So you’re making the commitment to healthy food and that is simply fantastic. Cleaning our your cupboards and refrigerator can seem a daunting effort – and no, I can’t say I support you eating all the things that aren’t so great for your so as not to waste them (sorry, that was my husband’s idea : )
Seriously, I know a lot of people do not like to throw things out or waste food and though you may find some things you can bag up for a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, some things should not be passed on.
Get your reading glasses. It’s time for a little study in the kitchen. Start picking up those boxes, bags and cans as and read ingredients lists. Don’t worry, it’s not an exhaustive list and it will add only a few extra minutes to your time in the supermarket and that’s it! I also promise you can still buy things your kids will eat happily.
It’s not really about just cutting out foods; it’s about look at ingredients, processing, and preparation. Unfortunately, food labeled as convenience are simply not. But avoiding them can be – if you bypass certain unhealthy foods and ingredients, you can reduce your risk of developing many chronic health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and even some cancers.
Labels are tricky - many ingredients linked to serious health problems are hard to avoid if you don’t read carefully. Salt, saturated and trans fats, refined sugars, and processed foods (because they can easily contain all of the previous items) are among the worst offenders.
Here’s a snapshot on how to spot them on food labels but it’s not just what you get in the market. Keep in mind eating the majority of your meals out or in takeaway will dramatically increase trans fat, sugar and sodium consumption.
The good news is a number of cities are banning trans fats from restaurants, New York, Chicago as examples – though enforcement is not universal. The easy way to address this is by getting in the habit of asking how your food is prepared. The following are ingredients to be reduced or eliminated from your pantry.
1) Artificial sweeteners
2) Trans fats – hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils
3) GMO foods- Genetically Modified Foods
4) Olestra
5) Sodium nitrate
6) Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT)
7) Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
8) Refined sugar
9) Salt
It may seem impossible to eliminate all unhealthy foods from your diet. A closer look at food labels, however, will help you avoid choices with the worst ingredients. And it’s a worthwhile effort: limiting your exposure to unhealthy foods can lower your risk of so many serious health problems and make you feel and look better.
I am sure some of this brief information might be confusing or you are sadly staring at empty shelves, wondering what food is left. The answers are actually easier than you think and I promise you won’t be hungry!
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