The world is becoming more health conscious every year. Grocery companies are making so-called health food products, the fast-food industry is trying to create healthier menus, and people are making wiser choices when it comes to their groceries.
This is a wonderful cause and much needed as obesity affects more and more families. Eating right is still a challenge, with all the “health food” options and media dictating what we consider healthy. Every day I see ads and articles promoting grocery products that really aren’t the best choice. From high fructose corn syrup to 100-calorie snack packages, people are being pushed into poor health choices. The weight loss journey and quest for 6 pack abs just keeps getting harder.
The easiest way to avoid all of this and stick to a healthier path would be to eat natural foods that have not been modified by humans. This grocery list would include fresh meat, vegetables and fruits, raw nuts, and less modified dairy. This can be difficult as most of the food on the shelves has been influenced by humans in one way or another.
That’s why I’m giving you three things to look out for the next time you shop, so you can make smarter, healthier choices for you and your family:
#1: Food Source
This can be a little tricky, but many stores are getting better at providing this information. If you have access to a health food store, you won’t have as many problems, but even Kroger stores are getting better.
Be aware of where the food you buy comes from. This affects more meat and animal products than other items. Many food companies use hormones and feeding methods on their animals that can affect the quality of the meat.
Hormones added to an animal to make it grow can be absorbed into our bodies as soon as we eat the meat, throwing off our hormone levels and bodily processes.
Look for more natural meats that are grass-fed and hormone-free. The same goes for seafood; Try to find more natural springs and no fish in the closed water. This meat is not only healthier, but also much fresher and tastes better.
#2: Ingredients
When buying food, pay attention to the ingredients. It is often claimed that a food is healthy because of the amount of calories it contains, but in reality those calories are quite unhealthy.
Calories are important, but so is the quality of the food. In general, the fewer the ingredients, the better the food. When you buy a 100-calorie snack pack, you’ll see a long list of ingredients, whereas with more natural foods like veggies, there’s only one ingredient.
When you decrease the amount of ingredients in your pantry, you increase the quality.
#3: Sodium
Sodium is one of those things that many people overlook. Not only does it play a huge role in weight loss, but also in heart health, joint health, and general well-being. It kills your way to success with water retention and overall lowered mood.
Many foods have added sodium to increase shelf life. Almost every canned food contains a large amount of sodium, which is why canned food lasts so long. Start by looking at the sodium content of your foods and try to limit your intake to less than 1500mg per day. For example, a can of low-sodium soup contains 900 mg of sodium. If that is “low” I would hate to see normal!
Cut your sodium for a few weeks and notice how much better you feel.
Start paying more attention to the details at the grocery store. Making the decision to eat healthier and be healthier is good, but it’s difficult out there with all the shenanigans that go on at big food companies. Look at the little things and your food choices will change.
Thanks to Brad Longazel
