5 Things You're Doing Wrong With Food

1) You're peeling kiwis. Kiwis are an excellent source of vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, and DNA-repairing antioxidants, but if you're still peeling the skin off, you're missing out on a lot of the nutrition value. Recent studies have shown that eating the skin of kiwifruit triples the fiber intake and preserves the vitamin C content. Bonus: Research has also linked consuming the fruit to better sleep.

2) You're only eating the broccoli florets. "The leaves that surround the floret and make up the broccoli plant are so good for us nutritionally," says Ashley Koff, RD. "They have vitamins A, C, K and compounds like glucosinolates that promote optimal detoxification."

3) You're drinking skim milk. Skim milk is highly-processed and has almost no nutritional value, whereas organic whole milk is full of vital minerals and vitamins. Plus, says Koff, "when we remove fat, we change how the food works in our body, especially how satisfying it is to our mouths, and we often load up on other food to compensate."

4) You're barbecuing meat and carmelizing onions. "The process of browning or carmelizing foods creates a chemical reaction where sugars bind to proteins creating advanced glycation end products or AGE's, which promote advanced skin aging as well as other diseases associated with aging like Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease," says Neka Pasquale, Chinese nutritionist and founder of Urban Remedy. "To avoid AGE's, eat your food raw, lightly steamed, blanched or sautéed—the higher the heat, the more AGE's are created."

5) You're only eating cinnamon if it's in your dessert. "Cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar levels and increase fat burning," says Pasquale, who recommends sprinkling it on oatmeal or adding it to hot water and drinking it as a tea.

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Related Links:

17 Ways You're Eating Breakfast Wrong

13 Food Myths You Shouldn't Believe

Image courtesy of Harper's BAZAAR