Health Trends: Fad v. Fact
It seems that health habits go in and out of style as fast as clothing and hair trends. Unlike fashion, following these trends can have serious implications for your long-term health, if in fact, they aren’t actually good for you. Do your research before you decide to buy into any popular health crazes or ask you friendly, knowledgeable Absolute Wellness Trainers!
Coconut Oil
The newest craze in cooking oils, a lot of people buy into the idea that coconut oil is somehow healthier for you than butter or even olive oil. The fact that ‘oil’ is in the name tends to be misleading. Oils are typically healthier to cook with, but those are the oils that are liquid at room temperature. If they are solid at room temperature, it means that they are higher in saturated fat, the kind that is linked to heart disease and clogged arteries. Compared to butter at 11 grams of fat per tablespoon, Coconut Oil has 14 grams of fat per tablespoon (and a higher percentage of that fat is saturated!). Other than that, coconut oil has the exact same nutritional value as unsalted butter.
So should I buy in? Coconut oil has a ton of benefits outside of cooking use. If you use it as a mouth wash, it has been shown to whiten teeth and help prevent or reverse gum resection. Swish a tablespoon of oil around your mouth for 10-20 minutes and let the oil leach out the toxins and impurities from your teeth and gums! It has also been shown to improve the look and feel of skin, hair and nails! Some beauty products can get pricey, and it might be worth a try.
“Tea-toxing”
Especially if you follow any celebrity social media sites, you have probably seen any number of brands of tea claiming to help you lose weight and rid your body of toxins - calling it “the cleanse”. To me, it sounds pretty ominous. But for whatever reason, it is the newest thing to be able to post an instagram pic of your latest cleanse or detox. In general, tea is very good for you and can have a multitude of health benefits. It has been shown to help curb metabolism which in turn can help you lose weight. But beware of the incredulous claims of losing 10lbs in 10 days, targeting fat cells or those other unfounded statements that seem to good to be true.
Should I buy in? For the most part, those teas that are marketing themselves as fat-burners or detoxing or weight loss teas are going to be more expensive because people are willing to throw money at anything that promises to give them a better figure. Before you succumb to that pressure, try drinking tea and water, improving your diet and portion sizes and exercising regularly.
Alkaline eating
This is a new one that I hadn’t heard of before researching current health fads. From what I’ve read, it’s basically about eating foods to try to change the body’s pH (make it more acidic). Let me be very clear, you DO NOT want your body to become more acidic. That is an extremely dangerous health condition that can become deadly. That being said, medical studies that have been done have shown very little consistency on the effect of diet on pH levels. It may or may not work. Generally, the dietary changes that you will make in this type of diet (basically becoming a vegan) are not bad, but they also may not have the effect you want them to.
Should I buy in? Vegan diets typically do lead to better health, but unless you are very committed, they can be difficult to uphold. It can also be very tricky to get enough protein in your diet (if you read my last post you know that you should try to get more of it). Think carefully about whether or not you have the time and resources to get a complete diet while following this plan.
Gluten-free
I could talk about this one for hours. The first thing I have to say about it is that you have to remember that food companies are ALWAYS marketing to you. They have people that are watching for those health trends so that they can report back. So there are companies that will market foods as gluten-free on packaging, even when they have always been gluten free. Secondly, gluten free does not necessarily mean healthier. It can be just as high in fat as a non-gluten free substitute.
Should I buy in? Unless you have a medical condition that requires a gluten-free diet, stick to eating real, unprocessed foods, controlling portion sizes and exercising regularly.
Low-fat or Fat-free
This isn’t a new trend by any means, but still important to talk about. It’s important to remember that companies want you to buy their product. And how do they do that? They make it taste good. And what makes it taste good without the fat? Sugar. This will contribute to the calorie content and too much sugar can also lead to type 2 diabetes.
Should I buy in? It depends. Dairy products can be very high in fat, so reaching for low-fat options can help you reduce unnecessary fat intake (some is good). Make sure you carefully read the nutrition fact label before purchasing.
Have you heard about any other health fads/trends that you are unsure of? Ask AbsWell! You can reach us on Facebook, Instagram, email ([email protected]), phone (920-841-2443) or our website (www.abswell.com).