What do they have in common? Well, at the recent International Saturated Fat Symposium (yes, one exists in Michigan) researchers presented several times about the risks of high sugar, simple carbohydrate foods as a huge problem for heart disease. In clinical practice, I see it as a problem for abdominal weight gain. Research also shows us that abdominal weight gain increases your chances of heart disease. What’s the point?
Cut out all high sugar, simple carbohydrate foods…now.
I know several of you are rolling your eyes, or gripping that scone a little tighter however if you replace those nutrient vacant foods with nutrient rich foods your body (including your heart and waistline) will thank you.
Let’s start with breakfast. Put down that cereal, toast with jam, or granola bar. Yogurt is not healthy either because it is full of sugar. Look for high protein, multi-grain cereals with very little sugar. A cereal can call itself multi-grain but still have 10 grams of sugar per serving. That might as well be a dessert! Eat oatmeal, whole grain toast with almond butter and a hard boiled egg. Mix some vegetables into an omelet or throw some hypoallergenic protein powder (like rice protein) into a blender with blueberries, ice and water.
Now on to lunch foods. Wrap some turkey around pieces of lettuce with a side of carrots. Make vegetable chicken soup to re-heat. Cut up chicken onto a salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing. Eat the hamburger without the bun or wrap it in lettuce. Try the Chinese meat and vegetables without the white rice.
Need a snack? Choose a plain yogurt with no sugar added and blend in your own berries and some cinnamon. Have a piece of string cheese, cut up chicken, vegetables and hummus, a hard boiled egg, or a mix of macadamia, almonds and pumpkin seeds.
Moving along to dinner, repeat lunch options if you need to. Eliminate the side of rice or potato and include a side salad. Steam up vegetables with your steak or very small portion of pasta (whole grain of course). Skip the French fries and the soda and reach for sliced up apples or water with lemon.
Craving dessert? Low glycemic fruit should hit the spot assuming you haven’t overdosed on fruit already for the day. If you are looking for a low sugar diet then consider only eating one piece of fruit. Berries, apples, and pears are very low sugar and make for excellent after dinner snacks. Keep your blood sugar stable before bed by having a few whole grain crackers with almond butter or turkey rolled around a piece of cheese.
Lastly, keep yourself hydrated! Make sure your body is able to flush that abdominal fat right out of your system. Get your 8 glasses every day.