Don’t Fall For These Traps.

There’s a very interesting problem almost every single person reading this email has to deal with on a regular basis.

That problem is figuring which of the foods sold as “health foods” are actually evil foods in “health food disguise.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, many of these foods are healthier than a bag full of Skittles and a bag of Doritos for dinner…but, not by much.

Here are 4 foods commonly referred to as healthy that really aren’t.

1. Fruit Juice:

You’ve likely seen the number of fruit juices on the grocery stores exploding in size recently. Part of that is because of clever advertising campaigns latching on to new health words to get their products sold.

The only problem is that just because these juices are labeled with buzzwords like Kale, and Collards, they’re really not healthy for you.

That, of course, is owing to the ungodly amount of sugar they contain. The other reason is because pretty much all of these fruit juices have undergone a process known as pasteurization. Yep, the same process milk goes through to kill bad bacteria.

The problem with pasteurization is it wipes out many of the health properties fruit contains in its raw form. Meaning you don’t get the same benefits had it not been pasteurized.

And, as mentioned before, the sugar in fruit juice is obscene. Seriously disgusting. On average, a 12 oz. serving will have just about the same amount of sugar as a soda. Somewhere around 28-40g of sugar.

As you likely guessed, consuming high amounts of sugar quickly causes your blood sugar to spike, and from that spike, insulin levels will also climb. A spike in insulin levels will ultimately cause stress on the body. This stress will later throw the body a curve ball known as inflammation.

Not good.

The last reason fruit juice isn’t an ideal health food is because it doesn’t contain the healthy fiber raw fruit has. You need fiber in order to maintain a healthy gut, so you can see why fruit juice isn’t a good pick.

Stay away from fruit juice as best you can.

A glass here and there isn’t going to hurt you, but don’t drink it and think you’re doing your body a favor.

2. Farmed Fish:

The growing movement to provide sustainable fish is actually backfiring big time.

Here’s why:

For one, farm fish are fed GMO crops. They’re not given the opportunity to enjoy their natural habitat which creates stress and the build up of toxins, and they’re loaded with dangerous chemicals and additives.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit organization that’s dedicated to exposing the dangers of farmed fish.

They write.

“Seven of ten farmed salmon purchased at grocery stores in Washington DC, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon were contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at levels that raise health concerns, according to independent laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group.”

This is a problem because PCBs are suspected to be carcinogenic.

Here’s what you find when you research the threat of PCBs on human health.

“It is not known for certain if PBBs could cause cancer in human beings, but it has been observed that they can lead to cancer in lab mice exposed to very high concentrations of PBBs. Based on such animal tests, the United States Department of Health and Human Services has determined that PBBs may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens. The International Agency for Research on Cancer also suggests that PBBs are possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

Avoid farmed fish whenever possible.

3. Margarine:

There’s been a long assault on butter.  Part of the reason butter is demonized is because conventional butter really isn’t good for you. I’ve written about dairy extensively. Take a look at this article if you want to learn more.

To combat the harmful effects of butter, a new villain, margarine, was invented.

And, it’s high time the myth of margarine being a healthier alternative is disputed.

Dr. Josh Axe writes about this.

You’d think that the “margarine myth” would have been put to bed years ago, but margarine is still being praised as a health food. (7) In the words of the Mayo clinic, the margarine vs. butter race is all about fats and cholesterol:

Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Margarine is also higher in “good” fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated — than butter is. These types of fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat.

Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains cholesterol and high levels of saturated fat. (7)”

Unfortunately, it’s not that straight forward. Ever since it was created, margarine has been made out of trans fat, which are known to clog arteries and cause cardiovascular disease. Trans fat also increases someone’s risk of developing type II diabetes and several other severe health problems. (8)

A study in 1997 showed that margarine, with its high transfat content appeared to increase the incidence of coronary heart disease. (9) Saturated fats however have been found to increase good cholesterol and lower the bad. It just doesn’t add up!

He’s absolutely correct.

Margarine is possibly one of the worst faux health foods around.

Instead of margarine, eat lots of grass-fed butter. It’s high in Vitamin K-2, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A

4. Low Carb Health Food:

This one’s a bit of an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how many people fall for the low carb trap.

Because it’s been shown low-carb is a proven way to help lose weight, food manufacturer’s have jumped on the bandwagon to give people low-carb goods that are going to help them lose weight.

The only problem is that’s mostly a marketing gimmick.

Most low-carb foods are processed foods that contain processed and artificial ingredients capable of disrupting the body’s sensitive endocrine system.

Since the endocrine system is responsible for weight gain and fat loss as well as what controls the levels of inflammation in the body, anything you do to damage it will pay you back in a negative fashion.  So, not only does this mean you might not lose weight eating low carb health foods…you might also hurt your heart, your brain, and other sensitive organs.

Ultimately, if you want to gain the benefits offered by a low-carb foods, you’d be better off supplementing your diet with foods high in healthy fats (Omega-3 and MCTS)  and muscle-building protein.  Not only will these assist in the loss of body fat, they’ll help you accomplish your goals without sabotaging your body in the process.

Keep in mind this is a small list.

In my opinion these are some of the “worst offenders.”

Treat these foods like the plague and keep them as far away from you as possible.

By doing so, you reduce your risk of succumbing to toxic inflammation which is responsible for so many of the disease I see on a day to day basis.

Sound good?

Talk soon,     

Dr. Wiggy
www.HealthAsItOughtToBe.com