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The truth about...


Condiments, Snacks & Seasonings
By Nick Pineault, “The Nutrition Nerd”

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The information presented in this work is by no way intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical coun-
selling. The information should be used in conjunction with the guidance and care of your physician. Consult your
physician before beginning this program as you would with any exercise and nutrition program. If you choose not to
obtain the consent of your physician and/or work with your physician throughout the duration of your time using the
recommendations in the program, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions.
By continuing with the program you recognize that despite all precautions on the part of Nick Pineault there are risks
of injury or illness which can occur because of your use of the aforementioned information and you expressly assume
such risks and waive, relinquish and release any claim which you may have against Nick Pineault or its affiliates as
a result of any future physical injury or illness incurred in connection with, or as a result of, the use or misuse of the
program.

MY DISCLAIMER
The legal mumbo-jumbo aside, the truth is that you can go ahead and ask your physician for nutrition advice – but
don’t expect to get quality answers.
This will offend a LOT of people, but most doctors simply have no clue of what you should eat.
In fact, one study showed that more than 50% of doctors have LESS nutritional knowledge than their patients (which
are mostly clueless too). (Reference: Am J Clin Nutr September 1993 vol. 58 no. 3 319-325)
The simple fact that hospitals still serve junk like sugar-laden Jell-O and other processed foods to their patients
proves once again that you should never rely on the medical industry to give you nutrition advice.
The only way you can get a different body and life is by taking different steps than the millions of overweight people
in the US and around the world. It starts by getting information from independent sources that really care about your
results.
Thankfully, that’s what you’re doing right now.

© 2013 Nick Pineault. All Rights Reserved. http://www.nickpineault.com For support: support@nickpineault.com
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Who’s The
Nutrition
Nerd?
My name is Nick Pineault,
and I’m a nutrition nerd so you don’t have to be.
Studying food, nutrition and how they affect our bodies is
my life passion – and distilling it down to help people like
you make informed food choices and get in the best shape of
their life is my life mission.
These days, you’ll find me writing or reading about nutri-
After all – who really has time to go through thousands of tion in some park or café in Montreal, Quebec (yes – I live
research papers, blog articles, books and documentaries with eskimos and meese in the cold and “wild” Canada) or
to understand and simplify how we should eat to make our connecting with other passionate health & fitness experts
waist smaller and our health superior? somewhere on the planet.
Probably no one but me – because I actually enjoy doing that I’m that international (not!).
stuff.
Feel free to contact me at nick@nickpineault.com to ask
People don’t make poor food choices on purpose. They sim- questions or share your success story.
ply eat on auto-pilot; and food around them is so terrible that
this takes a toll on their health and happiness. Also make sure to join me over on my blog, where the real
nerdiness happens: www.nickpineault.com
If I need to spend as much time reading about a very keen
subject and separating facts from fiction as it would take me Finally, I want to tell you: You’re awesome.
to watch the entire Lord of The Rings trilogy (I’m a nerd – You took action and decided to get informed – and make real
what do you expect?), I’ll do so. change in your life. You’re an inspiration to people around
The fact that my work is now endorsed by dozens of fitness you who are still stuck eating food that will make them sick
coaches, fat loss experts and other nutrition geeks from all and fat.
around the planet tell me I’m doing something right. If you like what I do, please support me by recommending
Nutrition is a mess to understand, and I’ll simplify it until it this product to your friends and family, or to anyone you
looks like child’s play. know would benefit from it.
As I always say…
Keep it simple and healthy,

Nick Pineault

3
Table of Contents
Condiments.................................................................................................................................5
The Truth About Condiments........................................................................................................6
Essentials......................................................................................................................................7
Salad Dressing..............................................................................................................................9
Dips & Sauces.............................................................................................................................11
Taste Boosters.............................................................................................................................13
Snacks.......................................................................................................................................14
The Truth About Snacks..............................................................................................................15
Bars.............................................................................................................................................16
Chips & Crackers.........................................................................................................................18
Protein Snacks............................................................................................................................21
Chocolate....................................................................................................................................23
Seasonings...............................................................................................................................25
Salt..............................................................................................................................................26
Herbs & Spices...........................................................................................................................29
Action Steps.............................................................................................................................30
Sources.....................................................................................................................................31

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CONDIMENTS}
The Truth About Condiments
“ What are fries without ketchup?
Burgers without toppings? “
And what about your BLT sandwich without mayo or mustard?
They’re bland.
That’s where condiments come in… to save the day and make everything tasty.
But be warned… while they’re busy fixing the taste of your favorite meals, the same condiments are adding
a boatload of calories and nasty ingredients behind your back.
Let’s say that an adult eating the average 2,000 daily calories uses these condiments in a day:
2 tbsp. ketchup with eggs in the morning
2 tbsp. ranch salad dressing with a salad for lunch, plus 2 tbsp. of mayo in a sandwich
2 tbsp. cream cheese on whole wheat crackers as a snack
4 tbsp. guacamole for dinner, plus 2 tbsp. whipped cream to top off berries at night
That’s a whopping 591 extra calories1 worth of conditments in a single day – 30% of that person’s daily calo-
ries! Calories made of high fructose corn syrup, trans fat-laden vegetable oil and inflammatory pasteurised
dairy. Not good.
And remember that this number could have been way higher. After all, who really takes the time to portion
control condiments to the very tablespoon?
Now, how can you avoid that condiment trap and still make your meals tasty?
Simply read on…

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Essentials
These 5 condiments are always around.
That’s why you have to make sure they contain the right ingredients.

