2. Refined Grains
Consuming lots of refined grains may sabotage your metabolism and weight loss efforts. There are lots of products labeled as “whole grain,” but in fact, they can add a lot of mostly empty calories to your diet without nutritional value in return.
The typical Western diet includes some of the biggest grain offenders, such as:
- pasta
- crackers
- cereals
- bread
- muffins
- flours
- desserts
- granola bars
- chips
The US Department of Agriculture strongly advises reducing the consumption of foods that contain refined grains, especially foods that contain added sugars, solid fats, and sodium. Several studies show that higher refined grain intakes are linked to an increased risk of inflammatory protein concentrations, as well as cardiovascular diseases.
Excess consumption of refined grains can raise your levels of certain compounds that may slow down your metabolism, including phytic acid, lots of starch, and gluten. Many packaged grain products also have lots of added sugar, synthetic preservatives, salt, and are “fortified” with synthetic minerals and vitamins that can be hard for your body to metabolize properly.
What to do instead: A better option for losing weight is replacing your daily intake of refined grains with veggies and fruits or consuming 100% (ideally sprouted and soaked) whole grains in moderation. Some whole grains are also known as “ancient grains” and include things like quinoa, oats, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and teff.
