with butter,” says White. And let’s get real: You’re probably not going to stick to the recommended serving size. “Three cups is a serving, which is 90 calories. I don’t know many people who can just hold off to three cups.”
Stock this instead: Air-popped popcorn

Not all popcorns are evil. “Popcorn is a healthy snack,” says White. “It has a lot of fiber.” Just make sure you choose the right kind. With air-popped, you can eat more of it without regretting it in the morning.

 

Source: Mens Fitness