(AscendHealthy.com) – Many of us grow up enjoying foods such as white bread and rice as part of our daily meals. But some experts recommend cutting down on or even eliminating these and other foods to improve our health. Learn which 5 white foods to cut from your diet and the reasons below.
Benefits of Cutting Down on White Foods
When we think of our favorite foods, processed foods may rank high on our lists. Many of these processed foods are white in color, such as white bread and rice. These types of processed white foods typically do not nourish us as much as unprocessed choices because they do not contain as much fiber and other healthy nutrients.
In addition, white-colored foods often contain more simple carbohydrates. Our bodies break down simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, into sugar. That sugar goes into our bloodstream, potentially causing blood sugar to spike higher.
A consistent diet of white-colored, processed foods may cause our body’s cells to react abnormally to the insulin that our pancreas produces. That abnormal response is known as insulin resistance. By substituting unprocessed foods, we may control our blood sugar more successfully and, thus, minimize our risk of insulin resistance.
For those of us who want or need to lose weight, cutting out white-colored, processed foods also may provide a way to shed pounds more easily. These foods may cause us to crave carbohydrates. Therefore, a diet filled with white-colored, processed foods may cause us to consume more calories.
In addition to cutting down on or eliminating white-colored, processed foods, experts recommend cutting down on salty foods and the use of salt in seasoning meals. Eating too much salt may increase the risk of dangerous health conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.
Experts also suggest reducing our intake of foods with added sugar, such as sweetened canned fruit, cookies and cake. Too much sugar may contribute to weight gain and boost the risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
5 White Foods to Cut From Your Diet
Experts who advise cutting white foods from our diets typically include the following recommendations:
- White rice: Processing removes the bran and germ from the rice. By substituting brown rice, you might benefit from more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- White bread: Manufactured using white flour, white bread is high in carbohydrates but low in protein and fiber. Enjoying whole-grain bread provides more fiber and protein, which may help with weight loss by reducing cravings.
- White pasta: Just like white bread, white pasta contains less fiber than the whole-grain version. For an even lower-carb alternative, consider slicing zucchini into long or spiral strips to make zucchini pasta.
- White sugar: Foods with added sugar, such as pre-sweetened cereals, typically contain more calories than the unsweetened versions — like plain oatmeal. Experts recommend substituting fresh fruit for traditional sweets that contain sugar, such as cookies or cake.
- Salt: Cutting down on salt may reduce our risk of health concerns, such as heart problems or high blood pressure. Read food labels and look for low-salt or salt-free versions of canned foods and condiments. In addition, season foods with herbs and spices instead of salt.
Those of us who grew up enjoying white bread, pasta and rice and/or sprinkling sugar or salt on our foods may face challenges in changing our diets at first. But cutting down on or cutting out these foods may help with weight loss. More importantly, cutting down on these foods may reduce our overall risk for dangerous conditions, such as heart disease and stroke.
~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension
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