Fat Loss Archive

Learn the top reasons why people can’t lose weight, and the best strategies for safe and long term fat loss.

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Pros and Cons of Naturally Preserved or Dried Meats

Naturally preserved or dried meats are meat products that have been prepared for extended storage without the use of chemical preservatives. Undoubtedly a better alternative to commercially processed cured meats that abound in the market, naturally preserved or dried meats should still be eaten in moderation though.

Read on and learn more about the pros and cons of naturally preserved or dried meats and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends only moderate consumption of this protein source. Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Pros and Cons of Organic Cottage Cheese

Organic cottage cheese is a type of unripened cheese made from grass-fed milk. Organic cottage cheese is made by curdling milk with either an acidic agent like lemon juice or vinegar, or with a complex of enzymes known as rennet. The milk protein that coagulates, called curd, is separated from the residual liquid and further drained utilizing cheesecloth so as to yield the final product. Organic cottage cheese is not pressed and so the solidified curds stay loose.

Organic cottage cheese comes in two varieties namely the large-curd or chunk style and the small-curd cottage cheese. Large-curd cottage cheese is made using the coagulating agent rennet and this keeps the curds from disintegrating into pieces, hence the name of this type of cottage cheese. Small-curd cottage cheese, meanwhile, is made utilizing lemon juice or vinegar as a coagulating agent, resulting in acidic-tasting cheese.

Organic cottage cheese is favored by food enthusiasts for its distinct flavor. It’s quite popular because it’s easy to make at home as well. Although this may be the case, this unripened cheese should still be eaten only in small or medium servings.

Read on and learn more about the pros and cons of organic cottage cheese and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends moderate consumption of this protein source. Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Pros and Cons of Raw Cheese from Grass Fed Cows

Cheese has long been a part of the human diet, even before Luis Pasteur invented the process of sterilizing milk in the 19^th century. Of course since then, cheese has been regularly made from pasteurized milk. Some cheese makers still adhere to the traditional method though. Their products are referred to as raw cheese.

Those who argue for the benefits of raw cheese say that while harmful microorganisms are removed when you pasteurize milk, beneficial ones are lost too. These friendly or useful bacteria are considered probiotic and can aid digestion. They also add a range of flavors and texture to the cheese. As for safety, they say that the cheese making process itself, as long as it is done under sanitary conditions, can reduce the risk of microbial contamination.

Read on and learn more about the pros and cons of raw cheese from grass fed cows and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends only moderate consumption of this protein source. Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Benefits of Organic Rice or Pea Protein Powder

Protein powders have long been available to the general public and have especially been well-liked by serious and recreational athletes for some time now. Among the most popular protein powders are the ones made exclusively from organic brown rice or peas, or a combination of these two.

Organic rice or pea protein powder is not only touted for its high protein content. A whole host of other healthful benefits can be had from taking this very convenient food supplement as well.

Continue reading and find out more about the health benefits of organic rice or pea protein powder and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid strongly recommends you add this source of protein in your diet. Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Benefits of Pasture-Raised Organic Pork

Pasture-raising, just like its name suggests, is the method of raising meats for human consumption in fields or paddocks planted to grass. Pasture-raising meats like pork is not such a popular practice as industrial production in gigantic feedlots is still the norm these days. However, the increasing interest in pasture-raised and organic meats has resulted in some producers adopting the method. A growing number of studies also points to the wholesome goodness and overall health benefits of meats like pork that have been raised organically in well maintained pastures.

Continue reading and find out more about the health benefits of pasture-raised organic pork and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid strongly recommends you add this source of protein in your diet. Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Benefits of Grass-fed Beef, Bison, Buffalo or Lamb

Large-scale livestock raising did not become the norm up until the 20^th century. Prior to this, animals meant for human consumption such as cows, goats, and sheep fed the way that nature intended them to, and that is, to graze and munch on wild grass.

