4 Foods that Can Put Your Health at Risk!

Are you trying to improve your nutrition? If so, you can make an immediate impact by addressing these four concerns:

4 Foods that Can Put Your Health at Risk

1. Soda
Researchers estimate that in the last five years, Americans’ escalating consumption of soda and sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to 75,000 new cases of diabetes and 14,000 new cases of coronary heart disease. One 12-ounce soda has approximately 150 calories and 40 to 50 grams of sugar, in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, which is equal to approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar. Drinking two or more sodas a day may increase the risk of early kidney damage by 86 percent.

2. Sugar
The average American consumes approximately 22 teaspoons (88 grams) of sugar every day!

The suggested daily intake (or less) of sugar per day:
• Adult women: 5 teaspoons (20 grams)
• Adult men: 9 teaspoons (36 grams)
• Children: 3 teaspoons (12 grams)

Some foods are rife with hidden sugar additives, so it’s imperative to check food labels. Foods such as yogurt, ketchup and nutrition bars often contain added sugar, fructose and corn syrup, which are other variations of the sweet substance.

Alternative Names for Sugar Additives:
• Dextran
• Dextrose
• Diatase
• Diastatic malt
• Ethyl maltol
• Fructose
• Glucose
• Galactose
• Golden syrup
• High-fructose corn syrup*
• Lactose
• Malt syrup
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Mannitol
• Refiner's syrup
• Sorbitol
• Sorghum syrup
• Sucrose

*High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
In the 1970s, most food and beverage manufacturers stopped using sucrose, or table sugar, and began using high-fructose corn syrup to flavor their products. HFCS is 20 percent sweeter than table sugar and available for a fraction of the price.

The United States Dietary Association estimates that the average American consumes approximately one-fourth of his or her daily calories in the form of added sugars, which is 142 pounds of sugar a year! Most of the sugars are in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, which, more often than not, low-fat diet foods have the highest high-fructose corn syrup content.

Excessive High-Fructose Corn Syrup Consumption Can Cause:
• Insulin resistance and obesity
• Elevated triglycerides and elevated LDL, or bad cholesterol
• Depletion of vitamins and minerals
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Gout
• High blood pressure
• Liver damage

3. Unhealthy Oils
Many cooking oils are high in saturated and partially-hydrogenated fats, which contribute to high cholesterol, obesity and heart disease.

Partially-Hydrogenated Oils:
• Palm
• Peanut
• Coconut

Healthy Oils (use instead):
• Canola
• Olive
• Grape seed

4. White Rice
The process used to make white rice strips the grain of its nutritional content. White rice is empty calories, substitute brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or quinoa in it's place.

Via: The Doctors