Here Are 5 Foods To Avoid When Trying To Eat Mindfully

Learning how to eat mindfully can be a challenge.

You must learn how to read labels, know what you are reading and make smart decisions as far as what is best for your health.

Here are 5 Foods to Avoid When Trying to Eat Healthy

1. Refined Sugar

Due to the addictive nature of refined sugar, it is best to avoid it or at least limit your intake.

The real culprit to watch out for is added sugar – sugar that does not naturally occur but has been added during processing.

Otherwise, try to satisfy your desire for something sweet with natural sugar found in most fruits.

2. Artificial Sweeteners

Although many of these are approved by the FDA, other studies have shown even in small amounts, they can cause health problems. The big three to stay away from include:

• Aspertame

• Sucralose

• Saccarin

3. Refined Flour

Refined flour is usually shown in an ingredient’s list as “enriched white flour”. It is almost as bad as refined sugar when it comes to messing with your metabolism.

Instead look for bread, baked goods and pasta made from 100% whole grain.

4. Trans Fat

No amount of trans fat is safe! Trans fats are a manufactured fat added to products to add shelf life to them.

Not only does trans fat raise your bad LDL cholesterol, but it lowers your good HDL – both just the opposite of what you want.

And you must watch the nutrition label and do some math to see if the product has trans fat in it or not.

According to the FDA, a product with less than 1 gram of trans fat doesn’t have to declare it on their nutrition information label.

To see if your food has trans fat in it when the label shows zero, look at the total number of fat grams. Now add up the saturated and unsaturated amounts. If they don’t add up to the total amount, the difference is undeclared trans fat.

5. Oils

There are healthy oils and then there are unhealthy oils.

The difficult part is telling the difference between the two; looking at them and they both appear to be the same.

Ones you want to stay away from, or at least limit, are corn oil, oils that are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, canola and safflower oil.

Most of these oils go through a manufacturing process that uses high temperature, bleaching, degumming, caustic refining just to mention a few of the processes.

Instead, stick with healthy oils like olive, coconut, and avocado oil

10 Important Superfoods You NEED To Eat

10 Important Superfoods You NEED to Eat

1. Quinoa

Quinoa is often referred to as a grain.

This healthy superfood is actually a seed, related to beets and spinach, and not a grain. It does cook and prepare like grains, and has a grain-like appearance.

Quinoa is easy to prepare, can be sprinkled on salads, eaten as a separate side dish or added to a soup.

Health Benefits of Quinoa

This protein-rich food delivers roughly twice as much fiber per serving as common grains. It also delivers high levels of iron, magnesium, manganese and vitamin B2.

Quinoa has excellent antioxidant benefits, is high in essential amino acids, can help lower your blood sugar and boost your metabolism.

2. Blueberries

Blueberries are second only to strawberries in popularity in the US. Many nutrition experts refer to blueberries as the "perfect superfood".

Health Benefits of Blueberries

This super berry delivers plenty of antioxidants, as well as vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, and potassium.

Blueberries also contribute to healthy cholesterol regulation and deliver heart-healthy benefits, as well as improved brain function.

3. Salmon

Salmon is full of healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids.

The amino acids and proteins found in salmon also deliver a lot of health benefits.

Tip: Eat wild-caught salmon instead of farm-raised fish.

Health Benefits of Salmon

The salmon superfood promotes heart health, joint and cartilage strength and resilience, insulin effectiveness and inflammation control.

The omega-3s found in salmon also lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.

4. Almonds and Walnuts

These nuts definitely qualify as superfoods.

They are full of healthy fats and deliver multiple health benefits.

A handful of walnuts or almonds makes an extremely healthy snack, and these raw superfoods can be sprinkled into your oatmeal, salads, soups and desserts.

Health Benefits of Almonds and Walnuts

These versatile, easy to pack, filling super foods can actually help improve your memory.

They also fight cancer and lower cholesterol.

They promote heart health, protect against type II diabetes, contribute to weight loss, and are rich in vitamin C, potassium and serve as healthy energy boosters.

5. Avocado

This delicious superfood is full of healthy monounsaturated fat.

Healthy fats help your body properly absorb vitamins A, E, D and K.

Just 1 cup of avocado delivers a full 10 g of fiber (25% to 45% of your daily recommended allowance).

Avocados are extremely versatile and can be used in salads, to prepare fresh guacamole, or eaten raw.

