The doughnut-burger species induces a slow painful death in it's victims through an artery-jamming process called atherosclerosis
We all have to eat to live. Not much going around that.
The problem is that food can kill you, too. A hard fact to accept, but it’s true.
We all know that not eating will eventually suck the life right out of you, but most folks forget that eating foods that are unhealthy will do the same thing. (it’ll just take longer).
So, one more pleasant reminder that nutrition can be a little tricky at times. And I know what you’re thinking.
Thanks a lot, guy…
But don’t worry because here’s some good news: I’m not here to scare you into submitting to the hordes of spear wielding Paleo dieters, or to convert you to the strange religious cult called Veganism – or even to tell you to give up your favorite food.
Nope, not today.
Instead, I’m simply going to provide a list of Eight Foods that Will Eventually Kill You. Do with it what you will, and don’t worry if you’re not convinced to drastically cut your consumption of these items.
Because they won’t kill you.
(Yet).
It will take a while and, in the meantime, you’ll be able to get really good at Words with Friends or Angry Birds.
Because getting off the couch and getting in shape is for chumps.
But you’re not a chump, are you.
Read on life seeker. Read on.
1. Fruit Juice
I squirm when I walk the juice section of the grocery store these days. I can’t look at fruit juice anymore. We had a falling out a while back.
And now I wonder how I ever fell for its charms in the first place…
That’s because this crap is gut-wrenchingly bad for you!!
And the reasons are pretty simple:
The majority of fruit juices are full of sugar. And I’m not talking about fructose. Nope, a ton of “fruit” juices are flavored with artificial sweeteners and contain very little of anything that could be traced back to an actual real piece of fruit. When these sugars pile up in your system, they – like any other excess carbs in the body – increase insulin resistance, cholesterol levels, body weight, etc. That would be almost semi-excusable for very active people who watched their carb intake throughout the rest of the day if “fruit” juices contained beneficial things like fiber and antioxidant levels equivalent to those found in real fruit. But of course, that’s not the case.
Fruit punch flavored “fruit” juices in particular can be pretty bad – and full of more high fructose corn syrup than should be legal – but even nicely packaged Orange juice options are mostly a no-go.
So ditch the Simply Orange and make things really simple on yourself: grab a REAL orange!
2. Sausage
Ah, the simple pleasures in life…
Sunsets, drinks with friends, the beach, camping.
Waking up to a big, warm, lumberjack-worthy breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and – wait for it – Sausage.
Warm belly. Big smile. Maybe the hangover is even starting to fade…
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you better bask in that glowing breakfast-induced warmth now young chap (or chapette) because you need to learn to live without it – ASAP.
Well, at least the sausage that is. You can spare the other faire, but the processed meat that people love to chow with a mind-blowingly satisfying breakfast or on a bun with onions at the summer ball game has to go.
As if sausage and other processed meats weren’t already bad enough for you, they’ve recently been discovered to increase your risk of colon cancer by a whopping 40 (FORTY) percent!
Based on the same research they likely increase your risk of developing other cancers as well. (just in case getting your butthole ravaged by a cell-eating, tissue-destroying disease wasn’t enough to convince you to ditch sausage for good).
Yea…
3. Anything from The Olive Garden
I like Italian food as much as the next guy but that doesn’t mean I have a giant walrus-esque belly like Tony Soprano. I also don’t wear those stupid poker shirts that only guys with said belly (or Charlie Sheen) don incessantly.
I also want you to know that I never eat at The Olive Garden. And I feel strongly that you shouldn’t either. Not only because the food is bad for you (sky high sodium and fat levels, artificial preservatives, and absurdly high carb levels in everything on the menu), but also because of their blatantly dishonest marketing.
Their commercials show a warm young brunette flitting by a table to take the orders from a large group of smiling, healthy- looking, and just-slightly-wine-buzzed people, while a warm flag stone fireplace holds a small fire softly in the background. The advertisement ends with the phrase “When you’re here you’re family” uttered in a warm tone and layered across the screen in friendly green font.
Don’t fall for their tricks. They got it wrong. They lied.
When you’re here you’re fucked.
4. Diet Soda
If you’ve been under the impression that diet soda is better than regular soda, the new research out there won’t make you happy. For a while, people did get caught up in the notion that diet soda was a fairly safe way to go, and it made sense. After all, it was low (or no) calorie and that was the main problem with typical soda drinks, right?
