In general, the term “white foods” refers to processed and refined foods that are white in color, such as flour, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, cereals, and simple sugars like table sugar and buttermilk. high fructose corn syrup. Organic, unprocessed white foods like potatoes, onions, cauliflower, turnips, and white beans do not fall into the same category. Most white foods are unhealthy because they tend to be more intensively processed, high in carbohydrates and low in nutrients compared to their more colorful competitors.
Here are 3 white foods you should avoid for weight loss:
1. White bread
White bread is one of those white foods to avoid. And not just those, but white flour, crackers, pastries, and breakfast cereals are also included. Most of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the germ and bran of the grain are removed during the milling process to produce refined bread flour. Therefore, if your goal is to lose weight, reducing your intake of white bread and other foods made from refined grains may improve your chances of success. Instead of eating white bread, you switch to whole grain bread because it does not encourage weight gain like eating white bread.
2. White sugar
Sugar is the white food that many people find hardest to give up. Avoid processed sugar because it enlarges your organs, causes heart disease, raises dangerous cholesterol levels, and impairs your ability to regulate your appetite (unbalances your hunger and satiety hormones). Consuming sugar increases the craving for additional sweets, which can cause cavities. If you have trouble eliminating added sugars from your diet but have a sweet tooth, choose natural sugar sources from whole foods like fruit. Natural simple sugars and added sugars in fruits are chemically similar. Brown sugar, stevia, maple syrup or honey can all be used as simple substitutes for refined sugar. Compared to white sugar, these choices are healthier.
3. White rice
Like white pasta and bread, white rice is a form of refined grain. White rice is transformed from whole grains into the starchy, fluffy white rice you’re probably used to during the milling process by removing the bran and germ. White rice is high in calories and carbs but doesn’t necessarily have a bad or unhealthy nutritional profile. Due to its lack of protein and fiber, white rice is particularly easy to overeat, which can lead to weight gain or blood sugar irregularities. White rice is good when eaten in limited amounts and combined with plenty of vegetables and protein to make it more nutritious and complex.
Before being ground, white rice is just white rice, while milling can extend the shelf life of rice, it also destroys the fiber, vitamins and minerals that make brown rice so nutrient dense. . White rice substitutes that are higher in nutrients include quinoa, barley, and cauliflower rice.
Several examples of white foods that are packed with nutrients:
- Vegetables: Mushrooms, turnips, parsnips, onions and cauliflower, white beans are a legume
- Meats: whitefish and chicken
- Dairy products: Milk, yogurt and cheese
- Other foods include egg whites and coconut
Notably, some formulations of the No White Foods Diet allow consumption of white foods, including fish, eggs, and poultry, while others do not. Therefore, it’s important to consider what foods you’re avoiding and why, as some of them can help you reach your goals. While paying attention to what you eat and its nutritional content is crucial when trying to lose weight as well, the quality of food is just as crucial as its quantity.
