** This thread discusses the content article: Does Yahoo and Men's Health Want You to be Fat? **

Courtesy of Gamyhan.


Yahoo, in conjunction with Men's Health, recently posted an article about 8 foods that will help you sleep better at night. 

In this article, Yahoo and Men's Health go above and beyond suggesting people to eat before bed, and advise them to also eat low-nutrient, high-carb foods. You would not believe this unless you saw it for yourself.

Here are a few of the foods they listed:

Pretzels

Yes, they seriously mentioned pretzels, an empty calorie, high-carbohydrate snack food with little to no nutrition value. On top of that, they suggested people snack on "just a few" pretzels, which are "very low calorie". Seriously, is there ANYONE who is able to eat only a "few" pretzels?

Oatmeal with Sliced Banana

Although this actually does have some nutrients, oatmeal with sliced banana is not a snack for someone trying to lose weight. It's a full breakfast. What were they thinking putting this in there?

Popcorn


If you thought pretzels was going to be the worst of it, then think again. Yahoo and Men's Health went ahead, on a site that reaches millions of people daily, and recommended that you eat popcorn before bed.

I really find it hard to believe that Yahoo and Men's Health are not intelligent enough to realize that eating fatty foods before bed is not a recipe for a healthy life. In fact, if I were a conspiracy theorist, I would say that they are purposely trying to throw people off the right path to losing weight so that they will forever need the services of the mass fitness and health industry.

Who knows though, behind the "masses" are individuals and just maybe these individuals are smart enough to realize when they're being fed nonsense and will start searching for alternative media (*cough cough*) to get fitness and health advice.

I can dream, right?

Rafi Bar-Lev is a former combat-medic and the founder of Passionate Fitness.

Follow him on twitter.

I think anything recommended by Men's Health seems to come with certain caveats. However, to be fair the article does seem to mention those food items as solutions to going to sleep when you're struggling to, or when it's important you get a good night's sleep.

Most of their recommendations aren't too bad, when you consider they are advocating a degree of portion control for the pretzels and popcorn. But I do think they don't clarify the issue of portion control or that these cannot be daily events anywhere near enough.

What about the trans fats in the pretzels? Jiminy bloody Cricket!

Sure good sleep is important, but good sleep HABITS will get you better sleep... not pretzels. Or pills. MH are being irresponsible by even suggesting this IMO.

Fit Buddha, you're probably right that I was being a little hard on them. But I have to agree with Tezza that the right way to ensure a good night's sleep is not eating pretzels and at best, Men's Health and Yahoo are being careless to recommend people to eat empty carbs like pretzels and popcorn before bed.

-Rafi

Pretzels and popcorn are not foods you asssociate with good health because they are high in sugar,salt and fat. What they should really be recommending are fruits and vegetables before bed.

One idea I recently came across on the internet is antioxidants these are molecules that are thought to slow down aging reducing the damage caused by oxidation in the body. Oxygen is a reactive gas and and when humans respire they take in oxygen which produces free radical particles causing damage to cells. Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants and people who eat them have lower risks of heart disease,nerological disease and some cancers. Physical exercise also cause the body to provide more antioxodants to combat the increased levels of oxegen intake and people who exercise have better health and has less risk of developing diseases associated with oxidative stress.

I thought I would mention this becuse it's a
contentious issue due to some evidence appearing to disprove the idea(for example antioxidant supplements do not seem to improve health) and it would be interesting to see a post from you on the subject.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant

Leon,

The anti-oxidant discussion is definitely interesting one, and thanks for bringing up. There's a very solid chance that I'll be writing about it in the future.