Not quite. The problem with diet soda is that while it eliminates most of the calories that are found in traditional soda, it replaces them with more chemicals to provide that token sweet soda taste. These chemicals – including one you’ve probably heard of called Aspartame in particular – are things that your body has trouble metabolizing. They have been found to be very toxic to the body’s cells and can cause many detrimental side effects, among them depletion of calcium and increased heart attack risk. There are many, many more toxic side effects to these chemicals but I’d be here all day (literally) if I decided to enumerate them.
The other major issue with diet soda and the reason that people who drink it are heavier than those who don’t is that the sweet (albeit calorie free) taste causes the body to release insulin, and react the same way that it would had you eaten a piece of chocolate cake. Turns out you can’t trick your body and snag a “get out of jail free card” for weight gain when it comes to artificially sweetened drinks.
5. White Sugar
Man, this one is a doozy…
But you knew that, right?
Depending on your age and your generation, you’ve always viewed white sugar as at least semi-bad. You probably knew that too much of it would make you feel sick, get a head rush, or both. And you knew your mom was looking out for you (as opposed to just trying to be obnoxious) when she told you to go easy on the cookies.
Fast forward to 2012 and we now realize that white sugar is truly toxic to our systems. Sugar molecules literally bounce around inside your body like little rocks, damaging the insides of your veins, collagen, and organs. Researchers have now linked sugar to everything from skin wrinkles, to heart disease, to diabetes, cancer and more.
The problem with quitting this crap is that, well, it’s hard. The stuff is addicting and it’s designed to be that way. I recommend cutting down on it gradually, and if necessary, replacing white sugar (and also aspartame if you’re taking that stuff also) with “safer” sugar substitutes like Xylitol or Agave nectar. You can also use Alpha Lipoic Acid for it’s glucose clearing effects and other positive benefits on the body. See Alpha Lipoic Acid for Reducing Body Fat and Slowing Aging for more info.
6. White Bread
See white sugar.
Another food that (if you’re a little older) you may have eaten a fair bit of growing up. And, if you’re younger, maybe not so much. Be happy if you fall into the latter category and regardless of who you are, don’t eat this crap.
The main problem with white bread (and some other types of bread for that matter) is the “fortification” process. Basically, most of the vitamins and minerals are removed from the bread’s raw materials before they are put together to actually make the final product. Factories “refortify” the bread during the latter part of the bread making process, but there’s only one problem:
The vitamins and minerals that were “put back” into the bread don’t really “stick” and your body has a hard time extracting them from this crap when you digest it.
So you end of getting a high-glycemic stack of crap that is almost as bad for you as:
7. Donuts
Yep, Donuts.
What healthy breakfast would be complete without one of these bad boys? And of course if you’re a coffee drinker you know how well that Java pairs with these doughy treats.
But, of course, you also know how damn horrendous these things are for your health, your physique, and, well, every part of your soul. If there was a country called “Bad Food Nation” and it was run by an evil pudgy, dictator, then the donut would be in charge.
Massive amounts of fat, sugar, carbs, and very little beneficial nutrients.
Need I say more?
8. Java Chip Frappuccinos (or any for that matter)
I have trouble at times admitting to myself how bad these things are for you, because like fruit juice, I used to partake in the occasional iced coffee drink. This was many years ago, and at the time I (not knowing what I know now) still had a hunch that they were unhealthy. I always just felt a little guilty drinking them and tried to justify it to myself by telling the old me that it was like having a milkshake. Not a lot of healthy ingredients in it – a milkshake every once in a while won’t kill you – and you gotta splurge once in a while, right?
While I still agree with the sentiment – you DO need to have fun and eat whatever you want once in a blue moon – I wasn’t entirely accurate in my appraisal of said Frappuccino. In fact, I was way off.
The truth is that these things are probably WORSE for you than milkshakes…
Here are the sobering stats on this monster health-destroyer:
- 600 calories (200 calories from fat!)
- 23 fat
- 14 saturated fat
- 96 carbs
- 77 sugar
Are you sh**ting me?!?!
Give these things up if you drink them and you want to live. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
And if you really fee like eating crap, go chow a whopper and you’ll be getting something that’s not good for you but still about ten times healthier than a crappuccino….
