The Seven Foods
That Keep Us Fat

Head up, everyone. This is important information.

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the quality of the foods we eat has more to do with weight than the quantity of food. The website Planet Green compiled a list of the seven foods that keep us fat, compiled from various studies as well as recent articles and research.

First on the list is Potato Chips. According to the study, potato chips are the food most strongly associated with weight gain. French fries follow close behind. My suggestion? If you’re going to eat potato chips or French fries, make them from scratch, and eat them only on special occasions.

Number two is Diet Soda. How can this be?, I hear you say. Diet soda is free of calories. Well, not so fast. The nation’s most obese people prefer diet soda. Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center recently presented strong data proving that diet soda makes us fat. They found that the more diet sodas a person drank, the more weight they gained.

Number three: Foods made with High-Fructose Corn Syrup. While commercials claim high-fructose corn syrup is fine in moderation, the truth is that, when it comes of high fructose corn syrup, moderation is seemingly impossible. The syrup interferes with the body’s metabolism so that a person can’t stop eating. It’s truly hard to control cravings because high-fructose corn syrup slows down the secretion of a crucial hormone in the body that tells you when you’re full and to stop eating. That’s why it’s so closely associated with obesity in this country. It’s like an addictive drug.

Number four: Red and Processed Meats. The study published in The New England Journal Medicine found that both red and processed meat caused weight gain down the line. It seems that people who consume a high ratio of meat also consume a low ratio of fruits and vegetables. So skip the meat at least three days a week. Substitute veges, instead.

Number five: Low Fat Junk Foods. Junk food in itself is a problem but oftentimes when that processed junk becomes low fat it’s even worse. It’s a mind game we play with ourselves which sometimes means justifying over- indulgence with the fact that it’s low fat. Additionally, when foods are low fat, manufacturers have to fill in the taste somewhere so they add way too much sugar which sends our emotions on a roller coaster. When we get tired again, we want more.

Number six: Diet Microwave Meals. In the weight loss game, the beauty of the microwave meal is that it’s portioned out for you. But that’s really the extent of the benefits. Diet microwave meals have had much of the nutrient density pulled out of them in processing and what’s more, manufacturers often add tons of salt where the fat should be. This bloats us up and causes us to retain water. Instead, make yourself a real meal, with whole food purchased locally or (better yet) home grown. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but in the end whole fresh foods are what keep us thin.

Number seven: Alcohol.  Pure alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein (which both contain about 4 calories per gram) and only just under the caloric value for fat (9 calories per gram). This means that if you want to lose weight and reduce excess body fat, alcohol is not a good choice. Too much booze also softens our inhibitions so we eat foods we would normally shun. This doesn’t mean that you can’t ever drink but when you do, keep it to one or two drinks.

To be healthy, we must maintain a proper weight. When iit comes to food remember the mantra: Eat whole food, mostly plants, not too much.

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