Foods that Harm Your Metabolism

 I recently joined a detox challenge for the month of September.  I have to admit I have had a rather rocky start, let's just attribute it to the start of school.  It's stressful having your oldest starting kindergarten.  Ok I know that is a lousy justification.  I wanted to share an article, that the leader of the challenge just sent us, it pertains to foods that harm your metabolism.  I thought I would share it with you all.  My hopes is that you will think twice before you consume the foods on the list.

#1 Agave Nectar Syrup
Agave nectar became very popular because of its low-glycemic index, which means it doesn’t raise your blood sugar like other sweeteners do.  However, the problem is that agave is mostly fructose (the highest concentration of fructose of any sweetener) which can create insulin resistance, causing your body to hold onto fat (especially belly fat) and raising your triglycerides. This leads to greater risk of diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome.
Agave nectar has also been found to create problems in the heart and liver with excessive consumption.

#2 Canola Oil
Canola oil is actually rapeseed oil (from the rapeseed plant) and has a high concentration of erucic acid. To remove the erucic acid, it has been bleached, deodorized and treated with various chemicals.
It is not intended to be used at high heat. The processing and refining of canola oil creates trans fats (hydrogenated oils), which are extremely unhealthy (man made, unnatural) and also metabolically damaging because they cause inflammation in your body and disrupt hormones.
Trans-fats increase the risk for heart disease, depression and other mental disorders, weight gain and belly fat as well as lower DHA levels in the brain.

(Alternatives: Coconut oil and grass fed butter are great substitutes. Grass fed butter is high in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which supports metabolism and coconut oil supports fat loss because it is high in medium chain fatty acids.)

#3 Whole Grains
When most people think of whole grains, they think of whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta or whole grain crackers.  The reality is these foods are not whole grains! The “whole” grain is one that is unprocessed… rice, oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth, etc.
The others are whole grain products, but do not differ dramatically from white flour products in the way your body digests them. Once whole grains have been processed down into flour, your digestive enzymes go to town convert that starch directly into pure sugar. This spikes your insulin and tells your body to store it as fat. (And slows your metabolism).
Additionally, gluten causes inflammation and the phytic acid in grains binds to minerals which prevents you from getting some of the vitamins and minerals that would otherwise boost your metabolism.
Very active individuals can burn all the sugar as energy, but the reality is that most of us (even marathoners) consume way more grains and sugar than we can possible burn as fuel, which leads to fat storage (especially belly fat) and inefficient metabolism.
(Alternatives: Up to 1-2 pieces of sprouted grain bread or sourdough daily is a much better option. Coconut flour is high in fiber which supports fat loss and contains the kind of fat that your body can use efficiently for fuel.)

#4 Corn
Up to 85% of US corn is genetically engineered (GMO), and corn (and corn products) are everywhere. Most processed food (crackers, cereals, even granola bars) contain some form of refined corn in high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, dextrin or maltodextrin (thickening agent), xylitol, etc. By removing processed foods for 21 days, you will automatically be removing the extra corn that you may or may not realize you are consuming.
Corn is also very high on the glycemic index scale which leads to the spike in blood sugar and insulin.
It’s also one of the top food allergens, which can cause bloating, water retention and again- compromised metabolism. (However, the occasional piece of home grown corn on the cob is okay )

#5 Fruit Juice
You’ve probably heard by now that fruit juice, even 100% pure fruit juice, is just like consuming sugar. Although it sounds healthy, the process of making apple juice is to first remove all the fiber, then heat it through pasteurization at 280 degrees, dry it and turn it into a concentrate, and finally it often has added sugars, food colorings and flavors before it appears on the grocery store shelves.
Again, consuming excess sugar is damaging for your metabolism and juice can contain 30 grams of sugar- just as much as a soda! (30 grams is about 7-8 teaspoons).

(Alternatives: For the long term, switch to stevia or use minimal amounts of raw honey or dates as sweeteners.)

#6 Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is considered healthy in terms of the protein and fat contents, but the problem is that it is very high in omega-6 fatty acids.
We need to consume Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids in a 1:4 ratio, but most Americans are consuming them in a 1:25 ratio thanks to things like refined oils in our fast food and processed foods.
Peanuts are also stored in moist silos which can cause them to grow a type of fungus called aflatoxins and these affect the health of your gut. It competes with probiotics in your gut (which are essential for gut health!) Peanuts are also a common allergen and linked to food sensitivities, leaky gut syndrome and a slow metabolism.
(Alternatives: Switch to almond butter which is high in an amino acid L-arginine which increases human growth hormone production in your body and boosts metabolism).

#7 Foods High in Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are compounds that basically act like estrogen in the human body. These are found in much of our food today.
Too much estrogen in your body, regardless of where it comes from, leads to a condition known as estrogen dominance.