Soy sauce

Avoid... { Choose...
Regular “soy sauce” that’s nothing more than a blend of HFCS Organic soy sauce or Tamari that’s made through fermentation of
and cheap soy protein. soybeans.

Mustard

Avoid... { Choose...
Flavored mustard with added sugar. Mustard made with mustard grains and vinegar. Even better –
mustard made with apple cider vinegar.

Ketchup

Avoid... { Choose...
Regular ketchup – a single tablespoon packs 4 g of sugar, and Sugar-free ketchup sweetened with stevia – especially if you want to
most people use quite a few tablespoon at a time. reduce the amount of sugar your consume.

Mayonnaise

Avoid... { Choose...
Mayo made with any kind of refined vegetable oil (corn, soybean, Mayo made with unrefined olive oil or coconut oil (homemade mayo
canola, safflower, sunflower, grape seed) – even the ones made with is your best bet).
organic canola or soybean oil.

7
Homemade Mayo Stock
Is making your own mayonnaise that hard? With this recipe
in hand and a couple minutes to kill, it doesn't have to be. Avoid... { Choose...
Regular chicken, beef or Organic chicken, beef or vegeta-

Ingredients vegetable stock that contains


refined salt and MSG.
ble stock – homemade broth
is even better.

1 whole egg (pasture-raised, if possible) Homemade Bone Broth


Bone broth is packed with a ton if minerals and vitamins,
2 egg yolks and does not contain any undesired ingredient.
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard Unlike what most people think, making it at home is very
1 tbsp. lemon juice easy and is a great way to make the most out of your quality
meat. If you don’t have access to pasture-raised or grass-fed
¼-½ tsp. sea salt bones, stick with pre-made organic stock.
¼ tsp. pepper 1. Place the grass-fed beef bones or pasture-raised chicken
carcass in a large soup pot. Add vegetable scraps and spices
1/3 cup expeller-pressed coconut oil (melted if solid) if you want.
2/3 cup "light" olive oil (has a lighter taste)
2. Cover bones and scraps with water: Set water level
about one-inch above the bones.

Instructions 3. Add 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar. This will help draw
more minerals from the bones.
1. Combine the eggs, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper
in your blender or food processor.
4. Cover the pot and set let simmer for 12-24 hours.
2. With the blender or food processor running on a low 5. Keep the lid slightly ajar as the broth warms up to avoid
speed, start adding your oils very slowly. Start out with
drops and then work up to about a 1/16 inch stream. Contin- boiling (make sure your liquid does not boil out or you will be
ue blending until all the oil is incorporated (about 5 minutes). left with burned bones).

3. Place in your refrigerator to thicken. Store in an airtight 6. Strain the broth. It will stay fresh for days in the fridge
container for up to two weeks. and for months in the freezer.

7. Add water to the bones again and make a second batch


of broth. Keep doing this until you are tired of it or your
bones have disintegrated.

8
Salad Dressing
Salads are pretty bland in their nature. But when it’s time to give them a boost, make sure
you’re not transforming them into a fattening mess.

This Time Saver Is Costly


It might be easier to open a bottle of your favorite brand’s salad dressing than to make your own, but it comes with a price.
Most dressings contain fattening ingredients, like:
Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup
Most reduced-fat dressings usually have more sugar than the “regular” dressings. Read the nutrition label to make sure that
the sugary ingredients are not within the first 4 or 5 ingredients on the list.
Artificial Sweeteners
If your dressing is low in fat and calories, it might be sweetened with aspartame, acesulfame-K or sucralose. Those artificial
sweeteners are generally even more fattening and unhealthy than sugar.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil made from soybeans, corn or canola is inflammatory and can contain up to 4.6% trans fat that’s not on the
label – even the organic kind. Doesn’t it sound delicious?

Healthy Salad Dressing


It’s possible to prepare a salad dressing that will support your fat loss goals – but always use oil in moderation and actually
use a tablespoon to help you portion control. They pack a lot of calories, and going overboard is very easy.
If you opt for store-bought salad dressing, look for these ingredients:
Unrefined olive, sesame or coconut oil
Vinegar (any kind)
Herbs and spices

99
Homemade Caesar Dressing Homemade Italian Dressing
You don't have to skip your favorite Caesar salad. Try this
homemade version of the classic creamy dressing and try it
with crispy pasture-raised bacon, lemon wedges and home-
made croutons!
Ingredients
1 cup olive oil

Ingredients 1 cup red wine vinegar (or experiment with a combo of other
vinegars or lemon juice)

2 raw eggs yolks (pasture-raised, if possible) 1 tbsp. garlic powder

6-8 anchovy filets (minced) 1 tbsp. onion powder or dried minced onion

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. minced garlic 1 tbsp. dried basil

4 tbsp. rice vinegar 1 tbsp. pepper

1 tbsp. organic soy sauce (or Tamari) 1 tbsp. salt

½ tbsp. sea salt 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

5 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (with a little zest as well)


1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Combine ingredients in a jar.
2. Store tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrig-
Instructions erator. Shake well before pouring.

1. In a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients except


the olive oil.