***
Andrew
1. TRX Suspension Trainer:
The TRX is a suspension trainer that weighs in at about two pounds. It takes up very little space and was developed by an ex Navy Seal for just that purpose: to allow people who have little time and space to fit in a great total body workout wherever they might be. It has since become very popular with mainstream fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes alike, including NFL athletes, swimmers, and many more. Because it uses body weight “vector” resistance, the TRX can be adapted to any fitness level and only requires your own body weight. And it can literally be used just about anywhere: in a park by wrapping it around a tree, at the gym wrapped over top a smith machine, or set on a door at home using the included door anchor kit. The unit itself is very minimalist and fits in a case smaller than a laptop bag. I have found the TRX to be a great adjunct training method to traditional weights and cardio and use it often with clients. I mentioned the TRX Suspension Trainer in a post a while back HERE where I found a place you can pick it up for less than at most retailers.
2. Kettlebells:
Kettlebells are one of my favorite training tools and you can create a lot of really fun and intense workouts with them. Because they come in a variety of sizes and involve really dynamic movements they burn a lot of calories and can work the aerobic system and build muscle simultaneously. And, since they typically require a lot of different muscles to come into play, they’re great at burning fat in a short amount of time. According to a 2010 study, one intense 20 minute kettlebell workout utilized 20 calories a minute or 400 in the 20 minute span. That’s more than some workouts with 30 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes on a standard cardio machine will give you.
3. Bodyweight Workouts:
Don’t have any equipment at all? Don’t worry. Everyone can use their own body to create an effective workout wherever they are. Regardless of your fitness level, mixing and matching simple compound movements like squats, lunges, planks, pushups, and mountain climbers. Most bodyweight exercises work a few major muscles groups simultaneously so they challenge the aerobic system and require more energy (burn more fat). If you’re in less than stellar shape, bodyweight workouts are a great start and you can try alternating from one move to the next, taking a short rest between exercises. If you’re more advanced, you can crank up the reps for each movement and go from one to the next without taking any rest. I wrote another article you can read on The Best Exercises for Fat Loss which includes all body weight exercises and also The Best Fat Loss Workout which shows you exactly how to put the exercises together for a great fat burning routine.
4. Adjustable Dumbbells:
Dumbbells are obviously a great workout tool, but the problem with using them in small areas is that they can take up a lot of space. And if you want to have a full set, you normally have to shell out a lotta cash. Adjustable dumbbells are a nice option that take up very little space and, while not cheap, typically cost a little less than an entire set of dumbbells. For a great total body workout that only requires dumbbells check out The Best Ab Exercises for Fat Loss for a great 15 minute routine. Also, if you’re looking for decent adjustable dumbbells, Bowflex’s SelectTech Dumbbells are a pretty good product.
5. Jump Rope:
Jumping rope is one of the most convenient conditioning workouts out there. The best part about using a jump rope is that you don’t have to go anywhere – you just need enough space above your head to swing the rope. When I don’t feel like going out for a jogging or sprint workout, I usually just grab the jump rope and in 20 minutes my cardio work is done. The great thing about jumping rope – and the reason why boxers and other athletes use it – is that it requires coordination, timing, balance, shoulder endurance, and core stability. Alternating between long slow efforts with many jumps and short fast paced efforts with frequent rest is the way to go.
6. Yoga:
Yoga is a great workout for guys and girls of all ages and skill levels. It’s been around for a long time and it has been proven to improve your health. For more info check out my recent article Why you Need to Try Yoga.
Give these a shot when you’re pressed for space and see how they work for you.
***
Andrew
If you haven’t tried yoga, you should give it a shot. It’s so damn “in” that there must be something special about it, right?
In this case, it’s not just hype. It’s been trendy for a few years and the science is here to back it up: if you’re a human, it’s probably good for you.
It might even be good for your dog. (more research is needed)
If you’re already a Yoga enthusiast, you probably know this. That might be part of the reason you do it. Or, you might just be addicted to it. That’s OK too because as far as addictions go, you could do worse.
