What's the difference between Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, gluten Free? Which one should we stick to? Does it matter?
A lot of these labels are taken on by the food industry because they are trending and it helps influence the public to buy them! I remember in Spain the apple juice had gluten free on the carton!! I mean what the heck! Of course it's gluten free, it's juice! But just because it is labelled as a so-called healthy regime doesn't make it a given. It's important to actually read the labels on the products.
A pack of buns or muffins may be labelled as vegan and gluten free but they are still cake! These labels may make it appear that they are healthier and they may well be but it doesn't mean we can eat the whole pack! And quite often they are full of sugars to make them taste remotely normal so may even have unhealthy ingredients. Sugar is a plant so the labels are not lying but the quantity in them could be far too much. Cake is still cake! No matter how it's labelled we are never meant to have a lot of this type of food, there are no recommended daily amounts for this food group!
Then we have vegan burgers and other meat replacement products! These may also be full of plant based ingredients but again, wheat is a plant, sugar is a plant, soy is a plant. I had some of these recently and they were so tasteless I had to use ketchup to get them down, something I rarely eat because it's full of sugar. Kinda defeats the purpose right? So is it really a healthier option if you consume unhealthy stuff with it?
Another food plan I see a lot of colonic clients using is high protein. Chicken and meat for every meal in the day or lots of eggs. Protein is the most complex substance for the body to break down and extract nutrients from. If your gut is already not functioning well this process can take too long and lead to constipation, bloating and bad smelling flatulence! It's really important to have healthy fats and plenty of veg fibre to keep the gut moving! A lot of people use this plan to lose weight and are working out in the gym 5 days a week, but only going to the loo once a week! No matter how much muscle mass you build, having waste build up in your body is a recipe for ill health.
And now we have what I call the dough vegetarians, meat being replaced by bread and carbs. Being vegetarian is ok as long as you include more vegetables than dough! Eating vegetarian pizza or cheese sandwiches continuously does not make for a healthy intake of food.
So when it comes to whatever food plan you are choosing, stick to the most basic idea which is plenty of fresh fruit and veg, then add in the other components to get the balance right. Read the labels and understand exactly what is in your food! Take the time to figure out what makes you feel vibrant, healthy and energised and choose those foods and the best quality of those foods. As Dr Mark Hyman says "Leave the food that man made, eat the food that God made!"
It seems to me that if we spent more time focusing on how our food is produced as much as what is produced we would go a long way towards improving our own health and the health of the planet!
Sarah
Helping you be your best self!
P.S. If you like to boost your gut health, why not try a colonic? Learn more at https://www.sarahbreslinwellness.com/b-o-o-k-i-n-g-a-n-d-p-r-i-c-e-s