2. Open the top of the processor and slowly drip in olive


oil as you would for making homemade mayo (this is a very
slow process – about 5 minutes). Will stay fresh for two
weeks minimum.

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Tzatziki

Dips & Sauces


I know dips and sauces add some taste to those
Avoid...
Tzatziki with added veg-
etable oil and regular yogurt
(that comes from hormone-
{ Choose...
Tzatziki made with
nothing else than plain
organic yogurt, cucum-
baby carrots you might consider bland when eaten laden cheap cow milk). bers, garlic, spices and
alone. But they can be a huge source of fattening olive oil.

ingredients if you don’t choose them wisely.


Homemade Tzatziki
Hummus
Choose... Ingredients
Avoid...
Hummus with added vegetable
oil or sugar.
{ Hummus made with olive oil – or
even better, that doesn’t contain 1 cup organic, plain Greek yogurt
any oil.
Juice of half a lemon

Homemade Hummus 2 cloves of garlic, minced


1 medium cucumber, diced

Ingredients Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste


Fresh dill, finely chopped (very optional)
2/3 cups dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. sea salt
Instructions
½ tsp. ground cumin 1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Fresh ground pepper, to taste 2. Adjust taste with salt and lemon juice.

Instructions
1. Soak the chickpeas in water overnight, and then boil them covered
for 2 hours over medium heat.

2. Blend all ingredients together. Adjust taste with salt and lemon
juice.

Note: I prefer not using any oil or tahini in my hummus to keep


the calorie content very low.

1111
Pesto
Avoid... { Choose...
Pesto made with vegetable oil. Pesto made with olive oil (hard
to find).

Homemade Pesto

Ingredients
2 packed cups fresh basil leaves Guacamole
½cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts, cashews or walnuts (optional)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Avoid...
Guacamole dips made with
vegetable oil (and Kraft’s
guacamole that contains
{ Choose...
Guacamole that’s
made with avocado,
veggies and spices
less than 2% avocado).2 – nothing else.

Instructions Homemade Guacamole


1. Put the basil, garlic and nuts in a food processor and pulse until
everything is chopped.

2. Add the olive oil and pulse again until smooth. Season to taste Ingredients
with salt and pepper.
1 ripe avocado
1 lemon or lime (I prefer lemon)
1 clove of garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped (optional)

Instructions
1. Crush the avocado, garlic, salt, pepper together,
adding about half the lemon or lime juice.

2. Adjust taste using lemon juice or salt.

1212
Taste Boosters
“Taste boosters” are my secret weapons in the kitchen. Use these very low-calorie and very
tasty condiments at will.

Taste Booster Uses


Capers
{ Used in many French and Italian dishes

Curry paste
{ Indian dishes

Dill pickles
{ Great low-calorie snack

Fermented veggies (check out the tutorial


{ Use sauerkraut on your salad, and any kind of fermented veggie as a
here: nickpineault.com/fermented-veggies) probiotic-rich side dish

Olives
{ Snack, on salads, in any recipe out there

Fish sauce
{ Used in Asian cuisine

Fresh herbs and spices


{ Use without limit on your dishes – most of them are shown to support weight loss

Fresh ginger
{ Asian dishes

Fresh lime and lemons


{ Many times tastier than the concentrated lime or lemon juice you find in supermarkets

Roasted sweet peppers


{ A real sandwich saver

Salsa
{ Mexican dishes, sandwiches

Tomato paste
{ Adds a sweet flavor and texture to almost any dish

Unrefined salt
{ Add on everything to adjust taste

Vinegars
{ Virtually any dish, salad dressing

13
SNACKS }
The Truth About Snacks
“ I bet you can’t eat just one.


This slogan used by Lay’s chips in the past pretty much sums up the mindset manufacturers have when devel-
oping tasty and addicting snacks. No wonder most people have cravings for these foods on a regular basis.
Added salt, sugar, fat and flavor-boosting additives like MSG make these snacks impossible to resist. I must ad-
mit – if there’s a bag of chip in front of me, my hand will reach out for them, even if my mind thinks these chips
are nasty and should never be eaten by anyone on Earth.
That’s what you have to fight against when trying to find a fat burning snack. It needs to be at the same time
relatively low in calories – because going overboard when snacking is very easy to do – convenient and addic-
tive.

Beware: Most Snacks Are Terrible


Remember – those 100 calorie snack packs still contain 100% of ingredients that do nothing more than giv-
ing your body a hard time and promoting fat storage. So obviously, a 100 calorie Oreo snack pack is a very bad
snack choice.
The problem is – even your “all-natural” granola bar may still be a source of sugar, refined grains, vegetable oil
and other ingredients that should all be part of your occasional 10% treat foods category.
So while you think the snacks you eat every day help you keep your appetite in control and keep your metabo-
lism going, they may be in fact slowing down your fat loss and making your body sick.

15
How Unhealthy Is Your Fancy

Bars
Nothing is more convenient than a snack bar. But with thousands of
Protein Bar?
Expensive bars sold to athletes and people seeking
high performance are no different than cheap granola
bars. In fact, they often contain most of the same
cheap ingredients but use different claims to appeal
different kinds advertised as healthy and showing all sorts of crazy
to their audience.
claims – most people end up choosing the wrong ones.

