Why Refinded Sugars get a Bad Rap, and for a good reason!

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Refined sugar gets a bad rap for a reason.

Unless you're prepping for a colonoscopy, we don't advise shunning food in favor of downing copious amounts of gross liquids. That said, there are health benefits to "eating clean".  Opt for foods that are naturally free of man-made stuff but full of good-for-you nutrients that keep your body systems humming along.   

Skip added sugars
White sugar, brown sugar, honey-all sugar pumps calories into your diet and spikes your blood sugar.  Consuming too much of it also promotes inflammation, which can increase your risk for heart disease and certain cancers and make you feel foggy and fatigued. So stay away from foods that list sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or dextrose on the ingredients label.

Avoid bad fats
Saturated and trans fats can clog your arteries and promote inflammation. Nix trans fats and take them out of your meal plan by sidestepping fried foods and anything made with hydrogenated vegetable oils (check labels). And limit saturated fats to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories by wiping out high-fat marbled meats and choosing skim or 1-percent-fat dairy products instead of full-fat ones.

Pump up proteins
Lean proteins from sources such as chicken and wild salmon preserve your lean body mass, and having some at every meal stabilizes blood sugar levels and helps you feel fuller longer. Divide your body weight in pounds by 2-that's how many grams of protein you should aim to get each day, Bauer says.

Be a teetotaler
Alcohol is taxing on your liver, plus it lowers your inhibitions, making it harder to resist unhealthy foods.  Stick to water, seltzer, tea and coffee.

Reach for fiber
Soluble fiber in oats and beans is filling, and it helps pull cholesterol out of the bloodstream, moving it through the digestive tract.

Chew, swallow, repeat
Taking in calories at regular intervals keeps your blood sugar stabilized and metabolism revved. Have breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up, Bauer says, and aim to eat about every four hours.