My experience with Yoga goes back almost ten years. I still remember getting done with my first class and feeling almost loopy (in a very calm, happy sort of way). It was pretty cool and I was hooked. I appreciate it now just as much as I did then and the benefits for me are just as profound: maintained flexibility, calm mental state, and it’s a great way to “cool off” my system after a heavy lifting session. Talk about a healthy drug…
Yep, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that Yoga is good for us. So let’s break it down…
Here are the basic reasons you should be doing Yoga if you’re a girl:
1. It will help you relax!
2. It will decompress the spine and improve flexibility.
3. You’ll bond with other similar people.
4. You’ll heighten your spirituality
5. You’ll look good in yoga pants.
And here are the basic reasons you should be doing Yoga if you’re a guy:
1. Same as above
2. Same as above
3. Same as above
4. Same as above
5. You’ll be hanging out with hot girls in Yoga pants.
But those are just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some of the other main reasons you need to try Yoga. (with a few more facts to back ‘em up)
1. Pain relief
Yoga can help your body deal with pain in the short term by calming the parts of the brain that process it. Yoga, like many other forms of exercise, releases endorphins. It is also similar to mediation in that it can train the body to enter a relaxed state more quickly, which attenuates our natural stress response and reduces pain. I would also argue that Yoga can help the body recover from minor musculoskeletal injuries and in doing so directly decrease the amount of pain we experience by stopping the signals from being sent to our brain in the first place.
2. Improved Breathing
Yoga practice trains you to use what is called diaphragmatic breathing. This is a healthy, natural method of breathing that relies on the full expansion of the lungs and provides more oxygen with each breath. It has also been shown to aid in relaxation and, in people who practice Yoga, it becomes a habit.
3. Increased Strength
Lifting weights and doing other types of resistance training are great, but Yoga strengthens the body in a very unique way by challenging you to maintain your balance and core stability while working the muscles in an isometric fashion. It also improves proprioception (your body’s awareness of where it is in space) and coordination, since movements are typically more controlled and fluid than in other more dynamic sports. This is one of the reasons Yoga is great cross training for athletes like bodybuilders or football players who typically only train under heavy loads or with quick, forceful movements.
4. Improved Weight Loss and Body Composition
Like any other type of activity, Yoga will burn some calories. But what sets it apart from more typical forms of exercise is it’s positive effect on cortisol levels. Cortisol, which is a stress hormone, is increased in individuals who are overweight. Yoga helps to calm the entire body, effectively reducing out of control cortisol.
5. Cardiovascular Conditioning
Some of the more intense forms of Yoga can be pretty aerobic in nature, but even the most relaxing versions are beneficial from a cardiovascular standpoint. This is because gentle types of Yoga lower the resting heart rate, and over time this can have a positive – albeit indirect – impact on cardiovascular function. Also, for people who are deconditioned aerobically, Yoga can be a perfect low-impact starting point from which to progress from.
6. Improved Circulation
Lowered blood pressure and pulse rates help improve circulation and vice versa. This is especially true for people who weren’t exercising prior to taking up Yoga, but improvements in circulation, blood pressure, pulse rates, and overall conditioning are seen in almost everyone who starts to practice regularly.
7. Improved Self-Awareness, Sense of Self, and Oneness
People talk about the spiritual benefits of Yoga a lot (as I did in the beginning of this article) and it’s true: Yoga helps tremendously with this. Because it relies on controlling your body and externalizing all other distractions, you are left able to focus on these “internal” states and develop a better conscious awareness of your self, framed independently of the world around you.
8. Improved Tissue Quality, Mobility, and Athleticism
As I mentioned in #3, Yoga’s physical effects are far reaching. Being an athlete myself, I have experienced first hand what research has shown to be true: Yoga improves tissue quality, mobility, and overall athleticism. This basically means your body feels better (muscles, joints, etc.), moves better, and functions better on and off the court/field.
9. Inner Peace
Yoga can help you attain inner peace. As I mentioned in #7, Yoga helps you connect better with yourself, which in turn improves your connectedness with the rest of the world. Getting along with yourself and everyone else sounds pretty peaceful to me.
So there it is…
Yoga has gotten so trendy that I think it’s (very real) benefits may have gotten lost in the hype a little bit. It’s good to remember that people have been doing this for while, and it’s really damn good for us.
The research is there. Yoga is a pretty safe bet. Seems to me like you could benefit from giving it a shot if you haven’t already.
***
Andrew
One of my favorite supplements has yet another study backing it’s efficacy at doing all of the amazing things I’ve credited it with over the years.
It’s Alpha Lipoic Acid, or ALA for short.
This thing is a near wonder drug.
I personally discovered it a few years ago and have used it pretty consistently ever since – with great results.
Lately, it seems like I find more and more people recommending it and study after study that comes out saying how amazing it is. Tim Ferris mentioned it in his newer book The Four Hour Body, and I have seen more articles about it recently on other health and fitness sites.
