Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Live Food, Dead Food

In Dr. Colbert’s book Eat This and Live, he talks about dead food and living food. He says:

Imagine you have two shelves in your pantry, one says “dead food” and the other “living food.” On the “dead food” shelf is a label that reads: “These foods will increase your risk of developing degenerative diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis; and make you overweight. They will also make you more prone to fatigue, hypertension and high cholesterol.

But the “living food” shelf’s label reads: “These foods will help your body arm itself against cancer, heart disease, degenerative diseases and obesity; and they will sharpen your mind, energize and enliven you.”
If we would start thinking of food as life-giving or death-accelerating, it could help us make better decisions. Not only should we consider how many calories a food contains, but also what ingredients are in the food.

For instance, a 100 calorie pack may be a controlled portion of junk food, but it is still junk food. How much of the ingredients in that packet are life-giving?

Often prepackaged foods are loaded with additives and chemicals to make them taste better and keep them preserved. This kind of food does not supply life-giving nutrients.

Fresh foods, those close to their natural state, are usually packed with nutrients. They are usually lower in calories and higher in fiber – like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean animal products.

Take a tour through your kitchen. Separate the living from the dead. What foods should you throw out? How can you add more living food to your diet?

Eating well is not only about losing weight. It’s about living well.

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