How Fattening Is Your Bar? Ingredients: chocolatey coating (sugar, fractionated palm
The big majority of granola, protein or trail mix bars at the supermar- kernel oil, cocoa, whey, non-fat milk, soy lecithin, natural va-
ket are nothing more than an amalgam of processed, dead ingredients nilla flavor), Trisource™ protein blend (whey protein isolate,
with added sugar – regardless of how “healthy” they claim to be. calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate), glucose syrup, cara-
mel (corn syrup, sugar, cream, water, fructose, palm oil, soy
Let’s look at the 40+ ingredients of this very common Quaker® lecithin, salt, sodium phosphate, natural flavor, carrageenan),
Chewy® low fat granola bar: high oleic canola oil, maltodextrin, evaporated cane juice
syrup, peanut flour, natural flavor, glycerin, peanut butter, soy
Ingredients: granola (whole grain rolled oats, brown sugar, crisp crisps (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), soy lecithin,
rice [rice flour, sugar, salt, malted barley extract], whole grain rolled salt, almond butter.
wheat, soybean oil, dried coconut, whole wheat flour, sodium
bicarbonate, soy lecithin, caramel color, non-fat dry milk), semisweet
chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, Claim { Truth
vanilla extract), corn syrup, brown rice crisp (whole grain brown
Convenient on-the-go Convenient source of 35+
rice, sugar, malted barley flour, salt), invert sugar, sugar, corn syrup
solids, glycerin, soybean oil. Contains 2% or less of sorbitol,
recovery nutrition
{ processed, dead ingredients.

calcium carbonate, salt, water, soy lecithin, molasses, natural


and artificial flavor, BHT (preservative), citric acid.

Claim
0 gram trans fat
{
{
Truth
Contains refined GMO soybean oil that can
pack up to 4.6% hidden trans fats.
12 grams of protein to
support muscle repair

30 grams of carbohy-
drates to kick off glyco-
gen replenishment
{ 12 grams of cheap protein
that has been rendered inef-
fective by heavy processing.

Could be said of any carb


source; in that case, contains
5 kinds of refined sugar
(sugar, glucose syrup, corn

Made without high fruc-


tose corn syrup

{
Still contains 7 different sugars (brown
sugar, sugar, invert sugar, molasses, corn
syrup, corn syrup solids and the sugar
alcohol sorbitol). No preservatives or
artificial flavors
{ syrup, maltodextrin, evapo-
rated cane juice syrup) that
will hinder your recovery.

True, but does contain 100%


refined ingredients includ-
A perfect snack for any
member of the family
(Smart Choices Made Easy
seal)

Goodness of whole grain


Quaker oats

Good source of calcium


(added calcium carbonate)
{
{
Far from the perfect snack – eggs, fruits,
nuts and seeds are many times healthier
Contains “artificial flavor” that may be hid-
ing aspartame or other artificial sweeten-
ers.
Not so bad, but you can bet these have
been heated and processed, which makes
them way more fattening.

Americans already consume too much


supplemental calcium and too little of other
180 mg sodium – a
key electrolyte lost in
sweat that is associat-
ed with muscle cramp-
ing in some athletes
{ ing fractioned palm kernel
oil, palm oil and high oleic
canola oil that may all con-
tain hidden trans fats.

It’s funny how most products


are proud to show how they
are low in sodium, while this
one brags about it…
Sodium is essential when
exercising, but the refined
vitamins and minerals, increasing risks of
kind will cause water reten-
heart disease.3
tion and bloating.
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Busted!
Cheap snack bars manufacturers are being busted for bad practices, such as:
Kashi “all-natural” snack bars (owned by the food giant Kellogg) containing 100% GMO soy 4
Nature Valley snack bars (owned by the food giant General Mills) falsely claiming that they contain 100% natural
ingredients 5
Quaker snack bars being sued for various health claims 6
Consumers have the real power – remember that.

Raw Food Bars – My Only Recommendation


Raw ingredients generally contain more vitamins, minerals and gut-friendly enzymes, and fewer toxins than heavy pro-
cessed granola or protein bars ingredients.
Remember that raw food goes bad quickly. This is actually a big advantage, because raw food products have no choice but
to be fresh and nutritious.
More importantly, raw bars manufacturers care about the nutrition content of their products, unlike cheap processed granola
and protein bars manufacturers.
Warning: Like any quality supplement, these bars are NOT cheap. If you can’t afford them, stick with
real food protein snacks like nuts, seeds, eggs or beef jerky.
Here are the 2 manufacturers I trust the most to deliver the best products possible (click the names
for more information):
BioTrust – Organic protein raw food protein bars that contain 20 g of protein per bar, without
any GMO, wheat, soy, gluten and trans fat.
Dale’s Raw Foods – Raw food protein bars that contain only healthy ingredients.

