Updated: 11/12/2009
Let me preface this post by saying: “I eat these foods.” Yes, it is true, I do eat about 50% of the foods listed. Especially peanuts, Smartfood, and some of the carbohydrate foods listed at the bottom.
If you take this list literally, it will just aggravate you, so take it with a grain of salt… or maybe a rain of whole wheat.
There are many terms that are misleading in the food advertising industry today. Think of how many times you see healthy phrases plastered all over food containers.
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Some examples of “healthy food” words on product labels:
- Fat Free
- Reduced Fat
- Low Fat
- Sugar Free
- No Added Sugar
- Diet
We are supposed to believe that each of these categories makes a food healthier. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Here is what those “healthy food” phrases actually translate to:
- Fat free, but full of sugar and chemicals.
- Reduced fat, but increased carbohydrates.
- Low fat, but high glycemic index.
- Sugar free, but artificial everything else.
- No added sugar… because the all natural version has enough sugar to give you type II diabetes anyway.
- “Diet” food, but it causes cancer in lab rats so don’t drink/eat too much of it.
Consider the logic that food manufactures would have us believe: fat-free is good for you; jelly beans, jolly ranchers, and cotton candy are fat-free; therefore all those sugary candies are good for you. Makes sense? Think about it.
In fact, a study at John Hopkins University recently determined a link between high blood sugar and heart disease. This means high glycemic foods, such as the candy I just mentioned as well as many similar products, are inherently unhealthy.
Let’s examine some examples of nasty food that is supposed to be healthy, but will secretly kill you faster than the Terminator (not the Arnold character in any of the sequels).
Why is it good? A sugar free version of the popular carbonated beverage that you can drink on the go.
Why is it bad? OK, so soda is horrible for you, but take out the sugar and add in carcinogenic artificial sweeteners, combined with the artificial flavors and colors that are in all sodas, and you have a recipe for a Tumor in a Can.
Then of course you’ve got the caffeine factor, which is linked to hyperactivity, high blood pressure, and can mess with your blood sugar. Unfortunately the caffeine is an oh-so-good afternoon supplement.
Instead choose: filtered water and the occasional glass of milk
Why is it good? Seaweed contains essential nutrients such as selenium, calcium, iodine, and omega-3 fats. Sushi is nearly always wrapped in seaweed.
Why is it bad? This garbage doesn’t deserve to be called sushi. They are just small, compact, high glycemic, high calorie, carbohydrate nuggets. There’s not even much protein in these things. Eat 3-4 of them and you’ve had your serving for the day.
Aside from that, imitation crab meat isn’t even good for you. It is mostly just a crab flavored tofu-like substance fortified with sugar, sugar, and more sugar. It isn’t tofu, it’s actually a bunch of processed white fish, but it tastes like tofu. Blah!
Instead choose: In order to get some healthy carbs, some high-quality protein, and the benefits of omega-3 fats, choose real sushi made with salmon or tuna. To make it even healthier, order sashimi instead of white rice.
3. Peanuts
Why is it good? Peanuts contain healthy fats that contribute to the reduction in triglycerides, which are known to promote cardiovascular disease. In addition to monosaturated fatty acids, peanuts also contain magnesium, vitamin E, arginine, fiber, copper and folate all of which help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Why is it bad? Aside from being high in fat and calories, peanuts also are loaded with omega-6 fats that distort the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. This ratio says that your intake of each omega fatty acid should be 1:1. The reasons why this ratio is recommended is a topic for a whole other article.
All we need to know is that the American diet is typically from 20:1 to 50:1 in favor of omega-6, so any effort to reverse this trend is important for combating over 10 different common diseases including Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes. Peanuts are often contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin, and they are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated crops.
Instead choose: almonds or all natural organic peanut butter, but pour off the top layer of oil and replace with olive oil if the resulting peanut brick is too stiff. Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fats.
(But honestly, if you want the peanuts you should just eat them. They’re not that bad for you diet-wise.)
Why is it good? All peanut butter provides a heart-healthy substantial quantity of monounsaturated fat.
Why is it bad? Most commercial peanut butters are made with the same type of sugar that cake frosting is made with. Reducing the fat makes it even worse because even MORE nasty sugar is added and they contain less healthy fat. I’d rather just eat the extra calories.
Instead choose: As with peanuts, choose almonds or all natural organic peanut butter instead. Just remember to pour off the top layer of oil and replace it with olive oil if the resulting peanut brick is too stiff. Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fats.