A lot of people would actually like to take credit for this little supplement because it really isn’t all that well known, and it can do some pretty cool things in the body. While I won’t try to take credit as being the first person to ever use it – far from it – I will say that I’ve read up on it quite a bit over the years and have extensive experience using it and genuinely believe that it’s something you should take if you want to look and feel great and even slow the aging process. By the way I’m not selling anything here. I’m just trying to recommend a simple supplement that I know works. In fact, I never recommend anything that I haven’t tried myself and frankly I’m kind of stupid not to start a supplement company with ALA as one of my main products. I would love to sell it to people because I know I would be helping them!
But I don’t sell supplements at the moment and that’s ok. There are plenty of folks out there that make great Alpha Lipoic Acid products, so finding one isn’t a problem. The main concern is just getting this information jammed into your consciousness because you could reap some serious benefits from it and you could start today.
I’ve mentioned Alpha Lipoic Acid a couple times before in other posts. I’ve also spoken about ALA’s cousin CLA, and it’s benefits. The best part is that these supplements can create a synergistic muscle building, fat burning effect when used together.
I don’t want to get off track though, because I’ll bring up CLA again, and until then you can always read more about it here. But let’s talk about the benefits of ALA. And they are significant.
Alpha Lipoic Acid can be categorized as an “insulin mimetic”. This means that it mimics insulin in the body. Essentially what this amounts to is that when you consume ALA, your body doesn’t have to use as much insulin to clear blood sugar from your tissues and use it to replenish muscle glycogen. Not only does this less taxing to the pancreas and other organs, but it also keeps the system more stable (particularly when you’re consuming high amounts of carbs in general – or simple carbs, specifically) by controlling blood sugar levels. Not only does ALA help the body get rid of blood sugar and shuttle it into muscle tissue, but it makes the carbs that you eat more likely to be stored as GLYCOGEN in the MUSCLES versus as FAT in FAT CELLS. Translation: you can eat more carbs and stay leaner.
And I can personally attest to it. Check out the picture to the right. My body fat levels were pretty low at the time and I was eating carbs like crazy. I was also working out and taking Alpha Lipoic Acid, and occasionally, other insulin mimetics. I was taking some other supplements, and my training was pretty consistent, like it always is. In fact, to be honest, most of my success probably came down to my diet and training regimen being perfectly tuned. But that extra 10%? Could it have been the supplements I was taking? ALA? I think so…
Aside from my experience with it, there are other reasons that I think this supplement is a knockout. Not only can it help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce body fat, ALA can also improve your skin’s appearance because of it’s strong antioxidant potential and the fact that it is a heavy metal chelator. Being a heavy metal chelator means that ALA basically protects the collagen and other structures in your system (the skin but also blood vessels seem to be helped by this type of thing) from the harmful effects of heavy metals that can seep into your body and become toxic to your cells. Ever heard of people who are scared to eat tuna fish out of the can? Yea, they’re afraid of heavy metals. And to some extent, they’re probably not all that crazy.
In addition to the aforementioned benefits, Alpha Lipoic Acid also has the potential to slow the aging process. The mechanism here is the same as that which provides the previous benefits I mentioned: ALA decreases inflammation, lowers blood sugar, is involved in chelation of toxic heavy metals, and helps people keep body fat and body weight levels in check.
So you can start to see why I’m pretty hooked on this supplement. I’ve used it myself and think that it’s one of the few pills out there that not only can improve your body and your appearance, but provides other legitimate health benefits as well. I don’t advocate using something unless it confers multiple potential benefits because there is always a risk involved in taking any type of pill, OTC or otherwise. Ultimately the research seems to show that it doesn’t matter who you are, man, woman, thin, fat, or what your goals are – it just may be a beneficial pill for you to swallow.
Alpha Lipoic Acid could be a blockbuster supplement for you by helping control insulin levels, reduce body fat, improve skin, and slow aging – but always check with your doctor before starting any new supplements or drug.
***
Andrew
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I’ve met a lot of people over the years that have wanted to know whether or not they could gain muscle on a vegan diet. We’re talking every type of individual across the spectrum: soccer moms with little children, 20 year old meathead kids with serious protein powder addictions – and everyone in between. Even my dog goes through phases where she seems to be questioning the merits of an all-produce diet. I see her staring just a moment too long at the broccoli sitting on the cutting board before I make a salad. Seriously…
The point is that most of us have, at some time or another, thought about becoming a vegen. Even people who were, apparently, Raptors in another life and can’t go more than a few hours without tearing apart a fresh piece of poultry have considered the idea that eating like a rabbit might be better for them. And we all wanna be rabbits, right?
