Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 16: NATTO
Why we avoid it: It’s stinky, stringy, slimy, and sticky. Kind of like snot. Natto is made by soaking and steaming soybeans, mixed with Bacillus subtilis and aged in a warm spot until fermented. YouTube is full of people gagging on, or gamely choking down, natto as a challenge. Why we should eat it: It’s worth trying to acquire a…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 15: MILLET
Why we avoid it: Although millet is a major food source in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world, it’s considered birdseed in Europe and North America. We don’t eat Alpo or Purina, so why would we eat bird food? Why we should eat it: Millet is not just for the birds. In addition to being gluten-free, millet is considered one…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 14: MARMITE
Why we avoid it: Marmite, a Brit favourite, is famous for its slogan "Love It, Or Hate It." It’s a sticky, gloopy, salty spread made from yeast extract. It tastes like stale, acrid sardines. Vegemite, a similar yeast extract preparation, is a favourite in Australia. The two brands look and taste different, but they’re both pretty…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 13: CALF LIVER
Why we avoid it: Offal (organ meat) is not appealing to many people. The texture and metallic taste probably turned you off as a kid, and you’ve probably hated it ever since. A popular objection to eating liver is the belief that it stores toxins. It’s true that the liver neutralises toxins, but these are usually eliminated or…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 12: KOHLRABI
Why we avoid it: It’s a weird-looking vegetable. It looks a cross between an octopus and an alien space pod. What exactly do you do with it? Why we should eat it: Kohlrabi, along with broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens and Brussels sprouts, is a cultivar of wild cabbage and thus contains the same nutritious power of the…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 11: KETCHUP
Why we avoid it: America's favourite condiment is not particularly healthy. After tomatoes, the next major ingredient is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This cheap sweetener causes huge spikes in your blood sugar levels and is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Not only should we all avoid anything with HFCS in it, but…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 10: HEMP MILK
Why we avoid it: Hemp is the same species as marijuana, a psychoactive plant that is illegal in many parts of the world. That association alone is enough to turn off the straight and narrow. Why we should eat it: Hemp is indeed a variety of cannabis, but the concentration of the psychoactive substance -- tetrahydrocannabinol or…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 9: DURIAN
Why we avoid it: It stinks. You can’t be blamed for checking under your shoes when you pass this large spike-covered green fruit in Asian markets. It smells like a combination of rotten meat, sour milk, old gym shoes, with a hint of dog feces and raw sewage. It smells so awful that some hotels and public transportation in…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 8: KEFIR
Why we avoid it: Kefir tastes like someone added Champagne to yoghurt. Not everyone likes its fizzy, acidic and sourdough taste. It also contains a small amount of alcohol and smells like milk gone sour. Even so... Why we should eat it: Kefir may be an acquired taste, but its nutritional qualities may surpass that of yoghurt. Made…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 7: HABANERO PEPPERS
Why we avoid it: It’s hot. Way too hot for people with milder palates. Why the hell would you put anything in your mouth that feels like it’ll make the top of your head explode? Why we should eat it: The hotness of habanero peppers is from a compound called capsaicin, which actually has health benefits. Despite what it may feel…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 6: CHEESE
Why we avoid it: Cheese is so confusing that many people don’t know where it fits in a healthy lifestyle. It’s full of fat and calories -- we’re certain of that. But what’s better for you? Soft or hard, non-fat or full fat, mild-flavoured or intense? Why we should eat it: Let’s assume that we’re talking about cheese that doesn’t…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 5: ESCARGOT
Why we avoid it: Although they’re a delicacy in France, a lot of other cultures have a hard time looking at slime-trailing snails as food. Gardeners consider snails as pests that eat our food, so why would we eat them as food? Some consider the texture unpleasantly chewy and gooey. Besides, snails are nothing more than slugs with…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 4: EEL
Why we avoid it: They’re small, slimy, transparent, wriggling snake-like creatures that crawl around the mud. Good luck sliding one down your throat while smiling. Why we should eat it: Eels aren’t snakes at all but a type of fish that lack pelvic and pectoral fins. As fish, they’re a fantastic source of mega-healthy omega-3 fatty…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T Part 3: COFFEE
Why we avoid it: Caffeine is the world’s favourite legal drug, but it can become addictive, cause anxiety, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, headaches, heart palpitations and withdrawal symptoms. Some people just don’t feel normal without coffee, and that’s not normal. Former coffee drinkers often report that they have more…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T. Part 2: BACON
Why we avoid it: The iconic 'greasy' food is avoided because it is ultra fatty and ultra salty, making it enemy No. 1 for most cardiologists and high blood-pressure patients. Why we should eat it: Bacon was once vilified because of its saturated fat and cholesterol content, but we now know that these aren’t all that bad for us.…
Foods you avoid BUT SHOULDN’T. Part 1: RED MEAT
Why we avoid it: Over the last 30 years, red meat has been blamed for everything from heart disease to cancer. Researchers thought that this was due to the meat’s saturated fat and cholesterol content, as well as the sodium and nitrates in processed deli meats. Bolstered by alarmist newspaper and magazine headlines, people tossed…
50 Foods You Think Are Healthy But Actually Aren't
Unhealthy Health Food The food industry has a very good grasp of human psychology, and its marketing campaigns have exploited a trait called the “halo effect.” An example of this would be considering people intelligent just because they wear glasses. The same applies to food. Read the full article on Askmen
Top 10: High-Energy Foods
The 10 Best Energy-Boosting Foods Fatigue and a shortage of energy are the most common complaints for people busy juggling a career, relationship and a consistent exercise plan. We’re often left looking for high-energy foods, and many of us turn to quick fixes like sugar and caffeine. This may work in the short term, but after an…
10 Best Energy & Protein Bars
Our Nutritionist Tested 30 Protein Bars. These Are The 10 Best. Nutrition bars were originally designed for serious athletes but are now perceived as healthy, nutritious snacks or meal replacements by consumers. They may be better choices, but they are not necessarily good choices. Most contain hidden sugars, low-quality protein…
Winter Weight
5 Ways To Avoid Getting Fat This Winter People get fatter in winter — it seems like a natural law. Whether it's because of all the feast-based holidays, the ton of comfort food needed to contend with the cold and dark, or the reduced amount of exercise, we all feel like we've put on about five pounds before spring shows its fat…