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At a family barbeque last summer, as I sat with my family under the sun and drooled for the burgers being prepped inside, I found myself stumped by a conversational topic about the trend, the myth, the legend: the almighty Gluten-free diet. My uncle, curious about the latest trend in the fitness world being someone who leads an active lifestyle, posed the simple yet puzzling question; “Okay, but what actually is gluten?” At the time, all I was aware of was that it had something to do with bread and I was a firm believer of bread, a carb aficionado if you will, so this sudden widespread intolerance towards the concept was troubling as I scarfed down another handful of tortilla chips. My cousin, a young chef in the local culinary scene, has known his fair share of diners claiming to be allergic to anything in order to avoid having it on their plate whether or not this aversion is genuine. For example, a party once insisted they were allergic to celery until the chef explained it was a vital component to their desired dish and they had to admit they weren’t actually intolerant, they just hated the vegetable. However, nothing had spread so quickly and become so popular than the necessity for everything to be gluten-free. Although Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease which prevents the absorption of some nutrients in the small intestine, is estimated to affect 1 in 133 Canadians (Canadian Celiac Association) and is a genuine medical condition along with less extreme Gluten Sensitivity, the adoption of a Gluten-free lifestyle as simply a fad or method to lose weight is highly controversial. Now with more knowledge on what gluten actually is – a combination of proteins found in barley, rye, and some grains which effects things like the elasticity and chewiness of food – I find it interesting that some people have jumped onto the latest bandwagon because they assume gluten is bad without any further information to back up their assumptions; prejudice fueled by marketing campaigns, various celebrity endorsements, and ideals that avoiding gluten will help you lose weight. In reality, for people with genuine Gluten intolerance, this sought after diet trend is a necessary lifestyle for their medical wellbeing, making it irritating that some are buying into the lifestyle as an advertised simple solution for good health. Since gluten-free diets are often highly restrictive and cut out high calorie foods, they may have some slimming effects that leave celebrities like Miley Cyrus advocating that gluten should be avoided. However, for people who do not suffer from Celiac disease or sincere gluten sensitivity, cutting out gluten may result in a lack of nutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.
What is your take on this controversial dietary trend? Do you think the gluten-free diet is a practical weight loss method or will it be eventually left in the diet trend dust along with other experimental fads of the past?
Sources http://www.celiac.ca/?page_id=882 http://www.livescience.com/53265-what-is-gluten.html http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/unraveling_the_gluten_free_trend My whole life, I have been a first hand witness to my fathers discriminatory actions against egg yolks. Believing that egg whites were the only healthy part of the egg, I've watched as he dropped egg yolk after egg yolk down the drain. I've asked him multiple times why he discards the yolks only to get the same two answers:
Eggs Can Kill?Honestly, I have no idea where my dad got the information that egg yolks are bad for you. Perhaps it was from one of his workout buddy at the gym or one of those headlines that state “Eggs Can Kill” or “Eggs Are Worse Than Smoking”. Whatever the case, he ended up with the conclusion that egg yolks were little time bombs waiting to skyrocket his cholesterol, clog his arteries and stop his heart. And while it is true that egg yolks contain cholesterol and fat, it's part of our essential nutrients – meaning that the cholesterol and fat contained in the yolks are considered the "good stuff" and not the “bad stuff”. Egg Yolk Benefits:
So why do Fitness Pros and Health Fanatics Tell Me to Throw the Yolk Out?Every now I'll hear fitness pros (or my dad) telling me to throw out the egg yolk. Why? Because the egg yolk contains 99% of the fat. The word “fat” is the boogeyman of the nutritional world. Back when low fat diets were all the rage, everyone was deathly afraid of fats believing that it was a direct link to heart disease. However, the reality is that fats aren’t bad; in fact actually we need them in order to survive– the good fats at least. It’s a good thing that egg yolks contain the good type. But What About Cholesterol? As I mentioned above, egg yolks are chalked full of nutrients, but what about their cholesterol? First of all, there is the issue of cholesterol and its connection to heart disease. It’s a complex issue that originated in studies in both animals and humans more than half a century ago. However, more recent (and higher quality evidence doesn’t support it). If you’re interested in learning the science of it all here is a website you should definitely check out: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-straight-dope-on-cholesterol-10-things-you-need-to-know-part-1/#axzz49izECF7V Otherwise here are the basics you need to know:
