Mark Sisson posted about sneaky veggie foods that are bad for us.

• Veggie Chips:

A concoction of canola oil with a vague flavor of the original veggie, these things are no better for you than Pringles.

• Vegetable Tempura:

Veggies, coated in batter (bread + sugar).   ‘Nuff said.  Stir fry the suckers instead.

• Vegetable Sushi:

Don’t mistake sushi (seaweed, rice, and filling) for sashimi (raw fish).  Sushi rice is mixed with tons of vinegar and sugar, which results in a huge insulin spike.   If you must do the sushi order sashimi and balance out the meal with plenty of steamed veggies, such as hijiki (cooked seaweed) or oshitashi (boiled spinach with soy sauce).

• Tomato Ketchup:

Tomatoes? Check. Vinegar? Check. High fructose corn syrup? Definitely! In fact, ketchup contains so much sugar (typically holding the second or third spot on the ingredients list) it might as well be re-branded tomato syrup (yum!) Instead, opt for salsa, malt vinegar, spices or learn to go without!

• Spinach Dip:

Besides the fact that the only thing that tastes good with this is chips (or bread), It’s chock full o’heavy cream, mayo, cream cheese, and croutons.  There’s proportionately very little spinach (or artichoke) in that dip in spite of its name.  Not that I have anything against heavy cream or mayo in moderation.  However, there’s very little moderation when this dish is ordered as an appetizer!

• Canned Vegetable Soup:

Full of high sodium,  flour (thickening agent), sugar and other sweeteners when it comes in those convenient cans, it can be deceiving as a healthy meal.   Opt instead to make your own.

• Grocery Aisle Vinaigrette Dressings

Technically not a veg, but we put it on veggies.  A recent check at Sprouts Market (one of the healthiest available markets in town), almost every vinaigrette had sugar, corn syrup, and soybean oil as the first ingredient.  It’s synonymous with pouring A-1 sauce on a $40 steak.  Don’t do it.  Make your own dressing by mixing a good balsamic or lemon juice with olive oil.  Liven up a balsamic vinaigrette by adding a squeeze of orange or a couple of crushed raspberries!

• Vegetable Juice

Packaged in sexy smoothies, and (mis)represented as health food, it’s still a juice.  Loaded with sugar and stripped of the fiber that would have at least slowed the sugar rush into the bloodstream.

• Carrot Cake

Unless you follow one of the many available Paleo Carrot Cake recipes…

• Corn

Although it can be found in the raw form in the produce section, corn is really a GRAIN!  Full o’sugar and starch.

WOD 01.16.10
Teams of 2
400m Run
60 OH Lunges
60 Front Squats
60 Push Press
400m
40 OH Lunges
40 Front Squats
40 Push Press
400m
20 OH Lunges
20 Front Squats
20 Push Press
400m

One partner must complete no more than 10 reps at a time.