I personally, after switching to all-natural, can no longer stomach commercial peanut butter. It tastes like sweetened lard to me now so I’d rather barf than eat it at all.
Why is it good? It contains omega-6 fatty acids, which are unsaturated fats that don’t raise cholesterol. Sweet.
Why is it bad? In the true spirit of peanuts, corn oil has 60 times more omega-6s than omega-3s. Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation, which boosts your risk of cancer, arthritis, and obesity. This is why we prefer a balanced ratio of omega-3s, which are found in walnuts, fish, and flaxseed.
Instead choose: Canola or Olive oils, which have a far better ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s. In my humble opinion, choose olive oil instead since canola oil has some less important issues of its own.
6. Fat-Free or Reduced Fat Salad Dressing
Why is it good? Less fat means less calories. Plus that salad dressing fat is lard just like mayo and crisco. Sick.
Why is it bad? Firstly because when fat comes out, sugar goes in. Either that or artificial flavors and sweeteners.
Secondly, since many vegetables are fat soluble, taking away the fat from the dressing means fewer of the salad nutrients will be absorbed into your body.
This was confirmed by a study at Ohio State University wherein a higher fat salad dressing resulted in an increased uptake of the antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene.
Instead choose: A salad dressing made with olive oil, or just use olive oil and vinegar as your salad dressing. If you try it you might like it.
Why is it good? It’s not. But in the spirit of argument: vegetarians and vegans eat the stuff so they can get protein in their diets. Yay ::sarcasm:: Plus the stuff is apparently low in fat and an alternative to whey for the lactose intolerant.
Why is it bad? Straight up, soy is thought to be linked to increased estrogen in males and increased breast cancer in women. The estrogenic effects are sometimes said to merely be the presence of the phytoestrogens and estrogen mimicking compounds found in soy.
Because of these estrogenic compounds, infants in particular can be adversely affected in many negative ways from exposure to soy, including premature development in girls, and underdevelopment in boys.
Soy also promotes hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, and infertility just to name a few additional disorders. Phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines are all highly present in soy products.
 Get Some! |
Some people are allergic to soy protein.
Instead choose: any high protein whole food such as brown rice, goats milk, coconut milk, almond milk, whole grains, nuts, seaweeds, seeds, beans, and lentils.
If you must have a protein powder, choose any of a variety of protein powders available on the market today, including whey and egg protein. I use Optimum Nutrition protein powder. Click here to get some.
As a side note, goats milk is considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet today, so give it a try.
Why is it good? Individually, fruit and yogurt are two of the healthiest food choices at the grocery store.
Why is it bad? Manufacturers load these products up with corn syrup, which effectively doubles the amount of sugar. All the better to entice kids to ask you to buy this crap.
Instead choose: Activia yogurt, which contains additional live active cultures to help your digestive system. Choose the Light version if you wish, but it is sweetened with sucralose (Splenda). (I opt for the light version.)
I enjoy Splenda quite often, but we have yet to know if there are an significant long term effects from its use. After all there are a few theories which suggest that consuming sucralose is like consuming very small amounts of chlorinated pesticides. There are at this time no conclusive tests that sucralose has any long term negative side effects.
9-11. Fruit Juice, Dried Fruit, and Fruit Cocktail
Why is it good? Well because fruit is good for you. It has a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; not to mention fiber.
Why is it bad? Fruit juice and fruit cocktail normally have sugar added. Some fruit cocktails come in a thick sugary syrup, and there’s more sugar in a glass of fruit juice than in a candy bar and as much as in a glass of soda (grape juice has about 40g of sugar in one serving). You get no fiber from fruit juice, and the stuff usually has preservatives added to it.
Dried fruit is similarly bad because it is also loaded with sugar, although not with added sugar. Think of it this way: take any fruit, which is naturally loaded with sugar, remove all the moisture thus shrinking it down to a fraction of its normal size, then sell it by the bucket load to consumers who don’t understand that this little tiny piece of fruit still has nearly all the calories and sugar of the original fruit!
Can anyone say “portion control”? What about “blood sugar coma”?
Instead choose: eat the whole fruit including the skin if possible, but limit it to one serving of fruit per meal/snack to avoid insulin spikes. If you must have fruit cocktail, choose one that comes packed in its own juices instead of syrup.
Why is it good? Because cheesy popcorn is oh so tasty.
Why is it bad? Because you are really just eating the popcorn equivalent of potato chips. Seriously, compare total calories and you will find that you are not saving much on the calorie front by eating Smartfood instead of chips.