Health Benefits of Avocado

The high fiber content of avocados lead to heart health, proper digestion, and control of your cholesterol level.

Avocados are also rich in vitamin C. They additionally provide healthy antioxidants that prevent damage at a cellular level.

Avocados help reduce your risk of contracting a long list of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes.

6. Cayenne Pepper

This natural health booster works in a number of ways to deliver physical and mental benefits.

Add to your salads, soups, sandwiches and meats for a spicy kick that is nutrient-dense and full of vitamins.

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

A significant amount of iron and vitamins A, C and E are contained in a small dose of Cayenne.

Cayenne is an anti-irritant, fights colds and flu, is an antifungal, anti-allergen and digestive aid.

It also helps detox your body and supports weight loss while fighting cancer and relieving joint pain.

7. Kale

The leafy green kale delivers more antioxidants than almost every other fruit and vegetable per serving.

Kale can be eaten raw, baked into crunchy kale chips, added to salads, sandwiches, and juices.

Health Benefits of Kale

The kale superfood is extremely high in healthy dietary fiber, iron, and calcium.

It can be boiled, enjoyed raw, steamed, stewed, roasted or juiced.

Just 1 cup of kale delivers 0 g of fat and 20% of your daily dietary fiber.

Kale helps regulate digestion, prevents constipation, keeps you from overeating and helps lower your blood sugar to a healthy level.

Kale is also extremely high in healthy antioxidants and cancer fighters.

8. Eggs

Eggs provide numerous benefits to the human body, are simple to prepare and eat, and inexpensive.

Eggs can be boiled, fried, poached and used as the basis of a healthy homemade mayonnaise recipe.

Tip: Eat eggs from grass-fed chickens rather than those that are grain-fed.

Health Benefits of Eggs

Eggs have shown to lead to a lower risk of heart disease and mental problems.

Brain development is actually boosted by this simple food.

Egg yolks are one of the densest sources of the B complex vitamin choline.

Choline helps improve neurological function and reduces inflammation.

Eggs also pack omega-3 fatty acids.

9. Sweet Potatoes and Yams

White potatoes are treated by your body as simple carbohydrates and lead to fat and weight gain.

Sweet potatoes and yams deliver a long list of vitamins and minerals which lead to mental and physical health properties.

Sweet potatoes are also extremely versatile, and easy to incorporate into your meals.

Yams and sweet potatoes are not technically the same thing, yet they are so similar.

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes and Yams

One medium-sized sweet potato delivers 200% of your recommended daily requirement of vitamin A.

You also receive 50% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Sweet potatoes are inexpensive and versatile, rich in vitamin B6, and a good source of iron, vitamin D, potassium and beta- carotene.

10. Green Tea

Green tea is commonly referred to as one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.

Tip: Opt for organic green tea whenever you can, and check product labels to ensure as natural a product as possible.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

The secret health booster found in green tea is the beverage's antioxidants.

Green tea can actually slow down and repair dying cells, which makes it a great cancer fighter.

The phytochemicals in green tea have also been found to reduce your risk of heart disease.

This natural remedy promotes weight loss, healthy brain function and can lower the chances of contracting Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

10 Simple Mindful Eating Tips To Gain Energy and Simply Feel Better

What you eat truly has the power to change your health and overall wellbeing for the better.

Here are 10 clean eating tips to adopt a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle and enjoy a positive relationship with food.

1. Go whole!

Eliminate processed and junk food from your diet and choose whole foods with every meal and snack.

Whole food is unprocessed and eaten in its natural state, it is highly nutrient-dense and should be the center of every meal you eat.

2. Moderation is key.

Keeping a food diary helps you be mindful of what types of food you usually eat.

Then, after a week you’ll be able to recognize which foods keep you full longer and which foods spike up your blood sugar levels, leaving you sluggish and unable to focus.

3. Think of food as nutrition.

Looking at food as a way to fuel our bodies and minds, rather than as vessels of pleasure will give you perspective for healthier eating and allow you to respect your body and therefore improve what you put into it.

4. Stop counting calories

You are more than just a series of calories, nutritional values or a number on a scale. Learn to value yourself and boost your self-esteem by establishing lasting and profound habit changes.

5. Love your fats!

Fat is an essential macronutrient which we can’t live without

The key is choosing the right fats in the right amounts.

Whole foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil are all great fat choices.