Healthy Ingredients To Look For


Make sure your raw food bar is made with the following ingredients:

Bases Protein Fats


Nut butters Pea, rice or hemp protein
Dark chocolate Quality cold-processed whey protein Coconut oil
Dates Egg white protein Nut butters

Sweeteners Extras
Dried fruits
Nuts and seeds
Coconut nectar
Cocoa powder or nibs
Stevia
Powdered greens
Raw honey
Spices and sea salt

17
Chips & Crackers
Chips and crackers are simply the most addictive – “Natural Chips”?
and unhealthy – snacks out there. Are there any good PepsiCo – who owns Frito-Lay – expects to boost
alternatives at all? their nutrition business from $10 billion to $30
billion by 2020.11 That’s why they are slowly
Ever Heard Of Acrylamide? changing ingredients used in their chips manufac-
Heating carb-rich foods like potatoes creates acrylamide, a danger- turing process.
ous by-product that’s tasteless and invisible. Studies have shown that
Hydrogenated oils are gone, replaced for not-so-
acrylamide increases risks of various cancers, nerve damage and other
better refined canola, soybean, corn, sunflower or
neurotoxic effects.7
safflower oils; artificial petroleum-based colors
Even if big corporations like Frito-Lay settled to reduce the acrylamide are replaced with beet juice, purple cabbage and
levels in their products to a level low enough to avoid mandatory can- carrots, and dangerous seasonings like mono-
cer warning labeling, the World Health Organization warns that these sodium glutamate (MSG) with molasses and
levels can vary from batch to batch, which makes it virtually impossible paprika.
to know if your bag of chips is dangerous or not.8
While this clearly shows that consumers do have
Note: Unfortunately, baked chips are not a good alternative. According some power in choosing what they want to see
to the FDA, baked chips contain more than three times the levels of on the supermarket shelves, don’t forget that
acrylamide found in regular, fried chips.9 “all-natural” chips are still chips, and that they
will never become magically healthy.
Fake Chips Are Even Worse
To avoid paying extra taxes in the UK, The Pringles Company (owned by
Procter & Gamble) argued that the potato content of their chips was so
low that they could not be called potato chips.10
While the judge saw through this stratagem and made the company
pay $160 million in taxes (applicable to all potato chips products in the
UK), Pringles was right on one thing – these chips do not contain a lot
of potatoes. Pringles contain less than 40% potato flour, the rest of the
product being filled with cheap rice, wheat, corn and trans fat-laden
refined oil.

18
Craving Something Crunchy?
Caution – there are very few good alternatives out there…

Crunchy snack Pros Cons Verdict


Regular cracker (like Ritz) None Refined flour Terrible choice
Vegetable oil
Refined salt

Whole grain cracker (like Unrefined grains that are less Pure source of carbs Avoid wheat if gluten is a prob-
Wasa crackers or home- fattening lem for you
made) Eat within your daily carbs needs

Regular chips (like Lay’s®) None Vegetable oil Terrible choice


Refined salt Avoid or only buy a small bag for
Very calorie dense an occasional treat

Addicting

Baked chips (like Baked! A little bit less calories High acrylamide content Terrible choice
Lay’s®) Less fat, but more carbs

Tortilla chips (like Tostitos®) None As fattening as potato chips Terrible choice
GMO corn Basically chips, but made from
corn instead of potatoes

All natural commercial None As fattening as potato chips Terrible choice


chips (sweet potato chips, All the oils used in those are still These are still chips, and you
black beans chips, chips refined can bet the oil in them is heavily
made with olive oil or avo- refined
cado oil, etc.)

Commercial veggies chips None Always made with refined oil Terrible choice
Not any better than potato chips

Homemade veggies chips You control the calories Can be very calorie dense if you Great alternative
(kale, sweet potato, carrots, Still contain nutrients use too much oil Use oil sparingly
parsnip, beets, etc.)

Microwavable popcorn None Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that Terrible choice


has been linked to infertility12 and
heart disease13
2,3-pentanedione (PD) that's linked
to respiratory toxicity14
Trans fat in the “butter”
GMO corn

Homemade popcorn You control the fat and ingredients Pure source of carbs Great alternative
Easy to prepare (takes seconds) Eat within your daily carbs needs

19
Go Ahead And Binge On This Homemade Kale Chips
I know: Kale chips are nothing like potato chips. They aren’t
as addicting, and will never taste as good.
But if you care about removing very unhealthy foods from your
diet, they represent a good alternative you can snack on all day
Ingredients
long without changing your pants size or making yourself sick.
1 bunch (about 6 oz.) kale
Bonus, kale chips are a superfood that show a ton of benefits:
1 tbsp. melted expeller-pressed coconut oil (much
Low in calories and fat, high in fiber. Kale chips are filling more stable than olive oil)
and diet-friendly, if you don’t use too much oil when prepar-
Sea salt, to taste
ing them
Spices, to taste
Tons of vitamins and minerals. Kale contains more iron per
calorie than beef and great amounts of cancer-fighting vita-
min K. It also contains vitamin A and C, and is a good source
of calcium
Detoxifying and anti-inflammatory. Contrary to potato chips,
Instructions
kale chips help you get rid of the nasty chemicals you put in 1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
your body and will make your whole body function better
2. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and
tough center ribs.

3. Cut into large pieces, toss with coconut oil in a


bowl then sprinkle with salt and spices, to taste.

4. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking


sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking


sheet on a rack to cool.

20
20
Protein Snacks
High-protein snacks are a great choice because they curb your appetite while keeping your
blood sugar very stable. Always keep them around.

Beef jerky
Beef jerky is somewhat expensive, but the 26% protein content and very low calorie count make it the perfect protein snack.
That may be why it’s part of the official NASA menu for astronauts during outer space missions. 15

Avoid... Choose...
Jerky that’s not 100% beef, or that contains too many added If you can afford it, choose the Cadillac of all jerkies – organic,
ingredients like MSG and high fructose corn syrup. grass-fed, smoked beef jerky.

