What's in your food?

News has broken this week of a food scandal effecting a few of the supermarket chains in the UK, that traces of horse meat have been found to be contained in the burgers that they sell. As you can imagine, there's outrage at such a contamination; Facebook statuses are rife with anger, as well as the jokes that must always accompany such a discovery.

I can't help but wonder if people are focusing on the wrong issue here. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather not eat horse, they're wonderful animals, but there's no health danger in eating horse. No more so than any other meat that we consume regularly in this country.

It's been stated that the products that have been contaminated are not of the best quality, and often contain far more than just beef in normal circumstances, such as sugars, offal and trans-fats, all of which are not good when regularly eaten in large quantities.

Perhaps now is the time for the public to really start examining the contents of the foods they choose to eat. What's in your “low fat” dinner that makes it so low fat? What makes that oh so delicious yoghurt dessert “fat free”? You may be surprised to learn that the answer is sugar! Once the fat is removed from many foods it becomes less tasty, so manufacturers add sugar in order to make it taste good again. Sugar is fat free! But does that mean that manufacturers should put a “fat free” sticker on a bag of sugar? And would that make the public buy and eat enormous quantities of it? No, of course not, but that's what is happening with many “fat free” foods. When sugar is eaten, it will be used as energy by the body (for brain and muscle function). When more sugar is consumed than is used, the body converts this into fat and stores it. This will only lead to weight gain if the cycle continues. Try to choose naturally low fat foods (if that's your goal) such as grilled chicken or fish with vegetables. For dessert, try light Greek Yoghurt, with strawberries and blueberries (I get these frozen from the supermarket) with a sprinkle of cinnamon and spot of honey.

Many people are also mislead when it comes to drinks labelled as “sugar free”- how is it sugar free? Surely that means it's better for us that sugared drinks? Alas, no! The reason that the drinks are sugar free is because the sugar has been replaced with Aspartame (and other artificial sweeteners). Sounds good so far! Unfortunately, Aspartame is bad, very bad! It is linked to all sorts of problems in the body from high blood pressure, dizziness, migraine, fatigue and sleep disorders. Make sure to drink at least 2 litres of water throughout the day, this will help to keep you hydrated, feeling more awake and generally feeling much better.

Fruit is often seen by people as the wonder food that's going to “make them lose weight”. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Fruit, whilst undeniably delicious and full of great vitamins and minerals, is also full of sugar. As mentioned earlier, taking in more sugar than is used means weight (and more specifically, fat) gain. I'm not suggesting that no-one should eat fruit, but fruit should be considered as much of a “treat” as chocolate by many, especially the more sedentary populations. Fruits vary on the amount of sugar they contain, with some having less sugar than others like apples, blueberries and strawberries, which are full of powerful anti-oxidants and have a lower Glycemic Index, meaning they cause less of a surge in blood sugar levels. Instead of snacking on fruit, snack on vegetables (peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots) and protein based foods (chicken breast, beef, fish).

We can't insist on “convenient”, “quick” and “cheap” foods and be surprised that that they contain more (or less) than we think. You get what you pay for, and if you're paying for the least expensive brand in the shop, you're probably getting the lowest quality.

The only way to be sure of what you're getting in the food you eat, is to make it yourself. Do your research, find good, clean and whole foods that fuel your body and help it to work the way it should. Not sure where to start? As a trainer I can help to guide you towards foods that are better for you, are naturally more “low fat” and “sugar free” without being processed to make it that way. Get in touch, http://vtpersonaltraining.co.uk