The bad and the good in food

If you want something sweet, have some fruit and an ounce of very dark chocolate. In a world where the list is king, doesn’t it make sense to know what not to eat in addition to what you should eat?

That’s how I look at it. The foods you should never eat are deserving of their own list. While I’ve named the culprit in disturbing your peace (health and weight), I’ve also named the hero in restoring your wellb

Culprit 1 — Deep

fried anything

If you order deep-fried, you might as well look for a cardiologist at the same time. Deep-frying is positively the worst possible choice for having anything prepared. And don’t let the words, “lightly fried” fool you either, as in tempura! It’s all wicked.

Hero 1 — Sautè

for flavor This cooking technique uses minimal oil (preferably olive oil) and gives your food flavor and complexity. After steaming them, I sauté my green beans in olive oil (not virgin, that’s too fine an oil for heat), a lot of fresh garlic, a little sea salt and a liberal grinding of fresh pepper, unbelievably tasty with very little fat, and no bad fat at all.

Culprit 2 — White bread.

Thud. Did you hear that? That’s the sound of white bread landing in your gullet. It’s squishy, gooey and gluey and it’s adhering to the sides of your intestines, do you feel i t ? Considering the negative nutrition associated with denatured flour, why would

any- one make that choice in this e n -

lightened century? Lose the white bread already!

Hero 2 — Sprouted-wheat

bread

Okay, check this out. When you sprout grain, then make it into bread, not only is a lot easier on your digestion, it’s packed full of nutrients traditional bread doesn’t have. Your body looks at sprouted grain as veggies, not starch. That’s good news if your thighs sprout inches just by eating a sandwich with two pieces of bread.

Culprit 3 — Shortening

and margarine

Solidified fats get that way through a process called hydrogenation, which in turn, makes a multitude of sins called trans fats. Not only does margarine lower your HDL (good cholesterol) it also raises the bad (LDL).

Hero 3 — Butter

Hallelujah and pass the butter already! Though a definite saturated fat, butter will raise your good cholesterol unlike margarine. Just use it very moderately. Try “Better Butter,” half unsalted butter and half extra-virgin olive oil whipped together and kept in the fridge in a covered dish. Just like soft spread margarine, only 300 times better.

Culprit 4 — White rice

Are you really still eating white rice? This depiction of a grain is full of nothingness. The fiber is missing, the B vitamins are virtually unheard of and the glycemic load will take you one step closer to type 2 diabetes, if that’s your go-to carb.

Hero 4 — Brown rice

With three times the amount of fiber, more B vitamins as well as other nutrients, the carb load on brown rice is much easier on your body and a smaller amount will satiate, too. What’s not to love about that, especially if you’re trying to lose a few pounds?

Culprit 5 — White sugar

You knew sugar would be on the list, didn’t you? Did you know that consuming white sugar will actually stun your white blood cells from doing their important health preserving work? Sugar impacts your immune system. It doesn’t just eat your teeth and add to your belly fat, it disrupts immune function.

Hero 5 — Dark chocolate

and fruit

You thought I was going to list alternative or artificial sweeteners, didn’t you? Studies have shown that people who consume diet drinks tend to gain weight doing so. Why is this? The hypothesis is you can’t fool your body like you think — if it tastes sweet, your body may still react to it and gain weight. But we need to lose the sweet tooth, people! If you want something sweet, have some fruit and an ounce of very dark chocolate, which is full of phytonutrients. Consider this decadent treat: a bowl of fresh raspberries with melted dark chocolate drizzled over the top.

For more help putting dinner on your table, check out Leanne Ely’s Web site www.SavingDinner.com, her “Saving Dinner” series of books (Ballantine).

Used by permission from Leanne Ely ,