Instead choose: get some spray butter, pop some plain popcorn, spray a light coat of spray butter on the popped corn, sprinkle various spices on the corn (but go easy on the salts), and shake it up in a bag. Now you have a low fat tasty treat.
Smartfood isn’t as bad as a candy bar or a Twinkie though, so go ahead and splurge every so often.
Why is it good? Baked beans are good for you because these types of beans are loaded with fiber
Why is it bad? The sugary syrup, just as much as in a can of soda, is just going to spike your blood sugar and insulin levels. This is never good for preventing heart disease or type II onset diabetes.
Instead choose: Red kidney beans. These things are packed with protein and fiber, and can be mixed with any sort of salad or pasta. Sometimes I enjoy kidney beans straight out of the can; no cooking, just wash and chow.
There are also several other kinds of high protein, high fiber beans, but they typically have to be cooked first. I say this because I tend to be lazy about cooking and I know you do too. Try cooking up some nice black beans; high in protein and fiber, low in everything bad.
Why is it good? Granola has some fiber, pasta salad has some vegetables, croutons make our salad crunchy, english muffins are one step up from bagels, and pretzels are a quick low-fat snack.
Why is it bad? One word: carbohydrates. All of these foods are made with corn syrup and/or processed white flour. These foods will spike your blood sugar faster than Bruce Lee could have kicked you in the face. You also won’t get much nutrition in the way of protein, fiber, vitamins, or minerals from any of these foods.
Instead choose: 100% whole grain or whole wheat pasta and English muffins for increased fiber and protein. Egg salad because, like it or not, eggs are good for you and are high in protein. Almond slices are high in omega-3 fats and are crunchy like croutons. Substitute healthy nuts for white starches whenever you can and you too can receive a 30% less chance of heart disease.
Clearly there are many alternatives to sneaky consumer foods. Fruits and vegetables remain a key ingredient in a healthy diet, and now you can look for tricky catch phrases when purchasing ‘health foods’. Drink plenty of water, get plenty of sleep, and eat wholesome low-sugar, healthy-fat foods; I bet you will end up doing OK as a result.
Resources:
Endocrinology 150:2446-2453.
Study Ties Obesity, Inflammatory Proteins to Heart Failure Risk
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If you are looking for a pure protein powder, check out Optimum Nutrition. Optimum Nutrition protein powder comes in about 20 different flavors, and is available in 1 lb, 2 lb, 5 lb, and 10 lb containers.Click here to order or learn more about Optimum Nutrition.
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About Project Swole - Project Swole is managed and mostly written by Steve, a formerly IFPA and ISSA certified personal trainer and sport nutritionist, who has been studying, practicing, and experimenting with fitness and nutrition since 1992. Please use the content at Project Swole to supplement the advice of your doctor or physician. All medical questions should be directed towards a qualified medical professional, and the advice provided at Project Swole should be used at your own discretion.
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also with the sushi deal… give me a break, order it with brown rice and skip the fake crab and you have something that the japanese have been eating for generations, then go to japan and see what the ratio is of healthy to unhealthy people compared to the united states. The sushi is not our problem.
No, the sushi is not our problem, but the fake sushi sold in supermarkets that is labeled as real sushi, is garbage.
MILF\
cheeseburger
I’ve enjoyed reading the article above and the comments. Wouldn’t touch any of the ‘bads’ listsed above, but I would like to know what exactly is wrong with eating carbohydrate? I get up early, have a quick coffee, eat a handful of raisins, spend 15-20 minutes benchpressing (inc rests), then 25 minutes on the exercise bike. I need to eat straight away after that and I can’t see what’s wrong with wholemeal toast with high-fruit (5% sugars) spread. I work in a physical job for 4-6 hours a day then do more exercise in the evening, more on the benchpress and the punchbag. I’m hungry again and I usually eat cereal, bread and wholenut peanut butter, or oatcakes with homemade hummus. I need the complex carb because it breaks down slowly and replaces the energy I’ve lost from exercise. I also have a proper meal in the evening with the kid, but I’m normally hungry only an hour afterwards.
Somebody above mentioned only eating a small cup of fruit a day. I normally get through about 5 or 6 pieces of fruit a day (apples, oranges, and bananas mostly). How can that be bad in any way?
And on the almonds… I always keep a bag with me in case I get hungry and I can chomp 100g a day easily. Can I eat too many?