To Toss or Not to Toss – That is the QuestionHere’s a fun and short little video that summarizes and goes further into detail of everything I discussed above: Although I firmly stand behind my belief that egg yolks are beneficial to our health, it is still only my opinion. There are others out there who will disagree with my outlook and argue that eggs are tiny cholesterol bombs. The question is what do you believe? The choice is yours. Will you choose to eat the yolk or toss it? Sources: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/whats-the-big-deal-with-egg-yolks-anyway.html http://dailyburn.com/life/health/egg-whites-vs-eggs-healthy-choice/ http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/tips-plans/ask-diet-doctor-egg-whites-vs-whole-eggs http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2011/10/11/the-nurtional-value-of-egg-whites-versus-egg-yolks-what-do-you-use/ http://www.prevention.com/content/which-healthier-eggs-vs-egg-whites Educating children on good nutrition can have a large impact on their view of food as well as their health. In this generation, a lot of younger children are now raised on “sugary” and “junk” or fast foods. This is a predominantly because it’s more convenient and most kids believe it is more fun, which leads them to believe it tastes better. In my opinion, if parents add healthier foods into their children’s diet from a young age it can help influence their children to choose healthier foods rather than junk food as they are more familiar. Most kids see healthy food as “unenjoyable” or “gross” and perceive junk food as “fun” and “yummy”. There are many ways that parents can influence their kids to be “food smart kids”. Some simple, common ways are to ensure healthy food is accessible for kids to grab as a snack, praise the healthier decisions they make without “nagging” them about the unhealthy, try avoiding labeling foods as “good” or “bad” (kids are naturally temped towards “bad” food) and loads more. Healthy eating when children are young and developing is extremely important. Unhealthy habits as a kids can cause children to develop serious health problems while they are growing up. Having bad eating habits can lead to such things as obesity, chronic illnesses, mental health issues, and many more serve and serious problems. A parent’s eating habits can also affect their children, as kids majority view their parents as their nutrition role model. Approximately 70 percent of kids are reported to take after their mom or dad body size. Some parents might find it hard to teach their kids about nutrition as it can be seen as “boring” and “not fun”. However there are tons of online websites that have games, coloring pictures and quizzes for kids to learn from. Sometimes it may be hard to keep on tract with good eating habits as all parents are extremely busy, and it isn’t bad to “treat” kids with unhealthy food. But it should only be a “treat” and not something that is constantly reoccurring. My personal opinion is that parents should “treat” their kids and themselves, as you do want to try new things (that may not be healthy) but it is a new experience and everyone should “live a little and let go” but in a small amount. There is no right or wrong way to parenting as most of people like to live by, as long as you’re trying your best for children. However you always have to remember that whatever you do impacts them, which can be a little stressful and scary as long as you’re doing your best that’s all that will truly matter. Parents impact their children in so many different ways, don’t you want to impact them in a positive way? How many times have you heard someone (and by someone, I mean your mom) tell you, “Eat your breakfast, it’s good for you!” Probably more times than you’ve actually listened…especially when you’re a high school student who just don’t have the energy to think about breakfast. Well, consider this: perhaps your lack of energy and motivation has something to do with how you’re eating? That is not a new thought, but a thought often forgotten nonetheless. As a grade 12 trying really hard to balance all aspects of student life without having a mental breakdown, I understand how tempting it is to just eat a slice of leftover cake and call it breakfast. For others, trading breakfast in exchange for 10 extra minutes of sleeping time is as easy a decision as (insert simile). Or, for people like myself who just have no appetite in the morning, it may even be physically uncomfortable to consume food at a time when your body and metabolism hasn’t kicked in yet. Whatever your excuse may be, we can at least all agree that it’s so much easier to neglect breakfast than to partake in all its nutritious benefits. Nevertheless, after looking into some legitimate scientifically-proven facts, and gathering some first-hand experience, I can truly say that I have been converted to a breakfast believer; and will likely stay faithful for the rest of my days. Everybody likes brunch. Whether it’s a warm plate of fresh eggs or some