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Hello Good Fats, Bye-Bye Bread

No one wants to give up bread. And no one says you have to. But, the most recent research points to processed carbohydrates as “deadly”. Contrary to decades of inaccurate reporting, it’s actually the good fats that will prolong your healthy life.

People Think Fat is Bad—But Is it?

We have been programmed to believe that all fats are bad for our health. In truth, all fats are not created equal, nor are they all life-shortening. Yes, trans fats (trans unsaturated fatty acids) are unhealthy. Those are the ones where chemically caused, molecular mutation takes place. That would include vegetable oil, partial- and fully-hydrogenated oil, and shortenings used for deep-frying, among others. These are found in most fast foods, store-bought and even bakery-made cakes, cookies, crackers, bread, and other popular American consumables.

Saturated fats, on the other hand, are good fats. Research published in the August 2017 issue of The Lancet, claimed that people with an approximate saturated fat composition of 35% of their daily diet had a 23% percent lower risk of stroke or early death than those who ate less good fats. That is huge—and not in weight, but in health news.

That’s tough to wrap our brains around after all the “fat-is-bad-for-you” propaganda that’s been drummed into us for years and years.

Participants with a super low intake of saturated fats (somewhere between 3 and 10% of their daily diet) were associated with a higher risk of death. That means that low consumption of good fats is actually detrimental to your health. Time to bring on the sushi, guacamole, hummus, and pistachio nuts! (But maybe not in the same sitting.)

What’s Your Bread and Butter?

Butter has little-to-no protein or fiber benefit, but it offers vitamin K2, omega-3 fatty acid, and saturated fat. Grass-fed butter, as opposed to regular butter, is even healthier because it’s antibiotic- and hormone-free. Butter is better than margarine or any other processed, artificial, or imitation form of its delicious, natural counterpart.

If you’re using grass-fed butter to season or sauté, you are not risking your health; you may even be enhancing it.

Bread, on the other hand, is full of carbohydrates, but the not-so-good kind. That’s because it’s refined and/or processed. Bread can contain added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, which messes with your blood sugar and glucose levels. Simple carbs, like bread and corn, digest easily, but they also make you crash quickly. They screw with your insulin levels, which is eventual cause for type-2 diabetes, weight gain, and also your inability to lose weight.

Carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables are different because they provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are also un-processed.

The Bread Winner? Think Again…

Anyway you slice it, bread is a sugar provider and producer. If this 18-country study showed that an excess of white flour consumption may increase your risk of early death, do you still want to order your burger between buns?

If you said “yup”, you’re not alone. Of the 135,000 involved in the 7-year study, about half of those folks derived 70% of their daily calories from carbohydrates (and not necessarily from the good sources.)

Clearly, education regarding updated, factual, nutrition-based guidelines are lacking—or no one’s listening—or no one cares.

Fat, Sugar; Carbs, Sugar; Sugar, Sugar

Ingestion of pure or added sugar is not an essential for human health. (BTW, added sugar is an actual detriment.) Our bodies produce or derive the sugar we need for energy from the proper and natural foods we eat. And, that is plenty. Anymore, especially chemically derived, and it becomes a serious health danger.

All of the foods we eat, whether plant-or animal-based contain the trio of nutrients we need for existence—protein, carbohydrates, and fat. How much of each we should put on our plates has been up for debate for decades. Unfortunately, our good health may not be always the priority in the information delivered.

Special interest groups such as: the dairy association, the sugar producers, the red meat council, etc. may have an agenda of their own. The public can often be misguided by propaganda as opposed to positively swayed by scientific research.

In this particular case, the research, once again, is overwhelmingly in favor of losing the processed carbohydrates. If you’re jonesing for some bread, try substituting the craving with some delicious quinoa, wild rice, or baked sweet potatoes. Your arteries, brain, waistline, and family will thank you.

And remember, you are always in charge of your own health. Educate yourself and seek the guidance of those you trust and who are well informed. Also, check out other articles on www,GetThrive.com to learn more about best health practices for yourself and your family.

