“Grey” listed foods must be considered carefully when weight loss stagnates as they may cause severe allergies, bloating and discomfort – even though some of them are low-carb. Here is my grey list and some explanations as to why they may be problematic in your diet.
Grey List:
Alcohol
Beans
Chocolate
Dairy products
Fruit
Goats cheese/milk
Kefir(dairy)
Kombucha
Nuts and seeds(flour, butter or raw)
Peas
Dairy:
Dairy has no fibre, it’s easy to over-eat, it’s filled with fat-building hormones, sugar(lactose) and is an insulinogenic food group. It is said 85% of women gain weight and face other health issues when consuming dairy products. It can definitely stop you from losing weight and also unfortunately raises blood sugar and insulin levels.
Nuts and Seeds:
Nuts are not easy to just have a few, so rather use them as a treat or for baking on the weekend. They are high in carbs and fairly high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. Both Omega 3 & 6 are essential to life, but we tend to have more Omega 6 fats than Omega 3 which creates an imbalance. This imbalance is what causes the inflammation. Eat nut and seed-based treats occasionally, otherwise they equal a cheat instead of a treat!
Alcohol:
Alcohol must be had in moderation. Some types of alcohol are low carb but anything in excess is damaging to the body. Excessive alcohol use leads to fatty liver disease which is the first step to cirrhosis, diabetes, heart disease and cancer! It’s a depressant, a liver toxin and certainly not an essential whole food.
Beans and Peas:
Legumes have anti-nutrients, protease inhibitors, saponins and other compounds which should make them out of bounds on a healthy low carb eating plan – due to the effect they have on our digestive health. Peas (whole) are legumes and along with mange tout/flat pods are acceptable. Green beans are legumes too, but due to the tiny seeds inside, most experts don’t consider them to be a problem, as long as they don’t form a large part of your eating.
I hope that this eases some of the concerns you might have about including certain foods in your diet. Remember some foods may seem healthy but in reality are doing more harm than good!