Posts

Did you guess the health food rights from the ingredients answers revealed-min

Did you guess the health foods right?

/2 Comments/in , , , /by

Last week I showed you the ingredients from five “health” foods – did you guess them right? Well, none of them are what I would class as a health food. Wouldn't you agree?

Did-you-guess-the-health-food-rights-from-the-ingredients-answers-revealed-labels-min

Product one – this will help you lose weight

Atkins: Endulge Caramel Nut Chew Bar

Another reason why Atkins just isn't paleo. Just because it's low carb, doesn't make it healthy as the chemicals in this ingredients list demonstrate. What ever happened to eating real food?

atkins_endulge_bar_guess_health_product_ingredients_paleo_conventional_wisdom_healthy_answers

Product two – it's never too young to start being healthy

S-26: Gold Soy Baby Formula

I assume for babies who are intolerant to dairy or for vegan parents? Introducing Soy baby formula….
s-26_gold_soy_formula_baby_milk_guess_health_product_ingredients_paleo_conventional_wisdom_healthy_answers

Product three – start your day the right way

Sanitarium: Up & Go Chocolate Flavoured Milk

This is marketed as a good nutritious way to start your day. Right. I think I'll just have a normal paleo breakfast instead, thanks…
sanitarium_up_&_go_chocolate_flavoured_breakfast_milk_guess_health_product_ingredients_paleo_conventional_wisdom_healthy_answers

 

Product four – the best bet for children everywhere

Cottee's: Coola No Added Sugar Cordial

No added sugar – so it must be good for you, right? Surely no one needs any of these chemicals. Is it so hard to drink water?
cottee_coola_no_added_sugar_cordial_guess_health_product_ingredients_paleo_conventional_wisdom_healthy_answers

 

Product five – watch your cholesterol

Flora: Salt Reduced Sunflower Margarine Tub

And the biggest scam of them all. Avoid butter and have margarine instead….
flora_salt_reduced_margarine_guess_health_product_ingredients_paleo_conventional_wisdom_healthy_answers

 

How many did you guess the health food from the ingredients right? Any “health” foods with ingredients that shock you? Share in the comments below!

Unhealthy Health Food IKU paleo diet healthy-min

Unhealthy Health Food?

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

I'm so disappointed with Iku.  When finding out how I eat, a few friends have suggested Iku, which is a whole food, “healthy” outlet, with a few locations around Sydney.

I'm not disappointed with options like McDonalds, as I doubt anyone goes there to fulfil their aim of having a healthy, wholesome nutritious lunch.  Iku however shares so many of my nutrition beliefs, yet tackles them with pretty much the polar opposite nutritional approach.

Iku strive on providing organic food, and local where possible.  I completely agree with this approach and can’t think of any other food outlet that goes this far.  This ensures produce that should be free from pesticides, fresher and being local, far more sustainable.  Tick!

They also try to keep foods as close to their natural state as possible, with minimal processing.  This is very in line with the Paleo approach.

Their foods are also all dairy free, additive free, preservative free and free from genetic modification – more Paleo approval for getting this right.  So far, so good.

But, then it all starts to go wrong.  They strongly believe in the nutritional prowess of grains and legumes, believing that they help to fight disease.  This is completely at odds with Paleo thinking, where legumes and grains have been shown to increase inflammation and reduce gut health.  Their ingredients “slow blood sugar responses”. Whilst Paleo, without grains, will take blood sugar responses out of the equation – surely this is far healthier.  Their menu is also designed to “keep cholesterol levels in check”, which is a clear reference to the outdate lipid hypothesis, to which Paleo does not subscribe.

It then gets even less Paleo.  All of their food is free of any animal product.  I can’t find any explanation on their site as to why they (presumably) perceive this to be the healthiest way to live.

Their tagline is “Feel great, have huge amounts of energy and a strong immune system”.  I'm not sure how I could possibly feel good consuming grains and legumes – and no meat.  I know it certainly wouldn't give me much energy.  I currently have so much energy on my (fairly strict) Paleo diet.  As for having a strong immune system, this also puzzles me with all of those lectins, phytates & proteins like gluten in the grains and legumes.

I’d love to see a national chain of food outlets that would combine the local, whole, organic philosophy, with great quality meat – and not a grain or legume in sight!  Perhaps I’ll have to open my own!

Do you have well meaning “healthy” food outlets where you live?  That actually aren't what you would consider healthy?