Let’s be honest though, people don’t always change that quickly. And even if we were certain that eating only plant life was healthier (and we’re not), it’d be pretty hard for some guys and gals to give up the taste of warm, juicy meat. Now, I am not (NOT) contending that a vegan eating style is unhealthy. On the contrary, I’d say it’s a pretty damn intelligent way to eat – to a point. I swing the other way as well though because lean protein, healthy fats and other elements contained in unprocessed, naturally raised animals can be hard to find anywhere else. (Yes, animals that we eat on a regular basis do contain healthy fats – avocados don’t steal the show there).
But I don’t want to make this about whether you should or should not become a vegan. I also don’t want to convince you to come back to the “dark side” if you’re already a meat-free eater. I think there are benefits to both eating approaches but I also think the topic has been beaten to death and I don’t feel like going into it at the moment.
What I do want to elaborate on is the question that seems to be a lot more relevant to people who are already vegan – or who are considering converting:
Can you build muscle on a vegan diet?
Short answer:
YES.
But the devil is in the details, right? Let the facts speak for themselves…
Vegan eating includes a plant-based diet of raw fruits, vegetables, sprouted greens, nuts, and seeds. In particular the raw version of this approach (a little bit more specific and involves eating most things uncooked) may be healthier since more of the enzymes and nutrients are still alive. This makes them easier to digest and more likely to carry with them myriad benefits such as protection against diabetes, arthritis, and joint pain. They also provide more energy and, yes, are great for assisting with body fat reduction.
Ok, so how exactly does veganism help you build muscle?
According to some of the research out there, you can actually train with greater intensity on a plant-based diet than when following a more typical diet because recovery time is faster. All of the health benefits that this eating strategy carry with it contribute to fewer injuries, and higher energy levels. The body doesn’t have to devote as much energy to digestion since plant-based foods are high in fiber and low in bulk – so you can eat a lot of them without being “weighed down” or feeling bloated. And the fact that the fiber and water contained in fruits and vegetables make you feel full (volumetrics) means you eat less food overall. What you do eat though is more nutrient dense, so you don’t need all of the extra calories that you would typically take in with a standard diet.
But what about total caloric intake and protein? Can you get enough to build muscle?
You can – to a point.
But this is a perfect example of why this approach isn’t great for everyone. If you want to get to 265 pounds, then, well, this style of eating probably just won’t cut it. It’s simply too hard to consume enough calories when limiting starches and other lean meats to get that big (in most cases).
Now, the good news is that – yes – the protein you can get with this eating approach is often sufficient for most people. So for the majority of individuals developing a pretty awesome body, adding muscle and burning fat while following a vegan diet is very possible. And, while surprising to some, you probably can build muscle with less than 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. A lot of people who follow a vegan diet take in a lot less protein than the average person. But they take in less “bad” stuff too.
Take Mark Martell, for instance. He’s a pharmacist, trainer, and bodybuilder from New York who has achieved staggering results with a Vegan diet, dropping to 7-8% body fat at well over two hundred pounds. He says he’s never exceeded 125 grams of protein per day. All plant-based foods of course: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and superfoods.
So whether or not you want to go vegan, I would argue that you can’t go wrong adopting, at the very least, some elements of a vegan diet – even if you don’t ditch some of your other, less healthy foods.
Here are some examples of foods that are allowed in a vegan diet. Even if you stick with a more standard eating approach (non-vegan), adding more of these to your daily diet will help you improve your health and your body.
Fruits: Blueberries, Bananas, Dates, Cantaloupe, Mango, Watermeolon, Grapes, Grapefruit, Orange, Limes, Lemons, Apples
Leafy Greens: Spinach, Kale, Romaine
Vegetables: Beets, Cucumbers, Avocado, Squash
Nuts: Sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, raw almonds
Super Foods: Goji Berries, Moringa Leaf, Chia seeds, Ashwagandlha, Flaxseed, Dulse
And: Cilantro, Himalayan salt, tomatoes, maca root powder, spirulina, carrots, chlorella, quinoa, buckwheat, parsley, and amaranth.
Whether or not a vegan eating style is for you, the research shows that you CAN build muscle with a vegan diet.
***
Andrew
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