3 Things Nutrition Diva Won’t Eat
When it comes to diet, Nutrition Diva is neither a purist nor a perfectionist. But there is a short list of foods that she would go hungry rather than eat. What are they? Click to find out.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
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3 Things Nutrition Diva Won’t Eat
If you’ve been following my work for a while, you’ve probably gathered by now that there are very few things that I have a zero tolerance policy about. I often talk about the importance of limiting sugar, for example. But I don’t believe sugar is “poisonous” and I’ve never insisted that you completely eliminate it from your diet. What’s more, if you’re keeping your total sugar intake within reasonable limits, I don’t really care if it’s in the form of a natural sweetener (like honey or agave), refined white sugar or even – gasp – high fructose corn syrup.
See also: High Fructose Hysteria.
Similarly, I often suggest keeping fried foods to a minimum. For one thing, fried foods are usually pretty high in calories and most of us are looking for ways to eat fewer calories, not more. It’s also true that heating oil to high temperatures, as you do when you fry stuff, creates harmful compounds. Fried foods are not something you want to be eating every day. But I’d be a hypocrite if I told you that you can never enjoy a French fry or potato chip. Although I certainly don’t make them a regular part of my diet, I have been known to enjoy both. Guilt-free.
The benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables–even when they aren’t organic–far, far outweighs the potential risks of chemical exposure.
I also think there are lots of benefits to buying and eating organic foods. Not only does it reduce our exposure to potentially harmful chemicals but – perhaps more importantly – organic practices are much healthier for the environment, farm workers, livestock, and wild animals.
However, when organic options aren’t available or affordable, I eat non-organic produce without giving it a second thought. The benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables – even when they aren’t organic – far, far outweighs the potential risks of chemical exposure.
A Pretty Good Diet Is Usually Good Enough
In other words, there are very few foods that I think need to be completely avoided in order to have a healthy diet. When your diet is mostly made up up wholesome, nutritious foods, you can afford to relax and enjoy the occasional treat. And, although it is possible to overload your body’s natural detoxification pathways, under normal circumstances, your body is actually pretty effective at dealing with the toxins you can’t avoid.
With all that said, there is a short list of foods that I will actually go hungry rather than eat……
3 Things Nutrition Diva Will Not Eat
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Charred meat: Cooking meat (including poultry and fish) over hot coals or direct flames, as you do when grilling, creates great flavor. Unfortunately, it also produces two harmful, carcinogenic compounds. First, the high heat reacts with the protein in the meat and produces heterocyclic amines, or HCAs. Then, when fat from the meat drips down onto the hot coals or burners, it creates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. The technical term for these compounds is “bad news.”In fact, researchers repeatedly report that people who eat a lot of red meat have an increased risk of cancer. But I suspect that a large part of that link is because of their increased exposure to HCAs and PAHs, rather than something in the meat itself.
See also: Is Red Meat Really Bad For You?
If I had to choose between completely avoiding this threat and never enjoying another well-grilled steak, I think I’d probably take my chances, at least once in a while.
Marinating meat for 30 minutes before grilling can reduce the formation of these compounds by up to 90%. Other effective techniques are to add spices like black pepper, rosemary, oregano, and turmeric to ground meat and to partially pre-cook meat or burgers in the microwave before finishing on the grill.
See also: Does Grilled Meat Cause Cancer?
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Vegetable shortening: When I was growing up, there was always a big can of Crisco vegetable shortening in the cupboard. Not only does the stuff have a shelf life of approximately 150 years, but it gives biscuits, cookies, and pie crust a flaky, crisp texture that vegetable oil just can’t match. Of course, that was before we found out about the dangers of partially hydrogenated oils, which is what shortening is.
See also: What Are Trans Fats?
You will never find a can of Crisco in my (or my mother’s) kitchen today. It’s not that a single cookie made with shortening is going to stop your heart. And it’s certainly not because we’ve decided we can live without flaky pie crust. Banish the thought! It’s that there are plenty of alternatives that will provide the texture and shelf-life of hydrogenated oils without the trans fats. You can find trans fat-free shortening made with palm or coconut oils. But these tend to be expensive and a little too waxy for my taste. When you need a fat that stays solid at room temperature, my vote is for butter or even lard. Although both have a reputation for being artery-cloggers, the truth is that they both contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat as well as saturated fat, are all-natural, trans fat-free, and add great flavor.
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Rancid oils: In some ways, rancid oils are easy to avoid because they give food an unappealing smell and taste. On the other hand, you might hesitate to throw away an expensive bag of nuts or bottle of oil that you suspect has begun to turn. But throw it away you must. Rancid, or oxidized, oils don’t just taste bad. They also are full of unstable free radicals that can damage your cells and blood vessels, triggering inflammation and plaque formation.Ironically, oils that we think of as healthy, such as walnut, flaxseed, and grapeseed oil, can be particularly vulnerable to oxidation and rancidity. For that reason, buy nuts and seeds in quantities that you can consume quickly. Store nut and seed oils in the fridge. And check the expiration date on chips, crackers, and other foods made with nuts, seeds, and/or vegetable oils.
Also, learn to recognize the smell of rancid oil. Many people describe it as smelling like a box of crayons. Once you know what it smells like, it’s hard to miss. Whenever you catch that tell-tale aroma, into the trash it goes. It’s just not worth it.
Is My List Too Short?
With all the articles about “toxic” foods circulating on the internet these days, my list of “Foods I Will Not Eat” may seem too short to you. But the truth is that I think many people spend way too much time worrying about things that aren’t all that important in the big picture. Eating healthy is easier than you might think. For more perspective on what’s really worth worrying about, see my episode on How to Overhaul Your Diet.
And join the conversation by posting your thoughts below or on the Nutrition Diva Facebook page.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.