6. Say bye to diets and begin to enjoy a healthy lifestyle by being smart about the choices you make.

Don’t follow some fad diet for several weeks, only to regain the weight you lost

Instead choose to follow a healthy clean eating lifestyle, instead of another diet.

7. Start each meal with foods lowest in calories which will make you eat less of foods higher in calories.

Salads, soups, and fruit are all good choices.

8. Plan your plate with something from all major food groups

Include:

Fruit,

Grains

Vegetables

Lean protein.

A well-balanced lifestyle means eating from a variety of whole foods from each group.

9. Be mindful of each bite.

Eating in a rush usually means you end up eating far more than you should.

So, focus on your food, how it tastes, how it smells, and how it makes you feel.

10. Enjoy it!

Enjoy healthy eating.

Be aware of how good it feels to treat your body right and fill it only with real, whole and highly nutritious food.

101 Low Calorie Foods Checklist

FRUIT

• Apple – 70 calories per medium fruit

• Apricots – 55 calories per ¾ cup

• Grapefruit – 39 calories per half a fruit

• Grapes – 69 calories per 100 grams of red grapes

• Honeydew melon – 61 calories per cup

• Kiwi – 46 calories per whole fruit

• Lemons – (and limes) 20 calories per fruit

• Jicama – 45 calories per cup (chopped)