Raw nuts and seeds


They pack quite a lot of calories, so always portion control when snacking on nuts and seeds. A handful will usually be plenty
to curb your appetite and make it easier to wait until the next meal.

Avoid... Choose...
Roasted nuts and seeds Raw nuts and seeds, Organic, if possible You can also roast these at home, keeping
Nuts and seeds with added oil. the temperature low (150°F).

Nut butters are great snacks as well, but don’t forget that the same guidelines apply – stick with raw nut butters and portion
control carefully.

High-protein raw food bar


Raw food bars that contain high-quality protein powder are great snacks – but only if you’re willing to pay extra and buy the
premium stuff.
BioTrust bars or anything made by Dale’s Raw Foods is your best bet to get high-quality protein that’s actually absorbed by your
body – without the usual sugary or refined ingredients.
Protein shake
You can use protein shakes as a snack – but keep two things in mind:
Most protein powders are filled with artificial ingredients and are so processed that they aren’t absorbed by your body
Consuming whey protein alone will spike your blood sugar as much as white bread does16
Do use protein shakes as occasional snacks; just make sure to consult the Truth About Supplements guide beforehand to
choose the right kind and to mix your protein with a source of fat (coconut oil or nut butter) unless you’re taking it right after a
workout.
21
Cheese
Because it contains a lot of fat along with protein, cheese needs to be portion controlled carefully. I usually weigh my cheese
with a food scale and eat only 1 oz. at a time.
Also, keep in mind that a lot of people may have a hard time digesting any kind of dairy. Listen to your body and never eat
foods that make you feel sick or give you side effects.

Avoid... Choose...
Cheese made with commercial milk (to avoid hormones Cheese made from organic, grass-fed milk
and pesticides) If available, choose cheese made from raw milk
Cottage cheese for the extra protein, but other fattier cheese are OK too

Milk
I’m not a big fan of milk, because 75% of adults lack the proper enzyme to digest it. But if milk is NOT a problem for you, it
can be a great source of protein – especially if it’s raw.

Avoid... Choose...
Commercial milk (to avoid hormones and pesticides) Organic, grass-fed milk
Milk that tastes just like your favorite candy bar If available, choose raw milk

Eggs
Always keep unpeeled hard boiled eggs in your fridge. They will last for more than a week and are perfectly tasty alone or on
top of your favorite salad.

Avoid... Choose...
Eggs mixes like EggBeaters® Organic, pasture-raised eggs

Deviled Eggs Recipe


Hard-boiled eggs can get boring at times. This recipe will
make you rediscover their goodness in minutes.
Instructions
I don’t use extra mayonnaise or olive oil in my deviled eggs
1. Boil your eggs for 10 minutes. Rinse them with cold water
and remove shells.
recipe. To me, the extra fat is just not necessary.
2. Cut the eggs in two, and then remove the cooked yolks
with a spoon.
Ingredients 3. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, mustard, salt and pep-
6 whole eggs (pasture-raised, if possible) per, adding a little bit of water (just a couple of drops) until
the texture is creamy. Garnish the cooked egg halves with
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard the prepared egg yolks and serve.
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
A little bit of water
22
22
How Much Chocolate Should I Eat?

Chocolate
In 2001, Americans consumed 3 billion pounds of chocolate,17
If someone told me that eating two large tablets of tasty
chocolate per day could improve my health, I’d do it.
But the (unfortunate) truth is – 6.7 g of chocolate per day
(about half a bar per week) shows most of the benefits.23
and for one good reason – it tastes awesome. But can this You can eat more if you’re as fond of chocolate as me; but
decadent treat really be part of your fat burning diet? just make sure to eat it within your calorie needs.

Benefits Of Chocolate Is There Lead In My Chocolate?


Consumption of chocolate has been proven to… Rumors have been circulation around on the Internet about
chocolate containing high levels of leads.
Reduce risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke18
Help stabilize your blood sugar19 It is true that processed chocolate products have been found
to contain abnormally high levels of lead because of trans-
Improve your blood pressure
portation and manufacturing.24
Show more benefits than red wine and tea, because it
packs even more antioxidants20 However, more recent studies concluded that the contribution
of lead from cocoa products in the US diet is very small,25
Improve gut flora21
and that your body will only end up absorbing 10% or less
Be a potent anti-inflammatory22 of it.26
Important disclaimer: These benefits come from the con-
sumption of dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa content), not
milk chocolate.
The Only Chocolate I Recommend
Always choose chocolate that’s at least 70% cocoa. You
basically want the highest cocoa content possible, but while
Real Chocolate vs Chocolate Candy still enjoying the taste.
Out of these 3 billion pounds Americans eat every single
Choosing organic and will guarantee you that your chocolate
year, you can bet 99% of it comes from candy-like chocolate
contains little contamination – and probably higher levels of
instead of real high-cocoa chocolate.
antioxidants.
The difference is crucial if you want to get the most out of
Choosing fair trade is a great idea, because a lot of countries
your occasional chocolate treat:
still produce chocolate by using inhumane practices like child
Dark Milk chocolate labor or forced labor.

chocolate or candy bars


Cocoa content At least 35% cocoa Minimum 10%
content (I recommend sticking chocolate liquor

Calories
with 70% or more)
Fewer More
Summary
Sugar Less More
Eating about half a bar of chocolate bar per week
Protein More Less will likely improve your health.
Fiber More Less If you want any benefits from chocolate, stick with
Antioxidants More Fewer the dark kind that contains at least 70% cocoa
content.
Artificial Fewer More
ingredients
Choosing organic and fair trade chocolate will ensure
your product is produced in a way that respects
What about white chocolate? Well, it doesn’t really exist. nature and workers.
White chocolate is made of cocoa butter, sugar and flavor- 23
ings. Consider it like candy.
SEASONINGS }
Seasonings
“ Healthy eating isn’t bland. That’s a huge myth.