Sources:

Where to Find Grass-fed Butter

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114

http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-is-bread-bad-for-you#section7

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2017/08/29/Diet-study-suggests-its-carbs-not-fats-that-are-bad-for-you/1151504055850/?utm_source

 

No Grain 3 Heavenly, Gluten-Free Bread Recipes

Flourless Cheesy Bread, Challah Bread, and Flaxseed Bread

When it comes to bread, if you’re gluten-free or avoiding grains, it can be tough avoiding those scrumptious-looking and paradise-smelling rolls. Suffer no more, for here at GetThrive, we’ve gathered our top 3 favorite flourless-bread recipes just for your gastronomic delight. (Plus, they’re easy to prepare and bake.)

Flourless Cheesy Bread

This recipe is from Sarah Smith’s cookbook, Nourished Cooking.

Ingredients: 1 egg, ½ cup of packed grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 2 tbs. plain yogurt, ¼ cup arrowroot, a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of sea salt, and ¼ tsp of baking soda.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine everything in a bowl and mix with a hand-mixer.

Spread the mixture out, as thin as possible, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for about 20 minutes. The top and edges should be nicely browned.

Remove from the oven, and after cooling for a few minutes, cut the bread into slices or wedges and serve!

Flourless Flaxseed Bread Rolls

This recipe is from UK café owners, bloggers, and sister authors, Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley.

Ingredients: 5 oz ground or whole flaxseeds, 1 tsp baking soda, under a ½ tsp salt, a pinch of black pepper, 3 beaten eggs, ½ tbsp maple syrup, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, and 3 tbsp water

 

Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl with a fork, and then beat in the remaining ingredients. Let batter sit to thicken for about 5 minutes.

Take 4-5 tbsp of batter and shape into a bun.

Place onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Use wet hands to shape/smooth bun so it becomes ¼ – ½ inch thick.

Repeat and make as many rolls as the batter allows.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, as an option.

Bake for about 21 minutes until buns spring back to touch.

Let cool and slice and add butter or use each half to fill with sandwich goodies.

Challah Bread

Gluten-Free, Peanut-free, Soy-Free, and Sugar-Free

This recipe is from Pete and Kelli Bronski’s site, No Gluten, No Problem!

Ingredients: 1 cup warm water, 1 tbsp honey + ¼ cup honey, 1 tbsp yeast, ¼ cup melted butter, 4 large eggs, 3 cups gluten-free flour, 1 tsp xanthan gum, 1 tsp salt, and for egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tsp water

Instructions: Dilute tbsp honey in warm water and add yeast. Let it proof for @ 5 mins. Add the ¼ cup honey, butter, and eggs.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, xanthan gum, and salt.

Add the dry to the wet, and mix well.

Place the dough in an oiled, challah mold. Cover, and let it rise for @ an hour until dough doubles in size.

About 50 minutes in, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After the dough has risen, place mold to bake in over for 20 minutes.

Then, turn the mold out into a baking sheet (on parchment paper), brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash, and return the bread to the oven for an additional 15-18 minutes of baking.

There’s no longer any reason we bread-lovers need to suffer from abstinence. The possibilities of flourless and grain-free delectables are endless!

 

For more fun food facts and recipes, check out GetThrive !

 

Breaking Down the Myths of “Unhealthy” Food

Everyday we hear about foods and trends that are supposedly unhealthy for us. Sometimes they are, and other times, it’s simply untrue. Let’s check the facts…

CARBS

Carbs are necessary. They are digested and converted to glucose. The glucose travels though the liver and circulatory system where our cells use it for fuel. If your glucose levels are too low, cells suffer, even those in your brain.

We can only store carbs in limited quantities. The leftovers (that you didn’t burn-off through exercise), turn into fat. That’s where carbs get the “unhealthy” label. Simple solution: Choose the slower-digesting carbs, which generally contain more nutrients and fiber—and keep you feeling fuller longer. Complex-carbs actually help manage your weight.

SOME “GOOD” CARBS:

Apples, Artichokes, Bananas, Beans, Brown rice, Chickpeas, Lentils, Peas, Oats, Soybeans, Sweet potatoes, Tomatoes, Quinoa, Water cress, Whole Grains, Zucchini

BREAD TIP: Eaten in moderation, Sourdough bread is a healthy choice. It contains more of the bacteria Lactobacillus (from the yeast) than in other breads. That means higher production of lactic acid, which allows for better digestion and absorption of minerals. The lactic bacteria produces beneficial compounds such as antioxidants and anti-allergenic substances. It’s theorized that this may help in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

PROCESSED FOODS

Yes, some processed foods can be extremely unhealthy. The term “processed” means any food that’s been altered from its natural state. So, it depends on the “process” that’s implemented, which will determine if the food turns out to be healthy (or not).

