From Denny: Currently, there is a 36 percent national obesity rate. For decades now, food manufacturers have outrageously manipulated the food supply by adding so many preservatives and excess sugars into products it has caused a national health epidemic.
Consumers are overwhelmed trying to find healthy food that is safe to consume and feed our families.
Have you noticed the ingredient lists on packaged foods? Try checking out the beloved cookies you buy and you will find at least three types of sugars added to the product when just regular sugar would have been enough. Because of consumer demands in the past year, many manufacturers are reducing or eliminating the high amount or some of these sugars from their products.
It's those extra sugars that cause people to get addicted to the food and return time and again to purchase the product. High fructose corn syrup and just regular corn syrup are the two worst culprits that literally turn into instant fat, raising the blood sugar levels fast and furious too, making people sicker.
Most Americans have struggled with our weight at one time or another. There are some good ideas to keep in mind to help conquer that struggle and turn it into a win!
Let's start with breakfast, especially if you dine out a lot. We all know how difficult it is to find healthy choices or lower calorie choices on restaurant menus without ending up eating a bucket full of just celery sticks.
There are some good habits we can start training ourselves to do while we enjoy a good meal too. Let's start with breakfast.
Feasting on a carb-heavy breakfast on a regular basis is a bad idea. Doing it once a month or a few times a year is not the issue but rather it's a regular and frequent habit that can get us into trouble with weight gain.
I love blueberry pancakes as much as the next person and occasionally indulge as a treat. The sugar from the syrup and often the blueberry compote has corn syrup in it too, if your restaurant serves it that way. Here is one blueberry pancake breakfast broken down on the MSNBC segment "Eat This, Not That!"
Perkins Berry Blueberry Pancakes
1,440 calories
29 grams fat (12 grams saturated)
2,150 mg sodium
200 grams carbohydrate
110 grams sugars
20 grams protein
Are you ready for the sugar equivalent? It comes in at an astounding equivalent of seven Klondike ice cream sandwiches!
Researchers have found that limiting carbs to about 43 percent of the meal were found to be more filling and to create a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbs (University of Alabama at Birmingham).
What about our delicious pancake platter listed above? It comes in at 70 percent carbs, 800 calories of it. Not the best way to begin your day. Try that kind of breakfast after working for hours in the yard, a hard work out or you plan to run a marathon.
What is a better idea for your breakfast? Better is one heavy on protein. Eggs make that easy.
In a study from The International Journal of Obesity they found that dieters who ate eggs instead of bagels for breakfast were able to lose 65 percent more weight. Their waist circumference? Eggs over bagels helped in a 34 percent greater reduction.
Bet you are now sold on enjoying omelets in the morning now!
Perkins Omelette with swiss cheese, bacon, mushrooms and spinach
430 calories
29 grams fat (13.5 grams saturated)
530 mg sodium
8 grams carbs
1 gram sugars
35 grams protein
When you are not always able to eat perfect just keep in mind you can still enjoy those tasty foods like blueberry pancakes. Try eating a smaller one - and only one instead of a full plate of three large ones.
Try combining bananas with them for a sweet taste instead of using the sugar download of syrup. Eat an omelet on the side. This kind of breakfast won't be low calorie but it can keep that carb ratio more in balance to keep your new food habits successful.
Related articles
- Unusual 2 Tasty: Chocolate Pudding In The Raw (dennysguestbloggers.blogspot.com)
- The Scoop on Sugar and Sugar Substitutes (everydayhealth.com)
Subscribe in a reader to The Healing Waters
* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. *
* Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes *
*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!
