In today’s world, there are so many health ‘gurus’ and resources to gain knowledge from when it comes to learning about nutritious foods. These health experts can be found while navigating social media channels, exploring news sources, or during a chance encounter while out for a jog or a trip to the gym. A wealth of knowledge is available to us in this modern era regarding health and wellness.
However, many facts can be left unchecked if we’re not seeking credible sources, which can put our health and fitness plans in jeopardy. This is especially the case with unhealthy foods that are portrayed as healthy and one hundred percent nutritious.
In our quest to find out what the four ‘healthy’ foods are that doctors say are actually health wreckers because of their high sugar content, we went to doctor and health expert, Dr. Gundry from Gundry MD, to learn what these foods could be. He revealed that foods such as legumes, grains, nuts, and fruits are the four ‘healthy’ foods you should stay away from to avoid wrecking your health.
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Legumes
Dr. Gundry states, "Legumes are loaded with lectins. Lectins trigger inflammation in your body; this inflammation ultimately leads to chronic diseases and age-related health problems." Lectins are proteins that are naturally found in a lot of plants and they are known to bind to sugar. If consumed in large amounts, lectins can prevent your body from absorbing other foods that have nutritional value. Beans are a good example of a food that has high levels of lectin.
Dr. Gundry notes that it's still fine to keep including high-lectin foods such as beans in your diet in moderation, because who could resist a bowl of chili every now and then? He gives some tips on how to cook foods such as beans to maximize their health benefits. "Soak the beans in two changes of water overnight, or three just to be safe. The water will wash away some of the lectins. Next, put the beans in a pressure cooker along with salt, oil, and water. Consider adding an onion and bay leaf, as it gives a great added flavor. Then add the appropriate amount of water inside the pressure cooker; for example, one pound of beans will need six cups of water. Pressure cook for about 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how large the beans are and the instructions for your pressure cooker."
Grains
"Moving onto our next lectin offender, grains are delicious, but most of them are overflowing with lectins. Steer clear of boxed cereals, rice, pasta, and bread," he says.
Dr. Gundry recommends we replace these grains with more healthy options such as millet and sorghum. Remember that moderation is key, as with all foods. Eating popular grains won't destroy your health if taken in moderation, but choose better types of grains whenever possible.
Nuts
"Here's the deal with nuts: not all nuts are created equal. In fact some nuts are not nuts at all. Cashews are actually seeds and full of lectins; peanuts are actually legumes, so you have to be extra careful there," he mentions.
However, real nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts are healthier choices. "These healthy nuts are packed with good fats, beneficial fibers, and a great source of protein."
Fruits
It's shocking to see fruits in this list, but believe it or not, certain types of fruits are another health wrecker. "Fruits contain sugar. Most importantly, fructose, a naturally occurring sugar. Whether it's fructose, glucose, or sucrose, sugar is sugar, plain and simple," he notes.
Dr. Gundry shares an interesting perspective where back in the old days, fruits were meant to be eaten during fruit season, not all year round. Now, with advancements in agriculture, fruits are available to us every day.
"Not all fruits are created equally; some can be good to eat in moderation. Berries like raspberries and blueberries have much less sugar than other fruits. Green bananas have less sugar and can be used for smoothies or healthy pancakes," Gundry suggests.