• Pineapple – 81 calories per cup of diced pineapple

• Plums – 30 calories per fruit

• Pumpkin – 30 calories per cup

• Raspberries – 65 calories per cup

• Starfruit – 29 calories per fruit

• Strawberries – 49 calories per cup

• Watermelon – 46 calories per cup

• Oranges – 60 calories per fruit

• Papaya – 54 calories per cup

• Peaches – 37 calories per fruit

• Blackberries – 62 calories per cup

• Blueberries – 84 calories per cup

• Cantaloupe – 60 calories per cup

VEGETABLES

• Radishes – 19 calories per cup

• Spinach – 7 calories per cup

• Sugar snap peas – 30 calories per (half) cup

• Summer squash – 18 calories per cup

• Tomatoes – 22 calories per medium-sized fruit

• Turnip – 36 calories per cup

• Watercress – 4 calories per cup

• Zucchini – 20 calories per cup

• Peppers – 30 calories per (half) cup

• Snow peas – 34 calories per cooked (half) cup

• Scallions – 31 calories per 100 grams

• Arugula – four calories per cup

• Asparagus – 27 calories per cup

• Baked potato – 170 calories per medium-sized potato

• Baked sweet potato – 55 calories per small sized potato

• Beets – 37 calories per (half) cup

• Bell peppers – 37 calories per whole pepper

• Cabbage – 22 calories per cup

• Carrots – 22 calories per (half) cup

• Cauliflower – 27 calories per cup

• Celery – 16 calories per cup

• Cucumber – 45 calories per whole cucumber

• Bok choy – 9 calories per (shredded) cup

• Broccoli – 31 calories per cup

• Brussel sprouts – 38 calories per cup

• Chinese cabbage – 12 calories per cup

• Fennel – 27 calories per cup

• Garlic – 4 calories per clove

• Hearts of Palm – 115 calories per 100 grams

• Leeks – 32 calories per cooked cup

• Lettuce – 5 calories per cup

• Kale – 5 calories per cup

• Mushrooms – 15 calories per cup

• Okra – 36 calories per cup

• Onions – 32 calories per cup

PROTEIN

• Eggs – 72 calories per (large) egg

• Black beans – 114 calories per (half) cup

• Deli meat – (turkey) 72 calories per three ounces

• Teff - 128 calories per cooked half cup

• Hummus – 80 calories per three tablespoons

• Kidney beans – 108 calories per cooked (half) cup

• Lentils – 115 calories per (half) cup

• Peanut butter – (powdered) 45 calories per tablespoon

• Refried beans – 91 calories per cooked (half) cup

• Silken tofu – 31 calories per three ounces

• Cod – 82 calories per 100 grams

• Chicken breast (boneless and skinless) – 110 calories per 100 grams

• Chicken drumstick – 75 calories per drumstick

• Lean round steak – 168 calories per 100 grams

• Mussels – 73 calories per three ounces

• Oysters – 81 calories per 100 grams

• Pork tenderloin – 143 calories per 100 grams

• Salmon – 116 calories per 100 grams

• Scallops – 88 calories per 100 grams

• Turkey breast (boneless and skinless) – 111 calories per 100 grams

• Turkey leg – 91 calories per three ounces

DAIRY

• Cottage cheese – (low-fat) 82 calories per (half) cup

• Milk – (skimmed) 86 calories per cup

• Mozzarella – 71 calories per ounce

• Parmesan cheese – 21 calories per tablespoon

• Yogurt – (plain, non-fat) 137 calories per cup

GRAINS

• Oatmeal – 124 calories in a cooked ¾ cup

• Quinoa – 222 calories per cooked cup

• Rice cakes – 35 calories per cake

• Sandwich thins – 50 calories per half thin

• Wheat bran – 31 calories per (quarter) cup

• Wild rice – 166 calories per cup

• Bulgur wheat – 76 calories per cooked half cup

• Chestnuts – 63 calories per ounce

• Granola – 85 calories per three tablespoons

NOODLES

• Shirataki Noodles – 5 calories per 100 grams

• Soba noodles – 113 calories per cooked cup

SOUP

• Clear broth – 10 calories per cup

SNACKS

• Dill pickles – 14 calories per large dill pickle

• Frozen fruit bars – 30 calories each

• Jello – (sugar-free) 10 calories per (half) cup

• Popcorn – (air popped without butter) - 31 calories per popped cup

DRINKS

• Tea – (no milk/sugar) zero calories

• Black coffee – (with no sugar) zero calories

• Almond milk – (unsweetened) 38 calories per cup

5 Tips To Start Mindful Eating Today

Eating clean may seem like a simple idea but adopting the lifestyle itself can prove challenging for most. Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, plant-based proteins, and whole grains become the staple of your diet. Meanwhile, you reduce your intake of large amounts of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, refined grains, additives, and preservatives.

Making such a change can be daunting. While transitioning into clean eating, it is highly likely you will encounter a few bumps in the road. The good news is that clean eating doesn’t have to be a difficult task! After all, this way of life is all about eating the healthiest of food groups. With proper tips and resources in hand, you can successfully navigate the bumps to reach the other side.

Here are five tips on how to start eating clean today.

Start with a Single Meal

Avoid making sweeping changes to your diet right away. Consider this; it may require a full year for you to make the transition. Instead, make gradual changes to your eating habits by starting with a single meal. According to Prevention Magazine, breakfast is an excellent choice for initiating your move to cleaner eating. Begin by removing processed meat like sausages and replacing it with two eggs or ditching those sweet cereals for whole-wheat toast and unsweetened peanut butter.

Plan Your Meals and Cook Your Own Food

Consistently planning your meals is the best first step you can take. This plan becomes the basis for your shopping list and what it is you will consume for the week. It also helps you to stay on track. Use the plan to introduce new foods into your meals slowly and as a method to gradually remove the bad stuff. Remember, try to avoid cutting everything out at once. Your body will not be able to adjust. Instead, plan each week out methodically. Keep a few of your favorites but make small changes.

Next, cook your food as much as possible. The only way to know what’s in your food and about to go into your body is to prepare it yourself. This action will enable you to feel confident in the fact that you are keeping with your new standards for clean eating. Research meals that fit the clean eating lifestyle. Sites like eatingwell.com and cleaneatmag.com are fantastic sources of information. YouTube university also offers a wealth of videos with clean eating recipes.

If planning to eat out with your friends, do all that you can in advance to prepare for the experience so that you can stay on track.

Keep Your Produce in Stock

One of the most significant components of clean eating is fruits and veggies. Make sure you stock up on your fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables will provide you with much-needed fiber which plays a critical role in reducing inflammation in the body, lowering cholesterol, and managing heart disease.

Eat Five to Six Meals Per Day

Eating clean will require you to eat frequent meals. This effort will help to ensure you are taking in adequate nutrients and keep your belly satisfied. Also, it will ensure that you avoid regular, unhealthy snacking.

Give Yourself Permission

Permit yourself to eat a little junk food from time to time without feeling guilty (Prevention Magazine). A taste of the bad stuff from time to time will not sabotage your clean eating lifestyle. If you deny yourself a few guilty pleasures all the time, it can set you up for failure down the road.

These are just five tips to help you start eating clean today. Every step you take towards clean eating will bring you closer to a healthier way of living. Make your experience a positive one. Your body will thank you.