After all, the high class restaurants use only whole foods to create the tastiest meals on the entire planet.
So if you want to stick to a healthy diet, you have to master the art of making your whole food meals taste good.
And it all starts with using the right seasonings.

25
A very shaky proof, if you ask me.

Salt
Salt has been used to season food for more than 8,000 years.27 But
And after reviewing the facts, it’s clear that the
link between salt, high blood pressure and cardio-
vascular disease is very thin:
A recent study clearly shows that sodium
intake does not have any association with
somewhere in the last decades, it has been the target of a crusade hypertension or cardiovascular disease32
by health organizations – and finally accused of causing heart dis- The Intersalt Study – a study often cited by the
ease and hypertension. Should we listen to the current scare… or salt-reduction proponents – failed to prove the
lighten up and salt it up? link between salt and hypertension33
Healthy people will adapt to a wide range of
Choose The Right Kind salt intakes without a significant change in
Salts are not all created equal. Here’s why I recommend sticking with blood pressure34
unrefined salt like sea salt or rock salt instead of the refined table
salt you find everywhere: Michael Alderman – head of the American
Society of Hypertension for many years –
Refined salt Unrefined salt confirmed that low sodium diets aren’t proven
to improve blood pressure or reduce risks of
Processing Dried at over 1,200°F and None disease35
purified.
The amount of salt in our diet has remained
Sodium chlo- 98% 84% constant for the last fifty years, despite the
ride content rise in rates of high blood pressure and heart
Other minerals None 80+ essential trace disease36
minerals
I’ve saved the best for last.
Effects on your Each gram of refined salt Because it’s unrefined, this
body has to be neutralized by kind of salt is easier to Standard hospital saline IV drips supply an average
using 23 g of water and process by your kidneys. of three liters of 0.9% sodium chloride per day –
makes you bloated the equivalent to 27 g of salt per day while in the
hospital. That’s more than five times the Dietary
Additives Chemicals like calcium None Guideline recommendations, and yet it doesn’t
carbonate, magnesium change the patients’ blood pressure nor kill them
carbonate, and aluminum instantly.
hydroxide are often added
to improve salt's “pourability.”

Verdict Avoid I say yes!

Any kind of unrefined salt will do the trick: Fleur de sel, unrefined sea
salt, Himalayan pink salt, etc.

Salt Is Linked To Hypertension And


Disease… Right?
I wish it was that simple. The “proof” that salt causes hypertension
was established in the 1970s by a researcher named Lewis Dahl,28
who induced high blood pressure in rats by feeding them the human
equivalent of over 500 grams of sodium a day – 50 times more than
the average intake in the US.29,30,31

26
What’s The Difference Between Salt Dangers Of Low Sodium
And Sodium? The strict sodium guidelines of the USDA (2,300
mg a day)43 and the American Heart Association
Salt and sodium get confusing really fast.
(1,500 mg a day)44 might in fact be dangerous.
Here’s what you need to understand: Salt (NaCl) is made from
Low sodium intake has been shown to…
sodium and chlorine ions that don’t weight the same amount.
Increase risks of dying from a stroke or heart
To convert any amount of salt in sodium: Simply multiply the amount
attack45
of salt (in mg) by 39% to get the amount of sodium (in mg).
Increase risks of cardiovascular mortality for
Example: 10 grams of salt (10,000 mg) X 39% equals 3,900 mg of
Type 2 diabetes patients46
sodium.
Increase risks of developing insulin resis-
How Much Sodium Should I Eat? tance, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes47

To survive, you need about 500 mg of sodium per day. Reduce cognitive abilities for the elderly,
while increasing risks of hip fracture48,49
That being said, most of us want more than survival, and strive to
attain better bodies and health. That’s why I suggest adding unre- The bottom line – unless you are sensitive to
fined salt where necessary. Focus on improving your health instead sodium because of a particular health condition,
of worrying about your salt intake. limiting your salt intake can be very dangerous.

Another thing to keep in mind – Americans consume about 10g of


salt per day,37 but at least 75% of this salt comes from processed Are You Salt Sensitive? Fix
foods.38 Your Potassium!
If you reduce your intake of processed foods – which you need to do If you fall into the category of people who are
anyway if you ever want to burn fat – you’ll already reduce your salt proven to be very sensitive to sodium (often
intake, leaving room to add it to your favorite meals. genetic), increasing your potassium intake might
fix your problem.50,51
Who Should Consume Less Sodium? Turns out our body evolved with potassium levels
While most people will be just fine consuming large amounts of many times those of sodium, as Paleolithic man
sodium, some people might want to reduce their intake: consumed an estimated 10,500 mg of potassium
each day, compared to a current US intake of
Hypertensive people that have inherited salt sensitivity38 2,500 mg.52
People with chronic renal disease40,41 That’s why research now proves that a diet high
in potassium-rich plant foods – like dark leafy
People with osteoporosis42
greens, salmon, avocados, mushroom, bananas,
If you’re not in any of the 3 groups above, there’s no reason on Earth etc. – will prevent any negative effect you might
why you would want to reduce your sodium intake. have from a high sodium diet.53