I’ve been on this exercise binge for about 4 months now since I gave up smoking (yeah I know… okay) and I do feel great. Always eaten healthily, but cut out sugar totally a year ago after I decided I was probably pre-diabetic (I prefer ‘insulin-. resistive’… ‘pre-diabetic’ has a ring of inevitibility). Don’t drink alcohol. I feel fitter, I’ve put on weight (chest and arms), but have totally failed to lose any stomach fat, but then I don’t know if I need to… 6ft2″ and 175lb. Maybe I should cut out those almonds for a while… those things are 50% fat!
Where is your protein, protein regulates insulin when eaten with carbs. You are on a carb binge whether you gave up sugar or not, you need fat, carbs and protein. If you make sure every snack or meal has protein with it, you will also build muscle which you seem to be trying to by the amount of exercise, you have done nothing to supply your body with the tools to build lean muscle mass, you are just eating carbs.
LOL at last sentence because it’s so true
All that fruit is TOO MUCH….. read up on fructose and learn why a limited amount of fruit each day is just fine……. your body just does not feal with the fructose in the same way it deals with glucose.
This is a small number of facts slipped into a load of garbage.
Think of the critical thinking fallacies: to say that because “fat-free” is healthy that all foods that are fat-free are healthy is an “affirms the consequent” fallacy. Just because SOME fat-free foods are healthier than their fatty equivalents doesn’t mean they all are.
Other information is spurious – it’s been proven that artificial sweeteners, when consumed in proper quantities, are not harmful. A diet soda is not a “tumor in a can”.
Soy has not been linked to any of the conditions mentioned. It is very difficult to ascertain the exact causes of disease when the conditions can vary so deeply. That is the same as saying that because you don’t take your shoes off when you get home drunk that if you wake up with your shoes on you must have been drunk. It’s a “causal fallacy”.
Stop spreading bull and start spreading real information. The truth is, just eat veggies and fruit, keep a low saturated fat diet that focuses on fish and poultry, drink plenty of water, and get some exercise! You don’t need garbage like this!
Thanks for the comments Warren. I am very sorry that you are completely retarded. If I said all fat free foods are healthy, then said food A is healthy therefore it is fat free, THAT would be affirming the consequent.
Firstly, I never made that argument. Secondly, I called out food manufacturers for saying ‘fat-free is healthy, our food is fat-free, therefore it is healthy’, which is still not affirming the consequent it is modus ponens.
The second example you give is actually affirming the consequent, not a causal fallacy.
Actually, I don’t have time to debate logic with you. You need to take a couple college courses in applied logic and probability. Stop trying to bring others down with your negativity and do something positive with your life for a change, eh?
Ben: almonds are pretty high in calories, but are also pretty good for you.
It’s funny that everyone gets offended when they find out their favorite foods aren’t as healthy as they once thought they were. Wake up people! You CAN do without diet soda/peanut butter/etc. There are numerous studies and books that link soda (diet and regular) to cancer, as well as dairy products and meat.
Damn right!
Everyone, I ask you to please disregard this article, unless the author can produce references to peer-reviewed studies for the claims he makes.
He claims in comments that this article is “a mix of fact and opinion” but there is no room for opinion in nutritional sciences. There’s the scientific method and studies that are peer reviewed and stand up to scrutiny, and that’s it.
I am not “a hater” and I am quite healthy, but I hate to think of people reading this as a legitimate source of scientific information.
Julie: I’m sorry that you feel this way. I did a bit of research for this article, but quite a bit of it is common knowledge. OK, so crab meat isn’t made of tofu. But it IS a “tofu-like substance”, as the post states. Most of my opinions are derived from personal knowledge and experience, the rest of the content is fact. You can research it using Google if you want; I don’t remember exactly which resources I used to write this, sorry. If that destroys my credibility, oh well… take it or leave it I guess. =)
I just stumbled upon this page and couldn’t resist chuckling at Julie’s(Nov.9/09)comments. Apparently, it would seem that “there is no room for opinion” in Julie’s world. Well Julie, in the world I live in, there is plenty of room for opinion. Here’s mine:
People who rely solely “on scientific method and studies that are peer reviewed” and seek to discredit others with bold assertions and cliched thinking, deserve far less attention than those whom they are trying to dismiss.
In fact, as a result of your comments, Julie, I re-read Steve’s comments with even greater interest and must say, that while he may be mixing fact and opinion, many of his “claims” are indeed common knowledge, just as he stated. Yes, common knowledge: a concept that you would appear not to be familiar with due to your inability to look beyond your “studies”.
Two questions for you, Julie- who funds many of the studies you so keenly refer to? Ever heard of the term “corporate interests”?
By the way, the day I decided to stop listening to opinions such as yours, Julie, is the day my health began to improve. Life experience counts for something and on this page, Steve has shared some of great value to those trying to improve their health.
