I was recently asked by a journalist what were the foods that I would avoid and it really had me thinking. What are the foods that would never touch Sophia’s lips, what foods do I shun? Well let me tell you my tip 6 and the reason behind it!
Gluten – putting the current “gluten free’ fad aside I would definitely avoid it, especially if you have an autoimmune condition. Research shows gluten promotes the release of a compound called zonulin, which regulates how permeable your gut lining is. Zonulin is the link between leaky gut and eating too much gluten .
Sugar – highly inflammatory and acidic, sugar feeds the pathogenic bacteria in your gut and causes gut dysbiosis.
Commercial cooking oils – this includes corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. These are too high in omega 6 essential fatty acids, which need to be in balance with omega 3 essential fatty acids. The ideal ratio is 2:1 but for most people it’s at an unhealthy 16:1. This imbalance fuels inflammation in all your cells.
Low fat dairy – when you remove the fat, you are also taking out the fat soluble vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. Most low fat dairy products have too much sugar to compensate the lack of flavour! Look for under 5g of total sugar per 100g.
Additives – although essential for the long life storage of foods, additives have many detrimental side effects – from asthma, to eczema to behavioural issues. Ditch the additives and chose more fresh whole foods instead.
Swordfish and shark – as they are big fish at the top of the aquatic food chain, they accumulate heavy metals, most notoriously methyl mercury. This is a form of mercury that is particularly toxic to nerve cells and the reason why pregnant women are cautioned against eating them.
My next Blog will be discussing the 6 Foods You Should Eat Daily.