buttered toast or even a big, fluffy pancake, there’s a breakfast food out there for everyone. Therefore, there really is no need to convince anyone to upgrade his or her breakfast. We are all quite capable of whipping up a nutritious meal ourselves. It is finding the time and effort to commit to breakfast that many need to work on. Personally, I don’t particularly restrict what I eat for breakfast, although I do briefly keep track of what goes in my mouth. I always have eggs for breakfast, because they are a great source of protein and can satisfy my hunger. If we have some leftover chicken or other meats in the fridge, I just heat them up and add them to my breakfast. Most of us don’t have time to grill chicken breast in the morning, so prepping meat dishes the night before saves a lot of time. I also don’t worry about carbs in the morning, since I know that whatever I consume will be burned up by the end of the day. It is definitely better to eat a lot in the morning and cut down on dinner (though I don’t really) than to do the opposite. If we don’t start off with a satisfying meal, we tend to snack on various foods throughout the day, which ends up amounting to a higher intake of calories than if we’d just ate an extra toast for breakfast. Anyways, to balance out all the protein and carbs and even fat, I make sure to eat a variety of fruits. Whether it’s kiwis, bananas, apples, or honeydew, I’m sure everyone has at least one type of fruit lying around the house. It is important to eat a variety of vitamins and minerals that help out with various body functions. I don’t keep track of what kind of vitamins and minerals I eat (there is just no time for that and, to be honest, it is quite unnecessary) but I do try to eat fruits and veggies from various families…or, just foods with different colour and texture, to simplify things. During the summertime, I particularly enjoy a large glass of fruit and veggie smoothie. I usually just chuck in whatever fruits I have in the fridge, but my go-to flavour and energy-enhancing foods are oranges, apples, pineapples, kiwis, grapes, and berries. I usually eat whatever is in season, because not only are they cheaper and more delicious, the changing of seasons offers me a new assortment of foods. Throw in some kale or spinach, (I usually get the pre-washed and dried ones from Costco) and you can check off the second largest food group from your breakfast pyramid! In case you don’t remember, this is the food pyramid: Moving on, to satisfy the dairy category, I usually just drink some milk or eat some yogurt. Easily done. That pretty much sums up what I eat for breakfast, although it does vary; especially when my mom buys pastries the day before. These mornings are the best, and I let myself look forward to a Tim Horton’s bagel or a blueberry scone, which makes waking up a bit easier. A lot of health-conscious people eat oatmeal or Greek yogurt for breakfast (or maybe it’s just for the sake of taking a good picture) but I’ve never made it a habit of eating either. Although it is certainly beneficial (and I will reiterate why) to eat healthy, whole foods for breakfast, it is more realistic to stick to a go-to diet of milk and cereal than to not eat anything at all. Just be aware that there are numerous breakfast options out there, and it is really fun to try out various foods and see what suits you best. You might still think that there is too much fuss in making breakfast. However, the consequences of not eating breakfast are too real in today’s fast-paced society. “According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, research suggests that children and adolescents who don’t eat a regular breakfast are at an increased risk of overweight and obesity. This can lead to an increased risk of, among other ailments, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which are among the leading causes of death in Americans today.” Instead of worrying about your future health, let’s take a look at the benefits of breakfast:
For more specific and direct health benefits of breakfast, visit these two easy-to-read sites. http://www.webmd.com/diet/many-benefits-breakfast?page=1 http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/090111p44.shtml And here is a link to allrecipes, a website containing a wide variety of breakfast recipes, each recreated numerous times to affirm their consistency and personally rated by people who do try them so they can vouch for the deliciousness of each recipe. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/78/breakfast-and-brunch/ And finally, if you struggled with focusing on this extremely long post, and wanted to get straight to the main point, here is a short video clip that basically sums up everything I discussed above. Finally, what and when you eat is ultimately up to you. No one can force you to do something you don’t want to do. Hard as it may be, change is something everyone experiences in life. However, it is those who initiate the change that usually reap the most benefits… even just making the decision to eat one good breakfast a day a week is better than ignoring all the things you’ve learned! What do you eat breakfast for?
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