Take that Julie!
So soy is bad for you? Aw man, I just finished off a huge costco sized thing of soy nuts. I am a guy so I definitely don’t want increased estrogen levels.
I will now think twice before opting for diet soda rather then regular.
Chris: Just choose water.
I generally agree with the recommendations, since to follow them would probably be healthier than not, but I’m posting to commend Steve for responding to so many posts. Reading through the comments was pretty entertaining, and seeing Steve respond (without being a jerk) to so many was impressive.
Thanks for the feedback Paul. I think people will be happier now that I’ve updated this post with new info.
Steve
So you re-wrote the article and I re-read the article…you still link soy with estrogen in males. What gives? Read just about any health and fitnes magazine on the market and you’ll see them stating that this was a mistake. Granted it may not be good for you but it doesn’t increase estrogen in males. Also there is evidence it may lower the risk of prostate cancer. I am not saying you are wrong about whether or not soy is “good” for you…you have many other reasons stated for why it may not be but I do disagree with the estrogen in males. When was the last time you researched it? I am trying to keep current so I am just curious if maybe your data is a bit old.
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I have done alot of research lately trying to get healthier and to help my kids choose better foods. I have gotten both my youngsters addited to pepsi ( bad mom I know) i swithched to diet for about a year but upon research studies I found scared me away completley. Organic is best by far but spendy, no sugar is boring and for me impossible major sweet tooth. Moderation is key and sugar is better for you than all the artificial crap. The author of this list knows what he’s talkin about in my opinion. I agree 100% from my own reaserch hours and experience. About the olive oil in the peanut butter I opt to use Organic grapeseed oil it has a natural nutty flavor it’s self and works wonderful. esay to find also Fred meyers carries it in their organic foods. Thanks for this site after the studing i’ve done this wrapped about a months worth of research into one small package. Thanks for posting it
Terrible article, im guessing this was wrote by an american. You live in such a messed up place you dont have a clue what is good for you anymore. Many of your “points” dont have a point or any proof to back it up. If your going to scaremonger keep it to your friends, if you have any!
Thanks for making me laugh Joe.
Diet soda come on what fool ever thought it was any better than the non diet stuff?
um why do people drink it if they dont feel its better for them?
All depends on what you define as healthy…
I am a health enthusiast and am tired of reading articles about health written by those who are looking to help people pack on muscle. Dried fruit being unhealthy for you? SUre, anything’s unhealthy if you eat a bucket load of it. Are you forgetting antioxidants and vitamins that cannot be replaced by taking a pill every morning.
All I can say is that I hope you are a vegetarian writing this article, because those ‘unhealthy’ peanuts are a much healthier protein alternative to beef/chicken/pork.
Again, it all depends on what view point from which you look at it. The author and I clearly are on different planes.
Just another two-bit personal trainer pretending to be a REAL BOARD CERTIFIED dietician/nutritionist with a paid-for pretend certification. Just finished up nutrition 101 this semester and we discussed PTs who do this. While your information wasn’t entirely incorrect or correct, don’t pass yourself off as something you’re not.
I never claimed to be a board certified dietitian or nutritionist. In fact, in several places on Project Swole I mention that I am no longer certified by anyone, and that anything you read on my site is based on research, experience, and my own opinions. If that’s bad, please do not visit Project Swole anymore. Otherwise, enjoy the content that, while it may not always be 100% right, will always give you a reason to consider.
You list #1 Diet soda because it is loaded up with artificial sweeteners, yet on $7 you suggest to avoid soy and then plug whey protein products that are typically loaded with artificial sweeteners.
The best protein powder to use is plain unflavored protein powder that you can flavor yourself with real food like honey.
so, I think milk is vile thing, the commercial kind is loaded with calories and cholesterol, blood and tears…. not to mention growth hormones, and antibiotics, and a half a gallon of the organic kind is as expensive as the commercial gallon. I drink Almond milk its deee-lishus and super low cal 40 per 8oz glass, I buy the sugar free kind (almond breeze brand is 1.50$ a carton) and put a dash of raw agave nectar which is twice as sweet as sugar and has a low glycemic index. for a treat sometimes i buy the sugarfree chocolate kind and put a little agave in that. Vegan chocolate milk yum!
Steve, your article, comments and replies have covered every possible controversy. I do agree on ‘a common sense, moderate approach’. However, I’m shocked at the reducing diet advice you gave to Susan, July 2008. If the desired body weight is 60kg.(you said), x 12 = 720Kcals. and if one does not reduce in the first week, one should further reduce 200cals !!
