Granola bars
Many of these products are glorified candy bars, loaded with sugar, chemicals, and fat. Some claim to be healthy, but tip the scales at over 200-250 calories per bar, let alone the fact that you are not getting much nutrition from them. We find that you get the best nutrition from real food. For 250 calories you could eat a roast beef sandwich, a small chef salad, or some cheese and whole grain crackers. Many people reach for these “bars” because they are in need of something quick. Planning your meals ahead of time will help you achieve better health through food. Hauser Lions and Otters simply should not eat your typical granola bar type food item. There are a few better choices out there that contain higher protein/fat content, but you have to be very careful with reading the labels. We prefer real food.
“Heart healthy” cereals
I don’t know about you, but I am tired of seeing the heart healthy label on foods that are loaded with sugar, devoid of nutrients, and loaded with chemicals! Choose your cereals wisely. Look for a cereal that contains less than 5 grams of sugar per serving and at least 4-5 grams of fiber per serving. Hauser Giraffes, Monkeys, and Bears can do well with breakfast cereal, but Lions and Otters need to keep them to a minimum and look for ones with higher fiber and protein content.
Oatmeal
Studies have shown that oats helps lower cholesterol in some individuals. However, pre-packaged oatmeal packets that you nuke in the microwave typically are loaded with sugar, preservatives, and added calories. Read the labels and you’ll see what we mean. A much better option is to make your own oatmeal from scratch. We love steel cut or Irish oatmeal. It has a great nutty taste and has 4 grams of fiber per serving. In the Hauser Diet book we talk about a number of ways to dress up your oatmeal. Most people add sweet things such as raisins, cranberries, and brown sugar. Those things are fine for people on the Monkey-Giraffe end of the Hauser Diet spectrum. But why get in a rut? Try adding chopped veggies such as zucchini and a little olive oil and salt. Or one of my favorites is chopped fresh tomatoes and basil, a dash of salt, and just a drizzle of olive oil with a pinch of asiago cheese. Talk about delish! Oat meal can make a really yummy meal! Vary what you add according to your Hauser Diet Type.
Egg whites
Seriously – there is no reason why anyone should be eating egg white omelets or purchasing egg substitute products. The egg yolk is the healthiest part of the egg and provides a boat-load of nutrients such as phosphotidyl choline, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids and other nutrients. Most egg substitute products have no nutritional value at all. Take a look at the labels! You can read more about this issue in Chapter 8 of the Hauser Diet book.
Yes, egg yolks contain cholesterol. However, please remember that the cholesterol found in your blood comes from two sources: cholesterol in food that you eat and cholesterol that your liver makes from other nutrients. Interestingly enough the cholesterol that your liver produces varies according to how much cholesterol you eat. In other words, the more cholesterol you eat, the less your liver produces. Therefore the opposite also holds true, the less cholesterol you eat, the more your liver produces. This is why a low cholesterol diet typically does not decrease your blood cholesterol by more than a few percent. In fact, we often find that excessive carbohydrate intake, typically simple sugars (soda, desserts, white bread products) are the culprits leading to high lipid levels in the blood, commonly seen in Hauser Lions and Otters in our practice.
Canola oil or olive oil (non-cold pressed)
Unfortunately, you pay for what you get. If you purchased a large bottle of olive oil for $4.99, chances are it does not contain the cholesterol-lowering health benefits that you think it does, nor is the flavor optimal. Extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil is the most expensive and highest in quality, with excellent flavor and aroma, and is best used unheated added after the food has been cooked or on cold foods such salads or for dipping.. When you heat this good oil, its high quality flavors will dissipate, so we recommend that you only use moderate heat for olive oil. Otherwise we recommend other high heat oils for cooking such as grapeseed or sunflower oil. We discuss this more in the Hauser Diet book.
Fruit juices
Many people are proud to tell you that they don’t drink soda – and that IS something to be proud of. However, substituting with fruit juices is not a good idea. Fruit juices, even organic, are rapidly absorbed forms of sugar. Yes, they do contain some nutrients, and are therefore more beneficial than soda. However, ad lib consumption of them can lead to putting on some pounds. Hauser Lions and Otters should particularly avoid juices because their bodies do not metabolize carbs well. If they consume them, they will be feeling tired very shortly thereafter.
Frozen yogurt
I can’t tell you how many people tell me “oh, I just have a little frozen yogurt for dessert because I get active cultures, plus it’s lower in calories/fat.” When is the last time you read a frozen yogurt label? Check it out. Many times the caloric content is even higher than that of simple ice cream and often they contain more sugar than ice cream. So beware, this is not a healthy alternative for any of the Hauser Diets! If a Hauser Monkey or Giraffe were going to have a little ice cream, we recommend fresh, natural regular ice cream – such as Breyers – but in small quantities.
Are you tired of being duped by the food industry into pseudo-healthy eating? We recommend that you take a look at Hauser Diet Typing first to determine how you should eat. Then eat fresh and stay away from some of these things like we talked about above that are supposed to be healthy but are not. If you need some help, we’re here to provide that for you. Give us a call or make an appointment online!