Then came the need for improved food production right around the start of the Second World War. Bread got mass produced and even got fortified with nutrients to ensure nourishment. The discovery of vaccines and antibiotics resulted in livestock raising becoming an industry. Because diseases in animals can now be readily contained, the once grass-fed livestock were made to live in controlled and cramped spaces known as feedlots, and were made to eat diets comprised mostly of grains to easily fatten them up for quick harvest.

Meat products from feedlots to this day still make up the majority of the consumer market. However, demand for grass-fed beef, including grass-fed meats like bison, buffalo and lamb, is steadily increasing. And this is for good reason as including grass-fed meats in your diet offers a whole host of benefits.

Continue reading and find out more about the health benefits of grass-fed beef, bison, buffalo or lamb and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid strongly recommends you add this source of protein in your diet. Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Negative Effects of Bread

Bread has been a staple of the American diet for the longest time. The first bread from cornmeal was thought to be brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus in the late 1400s. Then in 1602, the first wheat crop was planted by British sea captain Bartholomew Gosnold in Massachusetts. More than 200 years later, commercially produced yeast was made available allowing for softer and more flavorful bread products.

Not long after, Edmund LaCroix would release a more improved version of the steel roller which made possible the production of white flour. Fast-forward to 1928, the year when Otto Rohwedder’s invention of the bread slicer was released, and the first sliced bread product was sold to the public in Missouri.

It can sometimes be difficult to shift perspective and see how eating this staple can have detrimental effects to our health. But you have to understand that the wheat or other grain flour and methods of food production used back then are completely different from current standards. Continue reading to know more about the negative effects of bread (and be sure to also check out the recommended soak times for beans, grains, legumes, nuts and rice.) Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Negative Effects of Cereals

Breakfast cereals were born out of the vegetarian diet recommended by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to its members. The recognized pioneers of this industry, Dr. John H. Kellogg and Charles W. Post, were Adventists and development of their products was guided by religious beliefs as much as commercial interests. Part of their concept was to create something that was ready-to-eat. Most of the other grain recipes at that time required tedious preparation such as overnight soaking and long cooking times.

It’s quite ironic that the modern commercial breakfast cereal is so far removed from the health objectives that initially drove its invention. There were a few misconceptions that contributed to its downgrade. The growing use of refined flour, for example, was due to the misunderstood role of fiber in the digestion process back then. More sugar was also added when the products started to be marketed to children. Read further to know more about the negatives effects of cereals (and be sure to also check out the recommended soak times for beans, grains, legumes, nuts and rice.) Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Negative Effects of Bagels

Bagels are a widely popular bread product which is made from yeasted wheat dough that is first briefly boiled and then baked. This two-step cooking process gives bagels their characteristic chewy and dense interior yet very crispy outer layer, which is often traditionally topped with sesame or poppy seeds. Bagels are typically hand-shaped into rings so as to allow for even cooking every time. Originating from Krakow, Poland in the early 1600s, bagels have since become widely popular and available, especially in areas with considerable Jewish populations.

Just like most commercial bread products nowadays, the potential health risks of bagels stems from its ingredients. The main issue is wheat flour and the modern ways the grain is being grown and processed after harvest. Read on to discover more of the negatives effects of bagels (and be sure to also check out the recommended soak times for beans, grains, legumes, nuts and rice.) Read More . .

Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Negative Effects of Crackers

In 1801, a certain baker from Massachusetts named Josiah Bent overcooked a batch of biscuits. The name “crackers” is said to have come from the crackling sound those biscuits made as they were burning in the oven. Back then, crackers were very much like flatbread, made from basic flour, water and some salt or spices for seasoning.

The crackers available in groceries today hardly resemble their ancestor. They are now highly-processed food. They’re packaged in plastic or boxes, and if you read the labels, you’re likely to see some of the risky ingredients also found in other junk food. These would be the usual culprits: white flour, saturated and trans fats, processed sugar, salt, and some artificial additives. Continue reading to know more about the negative effects of crackers (and be sure to also check out the recommended soak times for beans, grains, legumes, nuts and rice.) Read More . .