Clear path to heaven or hell, Steve!! Is Susan still around? Malathi
Malathi: The desired bodyweight must be in lbs. So 60 kg x 2.2 lbs/kg = 132 lbs x 12 = 1584 kcals. That seems about right for a fat loss diet with exercise or slightly high for a fat loss diet without exercise. 1400 might be a better number for Susan if she is dieting without exercise, but she could make that adjustment after the first week or two at 1584. I stand by my advice.
Warren pull your head out your arse, Soy has been related to not only what is mentioned in the article but much worse.
True, I now agree with you. As the earlier reply was not clear about pounds or Kgs, I was shocked. Actually, we have had excellent results with 1300cal. diets. But you are right. the reduction should be gradual.
Your article is really thought provoking and I like that!
Malathi
It’s astonishing to see how much of the information in this article is inaccurate. On the other hand some of it is quite right, not enough for it to be a good article though. And the sarcasm… wow… take a happy pill.
Thank you for your feedback Joana. I love how every once in a while someone posts a comment about the information being inaccurate.
Wow, foods these days are nothing but a tasty poison… It’s always better to be aware of what we are eating. This is a good article, thanks for posting this.
btw, even fresh foods such as vegetables and fruits are no longer safe to eat. It has plenty of pesticides and others chemicals, it is scientifically proven.
you need carbs in your diet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes branden, yes you do need carbs in your diet. But not sugar. Except in the post-workout drink.
Soda has no redeeming qualities at all. For people coming to this site, I assume you are here because you want to “get in shape” as soo many say. I can’t think of many fit people I know that include soda of any kind as part of their healthy eating plan. I think Steve is just telling the facts…something that needs to be said, and is often times what you don’t want to hear.
I REALLY enjoyed your article. I am not in the medical, health or diet field, so I do not have an “educated response” as many of your “commenters” seem to have, but I will give what I have.
I am in my mid 30′s and I have always been tiny…never having to worry about weight, but now I have a little extra love in my handles that I am not lovin. So I Googled “Healthiest foods to eat” and found your article.
I have 2 daughters, a 14 year old and an 11 year old. They are both the only kids they know who have never been allowed to have carbonated drinks. (My reasons for raising them this way: I had stomach probs as a child & harsh foods/carbonated drinks were restricted, so I had to grow up w/out them…Then when I got older I realized what a waste they were. They are actually a financial issue for many people b/c of the addiction to them combined w/their cost…not to mention that I do not think they have 1 health “benefit”…but since I don’t have a source to prove that it may not be truthful according to majority. I noticed what they contained and that the small cans had more sugar and such than the bottles. All that combined says why I never gave it to my girls. Because it is so foreign to them, they both have vomited from trying to drink a whole one. I assume that is because their bodies cannot handle the mass amounts of sugar, caffeine and carbonation. When given a choice, even w/out me there, they choose water and an occasional sweet tea…but that is like a dessert treat and too much of it ends up bad also. I don’t have to set the limit, their bodies’ do it for me and it simply makes them sick.)
All of that being said, I thought your article spoke to people about the basics which seem to get overlooked. To me, it is common sense not to put carbonation in your body…especially on a daily basis and DEFINITELY don’t give it to your kids. It LITERALLY explodes when shaken and people drink it! Whether it is diet or not…I think of it as syrupy acid and I have nothing positive to say about it.
The artificial sweeteners…I have no references other than straight from the “University of My Own Opinion” and say they scare the hell out of me. I can taste something wrong with them and I have no proof other than I just feel something is bad.
I cannot see where your intentions were anything except good with this article to help people be healthier. Obviously, I do not surf sites enough and other people do it too much based on some of these comments going on for almost 2 years. Thanks for taking the time to post it and don’t waste too much time reading the negative feedback…the people who made the comments (good and bad) will most likely never return to read what you said in response because this is not an ongoing article. There is nothing mentioned that could “take a life” or be a health risk.
haha as a diabetic i will confese that carbs are not wholly a good thing for you. however, you need a balanced diet of protiens, fats, carbs, and calories to function properly. eleminating, or cutting back tremendosly on ANY one of these aspects will result in harming your body. the key to healthy living is understanding what your body needs and then meeting them. (this might be just me) but i would like to see a bibliography of some sort, i would like to know where your getting your information.
Ninja: Check the bottom of the article for some resources. Other than that this post came from knowledge and experience. I’m not going to publish a bibliography, sorry.
