What's Lurking in Your Kitchen?

Written by Vonda Skinner Skelton

This article is courtesy of Christian Single.

Approximately two-thirds of Americans are now overweight or obese, and our pantry and fridge choices are part of the problem. The following six strategies will help you clean out your kitchen and put you on the road to healthy eating.

Curb the (Bad) Carbs
Carbohydrates have been getting a bad rap for years. It all began back in the 1860s when the first low-carb diet book was written by William Banting, an undertaker. The truth is, God created healthy carbs; the problem comes when we mess with them.

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Start your pantry makeover by tossing the highly refined white carbohydrates such as white rice, white breads, white sugar, and cereals made with processed grains. “I call these, ‘The Great White Hazard,’” says Dr. Ann Kulze, nutrition and wellness expert and author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet: A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss and Lifelong Vitality. “These foods are rapidly digested and quickly enter your bloodstream as a surge of glucose that promotes fat storage, increases your appetite, contributes to cardiovascular and diabetes risk, and affects your brain function.”
 
Instead of stocking the colorless stuff, replace them with healthy carbs like 100 percent whole grain breads and cereals, beans, oatmeal, and brown rice. But don’t depend on color and brands to direct you, Kulze warns. “When purchasing grain products, look for the word whole in front of the grain on the ingredient list to be sure you’re not getting its refined counterpart.”

Focus on Fruits and Veggies
Mom was right. You need your fruits and vegetables. “And while most adults think they do OK in this area, research proves otherwise,” says Dino Nowak, author of The Final Makeover and creator of ESP Fitness. “The goal is a total of nine servings a day, but the average American gets only one serving of fruit and two servings of vegetables per day.”
 
Replace frozen french fries and hot dogs with a colorful array of natural, healthy foods. It’s not as difficult as you think, according to Nowak. “The key is to integrate fruits and vegetables into your everyday meals, rather than thinking you have to sit there and eat a stalk of broccoli or cauliflower.” He suggests the following:

• Throw in a handful of blueberries, sliced strawberries, or bananas with your morning cereal.
• Stack your sandwiches with fresh spinach, tomatoes, pickles, and sprouts to make some serious progress.
• Toss chopped broccoli, asparagus, or peas in with your pasta and rice dishes.
• And use salsa on baked potatoes and meat dishes.

Nowak also recommends washing and preparing produce as soon as you bring it home. “Put it in a Tupperware container and place it in the front of your fridge. If you have to wash and prepare fresh produce when you’re ready for a snack, odds are you won’t do it. You’ll grab a prepackaged treat or bag of chips instead.”

Spice Up Your Life
Good news: A better diet does not have to mean a boring diet. Instead of depending on fat-laden sauces and high-calorie sweeteners to spice up your health fare, Jyl Steinback, nutrition expert and co-author of Fill Up to Slim Down, recommends stocking these flavor boosters:

• Mrs. Dash seasoning or cajun seasoning — Use on poultry, fish, lean meats, potatoes, soups, and salads.
• Italian seasoning — In addition to pizza and Italian dishes, it’s excellent in breads, soups, salads, and vegetables.
• Butter Buds — Boost your butter taste without calories, fat, or cholesterol.
• Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg — Add to fruit for a tasty treat.
• Herbs — Consider planting a windowsill herb garden that will supply fresh herbs all year long.

Pick Your Proteins Carefully
Pepperoni may qualify as protein, but its benefit is outweighed by the high-fat content. “The best choices are lean cuts of meat, poultry, and fish,” Nowak says. “Cut away any visible fat and try to eat fish at least twice a week.” Other healthy proteins include nuts, beans, tofu, spinach, brown rice, and oatmeal.

Choose Fit Fats
Monounsaturated fats, including olive, peanut, and canola oils, are preferred because they lower bad (LDL) cholesterol while increasing good (HDL) cholesterol. Corn, sunflower, and safflower oils — the polyunsaturates — lower both types of cholesterol. Any fats that are solid at room temperature, such as lard, shortening, margarine, and butter, should be avoided. Look for products containing no trans fat.
 
“But even when choosing healthier varieties of fats, remember that calories count,” Nowak says. “Although olive oil is considered a healthy oil, it still supplies 120 calories for every teaspoon.”
 
“Half the battle to healthy eating is having nutritious and tasty choices on hand,” Steinback says. Shop wisely, prepare ahead, and take a periodic inventory of your cupboards and fridge. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get on the road to good health.