Heart Disease
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2.31 Trans fats are hidden in literally thousands of commercial ready-packed foods and beverages. The following are some of the trans fat-rich foods which should be avoided at all costs.
2.32 Transfat-rich foods include fried foods such as savoury snacks, samosas, pakoras, papars, chhole bhature, noodles, French fries, potato crisps, pizzas, hamburgers, beef burgers, veg-burgers, patties; Indian sweets; pies; doughnuts; bakery products such as chocolates, biscuits, cakes, pasteries, brownies, short breads, crackers, bread, energy bars; spreads and dressing like margarines, peanut butter, dips, gravy mixes, non-dairy creamers, salad dressings, mayonise; ice creams; some frozen foods; some breakfast cereals; horlicks; ovaltine; complan; microwave popcorn; breaded fish; instant soups etc. etc.
2.33 Trans fats are neither essential nor favourable for healthy well-being. World Health Organisation says that no amount of trans fats is safe and should be completely eliminated from the diet. Trans fat does not serve any useful purpose except take us closer to cardiac and other health problems. So harmful are trans fats that there is actually zero tolerance for them by the enlightened naturo-food therapists and nutrition experts. Denmark so far is the only country in the world to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy for trans fats. Let us hope that India and other countries also wake up and follow suit.
2.34 We should totally refrain from consuming foods containing trans fats which produce harmful free radicals. We should consume other fats in moderation and less of SFAs and more of MUFAs and PUFAs. But remember, if you eat too much fat of any kind, you can ruin your chances of ditching the excess body weight. One gram of fat has 9 calories, no matter what the source. Some naturo-food therapists believe that no “visible” fat (animal or plant-based) is necessary if you eat a variety of wholegrains (preferably sprouted), fruits and vegetables, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds, and non-fat dairy products and you will get more than enough “invisible” fat to satisfy your body’s need for fatty acids. For example, Bengal gram (kala chana) contain 4.5% oil. Even onions and celery contain some fat.
Three White Poisons
2.35 Most Naturo-Food Therapists consider that there are three white poisons namely “sugar”, “salt” and “starch” (refined flour – maida). The intake of these should be avoided as far as possible.
2.36 Sugar – Sugar is not a natural substance and it is foreign to the body. It is the result of an industrial process that refines sugarcane and sugarbeet with the aid of harmful chemicals which strips off all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and other nutrients. So it becomes a pure carbohydrate with zero nutrients and empty calories which induces weight gain leading to many ailments. As sugar has no nutrients, its digestion robs your body’s precious resources. Vitamins B, C and minerals chromium, calcium, zinc, magnesium are all needed to digest sugar, which it essentially derives from the body.
2.37 The biggest reason why sugar does more damage than any other poison, drug or narcotic is, because it is mistakenly considered as food and consumed in vast quantities, not only in tea, coffee, soft drinks, sweets, chocolates, pasteries, cakes biscuits etc. which tastes sweet, but also in highly refined and processed foods such as baked beans, bread, breakfast cereals, soups, tomato ketchup, pizza etc. Shockingly, to give an example tomato ketchup contains 23% sugar and 300 ml cola can contains seven teaspoons of sugar.
2.38 Excessive consumption of sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes, depressed immune system, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, heart disease, fungal infections, dental diseases, hyperactivity in children. To scare you even more, excessive sugar consumption has been implicated in gallstones, arthritis, circulatory diseases including asthma, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and Alzeimer’s disease.
2.39 Salt – Salt is a mineral compound containing 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. It is the sodium that is needed by the human body. The body contains about 115 grams of sodium in fluids that surround the body’s cells such as blood and lymph fluid. Sweat and tears also contain sodium. Without enough of it, muscles would not contract, food not be digested and the heart would not beat. Sodium plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and it is essential for overall good health in the required quantity. Sodium acts with other electrolytes, especially potassium, in the intracellular fluid to regulate and maintain proper fluid balance in the body. It is a factor in maintaining the acid base equilibrium in transmitting nerve impulses, and in relaxing muscles. Sodium is also required for glucose absorption and for transportation of other nutrients.
2.40 So much for the benefits and now why it has been included in the three “white poisons” along with sugar and starch (refined flour – maida). While it is true that some salt is needed for healthy functioning of the body and less importantly to make food palatable, it is also important to know that excess of it can also lead to serious health problems such as water retention (oedema) and weight gain, increased blood pressure and heart problems, osteoporosis, kidney stones, stomach cancer and DNA damage. Additionally, too much salt can worsen symptoms such as swelling in pregnant women and shortness of breath. It has been found that there is improvement in Asthma symptoms after reducing salt intake. Foods high in sodium (such as soya sauce and monosodium glutamate) contribute to high blood pressure increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
