When good habits go bad

From juice cleanses to raw food fasts, super-foods to super-smoothies, we’re in an era that bombards us with the latest food fads and figures daily. But according to Australia’s number one fitness guy, Guy Leech, with so much praise for all this delicious and nutritious food, it’s hard to know when you’re getting too much of a good thing.

Looking at some of the most popular health foods on the market today, Guy offers tips on how to consume them sensibly.

1. JUICING
With so many “juice cleanses” on the market it’s hard NOT to think that drinking juice all day is good for you.  Guy points out though that even 100% freshly pressed juice still contains a heap of sugar and hardly any fibre when compared to whole fruits.  “Try to keep your juice drinking to one cup per day,” advises Leech.  “Particularly when paired with fresh vegetables, juices are a great way to consume nutrients, however sipping on juice all day is a really easy way to stock up on the calories,” Leech says. Another thing to remember is that pre-packaged juices are nutritionally similar to soft drinks so the best way to consume juice is by juicing your own fruit at home, that way you know exactly what’s in it.

2. SMOOTHIES
If packed with the right stuff, smoothies can be a great way to consume a whole lot of nutrients in the one hit, however smoothies can go from good to bad real fast warns Leech.  “Just like making your own muesli, it’s better if you whip up your own healthy smoothie from home,” he advises.  Many store bought smoothies contain ice-cream, high sugar yoghurt and even artificially flavoured syrups – which are definite no-no’s if you’re trying to watch your waistline so make sure you know exactly what’s in a smoothie before you start sipping!  

3. RAW FOOD DIETS
“I’m all for eating food in its most natural state,” says Leech.  “Raw food diets are generally very fresh fruit and vegetable heavy and discourage the consumption of processed foods, which is excellent,” he adds.  Guy points out however that cooking food can be more nutritious and at times even safer.  “The lycopene in tomato and the beta-carotene in carrots are released during cooking,” says Leech.   “Furthermore, cooked foods can be easier to digest and cooking meat and fish kills certain bacteria that could otherwise result in an upset tummy or in extreme cases, food poisoning,” he adds.  

4. ALMOND MILK
Almonds are full of nutrients such as Vitamin E, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium, Iron and Calcium , they are reported to help lower cholesterol and are suggested improve digestive health, needless to say Leech is a huge fan of them.   Likewise, he considers almond milk to be an excellent cow’s milk alternative especially for using in smoothies and as an accompaniment to homemade muesli, he does however warn that there are a couple of drawbacks.  “Almond milk doesn’t have as much calcium or protein as cow’s milk,” he points out.  “Processed almond milk can also be packed with extra sugar and preservatives, so make sure you read the ingredients and nutrition panel carefully,” he advises.  Fresh is always best though, so Leech recommends buying a nut milk bag, blending up some fresh almonds and making your own nutritious almond milk from home.

5. MUESLI
Cleverly marketed to the health conscious crowd, muesli can be packed with goodness while also being chock full of fat and sugar.   “Many people think they’re doing the right thing by swapping up their sugary cereals or fatty fried breakfasts for a portion of muesli in the mornings,” says Leech.  And, according to Leech, the type of muesli on the shelves today provides a poor choice for those looking to shed fat and maintain a healthy weight. Instead of giving up muesli completely, Guy suggests making it yourself.  “A mixture of oats, sunflower seeds, a small amount of dried fruit and macadamia nuts, make for a delicious and nutritious muesli sans the unhealthy fats and sugars,” says Leech.  

For more information on Guy Leech visit: www.guyleech.com