Healthy Food Habits for Our Families: Eat MORE of This, Eat LESS of That. Say Goodbye to Processed Food & Let's Beat the Obesity Epidemic.

The Showdown: Broccoli vs Cheetos. Which do you think will help fight obesity?

Have you ever gone to the grocery store when you were hungry? 

Oh, yes, mistake #1 and that was ME the other day. I could hear the salty, crunchy, sugary Pringles and Twizzlers and other processed goodies calling to me: Annnnie, Annnnnnnnie….. while the broccoli and flax seeds waved their arms and jumped up and down to try to get my attention. Yoo-hoo! Yoooo-hooo! 

To no avail. My tummy was craving naughty calories. And I should have raced to the fruit aisle and stuffed a few bananas into my system. Instead, I ended up with my hand deep into a bag of Rainbow Goldfish….. Urp. 

So, ok, we're all human. And, yes, as long as we indulge in those processed goodies in moderation, all will be just fine. 

But here's the thing. That's not what's happening. 

Thanks to a talk by a fired-up national expert on this subject matter, Dr. Robert Lustig, we got the inside scoop the other day on the Obesity Health Care Crisis that's facing our families and our kiddos today in alarming rates. He shared the HOW and the WHY this is happening both within our own body's biochemistry and also within our American culture.

Startling. Scary. Sad.

But here's the good news, there's a way to beat it. And it starts in our own kitchens, in our own grocery carts, in our own menu planning & healthy habits for own our families. 

It starts with looking at Processed foods and realizing: hey, delicious processed foods, you look and smell and taste great, but guess what? you're just not that good for me or my kids!

So, enough yammering. Let's get to why we're here. Here's where processed food goes wrong and what we parents need to look out for according to Dr. L and team:

WE NEED TO EAT MORE OF THIS: (There's way too little of this in processed foods)
1) Fiber - fruits, veggies, etc
2) Omega 3 Fatty Acids - walnuts, wild-salmon, kidney beans, etc
3) Micronutrients - found within veggies, beans, fruits - nutrient density of foods

WE NEED TO EAT LESS OF THAT: (Way too much of this in processed foods)
1) Trans Fats - Put down the donut: FDA Takes on Trans Fats
2) Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine - found in protein powders, corn-fed meats, etc
3) Omega-6 Fatty Acids - major food oils like canola oil, etc
4) Alcohol - moderation, moderation, moderation
…and, possibly the biggest culprit in Obesity of all:
5) Sugar, Sugar, Sugar - and, Why You Should Never Eat High Fructose Corn Syrup

What I've found is, sitting down and sharing this above list with my kids and discussing the real problem of Obesity in kids and the importance of healthy eating for kids -- yes, there's a REASON why mom won't let you have that delicious bag o' Doritos every single day, and let's look at WHY…. -- has helped them understand why I say NO when they constantly ask for a Sprite. Or a donut. Or a Cheeto when we're out and about. I'm not just a meanie...

Every once in a while as a treat? Sure. But as a part of our daily family meal plan, no way. 

More to come on this subject matter. It's fascinating. It's real. And it's important. And, of course, do your homework.

Be. Breathe. Do it! -OM

More, more, more interesting info on all of this:
- VIDEO: Michelle Obama's new food site & nutrition guide
- Dr. L's cookbook with healthy (and yummy) recipes for the fam
- Institute for Responsible Nutrition
- So much better than Cheetos...
- Intelligent, inspiring events for women - Dr Robert Lustig