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Evidence Based Eating For Every day People

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Fried, Died, and Laid to the Side: Here’s What One Study Says About Eating Fried Foods and the Risk of Dying

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Yes, my title is a play on a classic hair product jingle, but I have no desire to delve into tired, century-old debates about ‘good and bad hair.’ My article is about the connection between frequently eating fried foods and an increased risk of dying.

Despite the insanity of taco shells made of fried chicken, it’s common knowledge that fried chicken isn’t the healthiest food. Even Kentucky fried chicken has grilled chicken on the menu nowadays. Nonetheless, how unhealthy is fried chicken? Is it R Kelly unhealthy, or is it just Lauryn Hill unhealthy? Should we stop eating it altogether? Or, should we just think twice before trying to see it in concert…I mean eat it?

A recent study in BMJ provides some insights into how unhealthy fried foods are, including fried chicken. In this post, I breakdown the study’s findings for the sake of helping you next time you break out flour, a paper bag, and an old jar of triple-fried, golden-brown oil that looks like the ghost of Crisco’s past.

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Processed Foods 101: Here’s What You Need to Know

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According to a recent study published in BMJ, almost 60% of the calories that the average American consumes comes from ultra-processed foods (1). Is this a problem? Probably.

As a doctor who treats gastrointestinal diseases and diagnoses colon cancer, this is the stuff that keeps me up at night. The phrase,’ American as apple pie,’ once had meaning. Considering the staggering amount of processed foods we eat—’American as soy lecithin and high fructose corn syrup,’ is probably more appropriate.

Processed foods are so common in the American diet, most people don’t know how to recognize them. I once fell into this category. Years ago when I was a freshman taking organic chemistry at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), gaining an understanding of the chemical nomenclature of ingredients listed on food labels excited me. Now, I just feel depressed when I reflect on this. Having a basic understanding of what you’re eating shouldn’t require a class in organic chemistry at one of the country’s best public institutions. This knowledge should be accessible to anyone with a high-school education. The problem is that most of our calories come from food that’s chemically engineered instead of raised or farmed.

So, how can the average person identify processed foods?

In this post, we define processed foods, break down the categories of processed foods, and share 9 reasons why processed foods are bad for your health.

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Determined to lose weight? Here are 7 Helpful Tips from the National Weight Control Registry

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Losing weight is hard. In fact, losing weight is hard as [insert any expletive]. Think about it. We can partly blame the weight loss struggle on the addictiveness of many weight promoting foods. It’s no secret that kicking a drug habit isn’t an easy task. However, imagine how hard reaching sobriety would be if Wal-Mart sold cocaine. In terms of food, that’s the reality facing many people. You don’t have go to a seedy alley or dark corner to get potato chips (check out my post on chip addiction).

How does one lose weight while simultaneously living culture where gaining weight is so easy? This is the question that the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) attempts to answer. The people behind the registry have identified a large population of people who lost weight and the behaviors that lead to their success. In the post, I’ll share some of the keys to weight loss success based on the NWCR’s findings.

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