By: Dr. Keith Kantor

Meal replacement bars or nutrition bars
These bars are often loaded with sugar and if they do not contain real sugar they are loaded with sugar substitutes and preservatives that prolong their shelf life. If you read through the ingredient list and you cannot pronounce the ingredients then put it down. There are some packaged bars that are made from dried fruits, nuts, spices etc. but most of these bars are glorified candy bars. A healthy alternative would be to make your own nutrition bars with nuts, seeds, oats, quinoa, honey, protein powder, coconut oil, etc. Homemade bars are less expensive and less processed.
Cereal
The food companies that are associated with cereal are billion dollar industries. There really is no boxed cereal that I would recommend. Cereal is high in carbohydrates, preservatives, additives, and in some cases sugar and dyes. These cereals only increase insulin levels, creating a temporary surge in energy resulting in a crash that causes additional cravings for sugar, or high carbohydrate foods. Eating a diet that promotes fluctuations in insulin levels only hinders the body’s ability to learn how to use its own fat as fuel, in other world “fat burn.” Instead of cereal I recommend eating an egg omelet, steel cut oats, fresh fruit, etc. in the morning over cereal.

Greek yogurt is driven by a huge increase in consumer demand, it has grown to a $2 billion a year industry. Most consumers are unaware that the manufacturing process is creating an ecological disaster. To produce 1 ounce of Greek yogurt, 3-4 ounces of milk is used and the excess ounces of milk that is left behind is so acidic that it is considered toxic by many experts. It is illegal for this liquid to be dumped in the environment due to the damage it may cause to natural habitats. When this acidic liquid is released into the waterways it decreases the oxygen level in the water killing fish and other wildlife. The increase in industrialized dairy farms also increases pollution.