27
27
Do You Have High Blood Pressure? Try
These…
Instead of dramatically reducing your salt intake like your doc might
have recommended you, try these proven ways to reduce your high
blood pressure and risks of cardiovascular disease naturally.
Increase your potassium intake 54
Eat more calcium-rich foods,55 proven to decrease blood
pressure and reduce risks of developing hypertension (cal-
cium supplementation does NOT show the same benefits and
increases risks of heart attack by 30% 56)
Reduce stress in your life 57
Optimize your vitamin D levels with sun exposure and supple-
mentation 58 – see the Supplements Exposed guide
Lower your sugar intake 59
Get more sleep 60
Exercise more 61

Always Avoid This Salt


Summary
Monosodium glutamate – or MSG – is a salt derivative that has Use unrefined salt like sea salt or Himala-
been used as a food additive for decades. yan pink salt instead of refined table salt.
There are a lot of reasons why you want to avoid it as much as pos- Salt is NOT linked to hypertension and
sible: cardiovascular disease, except if you have
It’s an excitatory neurotoxin that can cause side effects includ- particular health conditions.
ing severe headaches and irritability 62 Limiting your salt intake can be very danger-
Estimates by the Truth in Labelling Campaign suggest that ap- ous when you don't have a good reason to
proximately 40% of the US population presently react adversely do so.
to MSG 63 Eating a lot of potassium-rich foods will
MSG is usually contained in chips and other processed foods – prevent any problems a high sodium diet
giving them this “addicting” taste might have caused on your body.

Just another good reason to ditch processed foods. If you exercise a lot, make sure to get
enough salt to prevent cramps and other
dangerous side effects.

28
Herbs &
Using one teaspoon per day of either Ceylon (real cinnamon)
or Cassia is plenty to get all the benefits.
Black Pepper
Contains a substance called piperine which blocks the
formation of new fat cells.69

Spices Turmeric
Contains curcumin which reduces the formation of fat tissue
by suppressing the blood vessels needed to form it – con-
tributing to lower body fat and body weight gain.70
Ginger
Used by the ancient civilizations, herbs and spices are
proven to make you lose 10 pounds overnight. Yes, I’m just Has thermogenic properties that help boost your metabo-
kidding… but these taste boosters can really support your lism and an appetite-suppressant effect when consumed –
weight loss in many ways. which will help you manage your weight.

Focus On Quality Other Benefits


At the risk of sounding like an old broken record – cheap Some people think that herbs and spices contain negligible
herbs and spices will likely give you none of the benefits or amounts of nutrients, but that’s actually not the case:
taste you’re looking for. Spices such as cloves have antioxidant levels that are
Dried spices that have been sitting on supermarket shelves 30% of dry weight, compared to 5% for blueberries
for years are better than nothing, but they usually taste Oregano has 42X more antioxidant activity than apples,
bland and you can bet there’s not an ounce of nutrition left 30X more than potatoes, 12X more than oranges
in them.
One tablespoon of fresh oregano contains the same
And with stories of pepper being made of mud and flour (in antioxidant activity as one medium-sized apple
China – of course!)64 and very-expensive saffron actually
containing 10% real saffron65 – I can’t stress enough how Adding just a little bit of herbs and spices to your meals will
you need to find trustable manufacturers for everything you support your weight loss – but do feel free to add lots of
eat instead of just picking random ingredients and hoping to them!
make the right choice.

The Top 10 Fat Loss Herbs And Spices


Don’t expect them to change your body overnight – but
certain herbs and spices will support your fat loss: Summary
Cayenne Pepper
Contains capsaicin, the compound that gives peppers their Focus on quality when choosing your herbs and
heat and that helps shrink fat tissue and lower blood fat spices. The fresher, the better.
levels.66
Certain herbs and spices will support your weight
Cinnamon loss.
Reduces blood sugar levels, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, Herbs and spices contain a ton of antioxidants and
and total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes, just a handful will give you benefits. Eat them without
as well as increase glucose metabolism by about 20 times moderation.
– which significantly improves your ability to regulate blood
sugar.67
29
Action Steps
All this information may sound good, but is useless if you don’t
take action. Jump to page 12 of your main book (Truth About Fat
Burning Foods) to learn how to execute your own 24-hour diet
makeover using the action steps below. Let’s do this!

--
------------

Choose the right essential condiments using the guidelines on page 7


Prepare homemade mayo using the recipe on page 8

-- Prepare homemade bone broth using the recipe on page 8


Use homemade salad dressing instead of store-bought dressing

-- Prepare one of the homemade dips and sauces on page 11 and 12


Experiment with some of the "Taste Boosters" on page 13

-- Replace your granola bars and protein bars using the guidelines on page 17
Try one of the chips alternatives on page 19 and 20

-- Try one of the protein snacks on page 21 and 22


Replace your candy bars with dark chocolate using guidelines on page 23

-- Replace your salt with unrefined salt using guidelines on page 26


Use fresh herbs and spices in your recipes

30
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(They don’t call me “The Nutrition Nerd” for nothing...)
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33

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