I did like the product push of Optimum Nutrition. After I read your article and read that you used it, I had to get some. It was delivered promptly and I was pleased. Since reading this I have felt better about myself and have started losing weight. Granted you didn’t do it but helped inspire me. I think your a real “Dr. Phill” and I thank you.
Take Care,
Janice
That’s great news Janice. I hope you accomplish all your goals.
when i worked at a health store i was 5”8 112 lbs i worked there for a year and gained about 15 to 20 lbs i drank a lot of sugary smoothies and ate high fat protein bars on top of regular meals, i quit about 5 months ago and im back to my normal size it makes a difference when your aware of what your eating, and dont be fooled just because a smoothie has fruit..its meant for meal replacement not just a beverage and cut the added sugar
This is actually a hilarious blog considering there are a lot of people who want to complain about something that makes sense. If Steve had taken more time he could have expanded on the evils of aspartame, check out aspartame and graves disease, ever heard of the cure being the cause, aspartame messes up your thyroid, people with thyroid problems reach for diet soda as a solution to the weight issue, therefore, the aspartame increases the thyroid issue, leading to the person reaching for more aspartame. Soy contains phyto-estrogens, for guys who want big guns and more testosterone it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out, it is good information for those who want to look a little deeper take each point he makes (minus the tofu like substance – which anyone can tell isn’t healthy food anyway) the issues to our health should spur you on to look deeper, Steve has created a great place to get you to want to learn more, that is successful in my mind.
Thanks! I am a Gail Fling fan today.
I learned of my liver destruction when I was 27, without feeling any pain! Even though I left the hospital with all the normal test results, after drinking a third of a glass of soda, my liver expanded to the extent that I couldn’t bend to lase my shoes. Although it went away by the dayend I realized that to survive I must observe all the doctor’s guidelines. Not everybody is lucky to learn about a problem before it is too late. Normally our instinct tells us what is suitable for consumption, but the unnatural foods had distorted our our sense of taste. Adiction to bad foods that at the beginning they even taste badly, and all the unnatural taste enheancements, destorts our senses of healhy taste and smell. I am 70 and might get to be 100.
I was lucky to get my liver tests before too late, not having even felt any pain (liver has no pain nerves). I knew that even though I was released from the hospital with good results, I had to watch out to survive. I became even more convinced about that, when I noticed that my liver had expanded after drinking just a little of soda. Normally our instinct tells us what is suitable for consumption, but the unnatural foods distort our sense of what’s really good for us. Addictions to bad foods and the unnatural taste enhancements, corrupts our sense of taste and smell.
I personally think that this list a load of crap. Yes sure these are clearly bad foods but they are not horrible. Diet Soda has not been extensively studied so claiming that you can get tumors from it is simply a lie. If you are going to rink a soda any doctor would tell you a diet soda is a better idea than the normal. Even if cancer was true with it I would rather have that at 80 than have diabetes at 30. Overall there is some truth to this list but not complete truth
WTF? Are you saying cancer is not true? Come on Zach.
Great post thanks for the insight and opinions.
The only thing is the Splenda, you are right about there being no conclusive evidence about long term negative effects so I err on the
side of caution. If it needs to be sweetened I prefer to use raw sugar, it’s natural and our bodies know what to do with it.
I guess I don’t want to wake up in 10 years finding out that Splenda causes some form of cancer or some new ailment.
Thanks again for the post!
J
Hey with all the differing opinions on whats good for you and whats bad its so confusing….fruit juice…provides the vitamins etc but packed with sugar, peanuts – nutritious but high in calories, red meat – too much protein, need I go on. Better a handful of nuts than crisps chocolate? Yes, no? I dont care…i eat in moderation everything… im thin im healthy i have plenty of energy and oh yes i ate some bread though wholemeal today (oh my god how bad am i????)….egg (oh god high in cholesterol!) on toast yum! I have a solution… if you listened to everyones opinion, then no matter what one person suggests is healthy there will be someone somewhere with a reason why its unhealthy….lets not bother eating at all then we can die young thin fat and sugar free and happy instead of diabetic obese and unhappy….there its solved…..enjoy your boring lives…oh by the way health fanatics die younger…i see it all the time….so have fun!
usually of heart attacks….
Really, diet soda is Tumor in a Can? I see this claim everywhere. Yet no one seems to have any actual EVIDENCE. References to some other blog post opinion yes but evidence no. I find more news stories and studies where someone dies from drinking too much water than from contracting a disease from drinking diet soda. If it was actually happening you would think there would be more than hyperbole.