The processed foods we need avoid are the ones that add sugar, salt, fat, or any chemical that’s used for flavoring or as a preservative.

Unhealthy examples: most breakfast cereals, chips, snacks, meats, bacon, canned and microwavable foods.

SOME “GOOD” PROCESSED FOODS:

Milk needs pasteurization in order to remove potentially harmful bacteria. Some seeds (flax, sunflower) need pressing in order to derive their oils. Fermentation is a “process”, and it produces yogurt, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, pickles, among other nutritious foods. Pre-washing is a process used on beans. These are all healthy choices, yet they’ve been processed.

GLUTEN

Gluten protein is the majority ingredient in a grain of wheat. Those allergic to gluten experience headaches, nausea, diarrhea, poor nutrient absorption, and intestinal pain. Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder (triggered by gluten), which attacks the lining of the small intestines.

Although Celiac is only diagnosed in 1 of 133 Americans, studies have shown the benefits of limiting or excluding gluten from our everyday diet. Maybe removing gluten from our meals is a beneficial idea. But, beware. Just because something is labeled gluten-free, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

SOME “BAD” GLUTEN-FREE:

In desserts, for example, the wheat flour is traded for a gluten-free flour. But if the dish is still chock full of butter, salt, and processed sugar, it’s not ultimately healthy. (Maybe delicious, but probably not great for the heart and thighs.)

The lesson? We’re better off looking at the facts and educating ourselves, rather than just taking a label or a trend at face value. Here’s to a smart, yummy, healthy diet!

For more articles on nutrition and a healthy diet, check out www.GetThrive.com

 

Let’s Toast to Breadless Breakfast Treats

Want to avoid bread, but still want a filling, satisfying, and healthy breakfast ideas? Look no further. Here are some breadless suggestions that are nutritious and simple to prepare for the entire family.

SWEET POTATO TOAST

Get a good lookin’ sweet potato and cut it into square-ish slices about ¼-inch thick. Place the “sweet-potato toast” into the toaster on the highest setting. When it pops up, send it through for another round of toasting.

Once removed from the toaster and onto your plate, drizzle a bit of coconut oil over the top. Then for the finale, dust with organic brown sugar.

Healthy Facts: Sweet potatoes are rich in calcium, potassium, vitamin A, B, and C, and fiber. Coconut oil has the good fat and helps you absorb the nutrients from your tater.

RICE-CAKE NUTTER TOAST

Grab an organic rice cake and place it the toaster onto a 2-3 setting. Remove when warm, and plunk onto your plate. Spread your favorite nut butter atop the “toast” rice cake—perhaps peanut, almond, or cashew.

If you’re like most and enjoy a healthy sweet treat, drizzle some organic honey or raw agave over your buttered toast.

Healthy Facts: Nuts all contain the good fat, and recent studies show they decrease systemic inflammation. Almonds provide calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin E. Cashews have a lower caloric content than many any nuts and are high in iron, zinc, and potassium. Peanuts contain resveratrol (the compound in red wine that promotes healthy aging.) Honey is an antibacterial, antifungal, and contains flavonoids and antioxidants.

POLENTA PLEASURE TOAST

You can make your own polenta (from corn meal), or you can purchase an organic “tube” from your local health food grocer. Cut rounded slices about ½-inch thick each. Place them in your toaster oven or oven for about 15 minutes.

Once it’s heated thoroughly and thickened, place your warm polenta slices on your dish. A fantastic treat is to top with an organic fig spread.

If you’re more into salty than sweet, you can top your polenta with crumbled feta cheese and a few pepita seeds, pine nuts, or both.

Healthy Facts: Figs are full of vitamin A, B1, B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, and potassium. Feta cheese is perfect for the lactose intolerant as it’s made with goat or sheep’s milk. Pepita (pumpkin) seeds have protein and zinc and pine nuts contain iron.

If you choose to skip the crunch, you can use AVOCADO as a healthy, staple breakfast treat. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top and then sprinkle with a bit of Himalayan salt and black pepper. Sesame seeds are great too (and contain iron.)

Another option is steamed BUTTERNUT SQUASH. Drizzle with coconut or olive oil and then sprinkle with cinnamon. This can be a terrific diabetic remedy option as it helps control blood sugar levels.

For other nutritious food tips, check out www.GetThrive.com