I wouldn’t have jumped all over this but it was your first claim which then made me question the rest of your article. Though I do see basis for the rest of your claims. Since you do seem to be quite the smart-a@@, I’ll just accept your hearty appreciation in advance and say you’re welcome.
Love this comment! Whenever someone calls me a smart-ass I know I’ve done my job!
very alarmist article. the stuff presented as fact ranges from debatable to drivel. And the author’s opinion is pretty much just that.
There are much better sources for nutritional guidance out there people. Don’t overcomplicate things by reading this guy’s article.
Organic and low fat yogurt cups (with fruits at the bottom), such as Stonyfeild, may not necessarily contain much corn syrup… you’ve just got to be a smart shopper. Also, peanut butter (organic and low fat)and peanuts (unsalted) are great alternatives to meat. They are packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. If you have only two tablespoons of peanut butter a day… you’re all set. Oh, and you should mention about avocados. In addition to containing lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, half a cup of avocados (daily) is a terrific source of filling fiber (11 to 17 grams per avocado). This makes them a great food for staving off hunger. Also, did you mention about tea? Iced or green tea… They are filled with antioxidants and you can enjoy as much as 4 cups a day. According to Swiss researchers, people who drink tea looses 266 more calories than a non-tea drinker.
Oh! and one more thing… drink 2-3 glasses of milk (to those who are trying to lose belly fat). The calcium in organic, skim or lowfat milk has the enzymes to break down fat and can even prevent them from forming!
Thanks for the healthy feedback. In my opinion, skim milk is a great diet food. It is low in fat and pretty low in carbs, has some protein, and is full of calcium. Yeah, I think milk is great!
Dude, why don’t you just stop breathing, our environment is full of pollution. And this is such BS. Of course their are a lot of foods that are label “healthy” and by no means are they actually healthy for you, but this is just absurd. You really need to get your facts together and stop going by your own freaking statistics.
Now off to drink my cancer infested soy milk, later I think I’ll enjoy a nice protein loaded (not according to you) tofu omelet
Soy milk and a tofu omelette? Blech! Props to you for eating healthy (soy isn’t too bad for women really) but how do you make a tofu omelette palatable. Write the recipe and I’ll post it on Project Swole as a guest post.
This is a load of American rubbish!
The Land of the Free, baby! w00t!
I understand why there are so many haters.. but that’s reality. we are really surrounded by poisons disguised as healthy foods. We should be thankful someone shared this because we won’t waste more time researching what are these fake healthy foods. There are a lot more of them, so watch out. It’s not good to appreciate posts like this when you already got the illness, too late. I want to thank the author for sharing this.
tumor in a can LOL
Steve, whatever credence you might have had as author of this piece has been whittled down to nothing by your sarcastic and defensive replies to any criticism. And that “unsolicited testimonial” from Gail earlier was the cherry on top.
How about responding to that point earlier about your pushing powders with artificial sweetener, like the stuff you condemned in diet pop?
Hmm?
Thanks for your comments JohnV. The best part about owning this blog, is that I can respond to comments however I want. I don’t care if they are negative or positive comments, because all comments encourage thought. When people rip me, I rip back if I am in a ripping kind of mood. Sue me. Also, not sure what the problem is with the previous comments by Gail. If people post negative comments I look like an a-hole, but then for some reason when people post positive comments I still get called an a-hole. A blogger just can’t win.
Why are people always all up on vegans and vegetarians? There are plenty of us that know better than to eat a ton of soy. Granted, some do, but you can’t lump us all as idiots because we don’t eat animal products. That’s just silly. Also, small meals of good carbs (brown rice, whole wheat, etc) spaced out by about 15 minutes can be extremely beneficial post-workout to replenish your glycogen stores.
absolutely worthless. i’m 57, eat 4-10 slices of pizza a day, 3 beers a day, bacon, hamburgers, nachos, bratwursts, etc. i’m in perfect health and run a marathon every year. don’t believe scare mongers, they are pathetic and even worse for your health!!!
I love you, Steve.
Thanks for sharing the love. Send pics.
Dammit! I love Smartfood.
Me too.
The person who wrote this article is dead wrong about so many things.
orly?
Hey Steve..
I just finished watching Food Inc. and was interested in researching how soy produced in the US is not as healthy as other parts of the world, because modifications that they make in order to mass produce them. I know you talked about the phytoestrogens, but have you done any research regarding the issues I mentioned about soy?
I haven’t researched it, but I do believe it. Food processing in the Western Civilization destroys nutrients and encourages type 2 diabetes.