Healthy Eating Made Easy

Nutrition.png

Healthy Eating Made Easy

Eating healthy is really not all that complicated; it can just feel that way when we are bombarded with marketing campaigns from corporate food companies, people talking up the latest fad diet, and errant nutrition research from biased sources. Healthy eating can be straightforward when you bring it back to the basics. Here are a few tips on picking out healthy foods.

What to Go for at the Grocery Store

  • Organic (use this guide if you are new to buying organic), local, seasonal, and humanely raised when possible

  • GMO-free (GMO foods include: corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, sugar beets, alfalfa, yellow "crookneck" squash, papaya, and salmon)

  • Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

  • Shop at your local farmers market

  • When you have to buy packaged foods (what we refer to as ‘food-like products) go for ones with with a very small ingredient list featuring real ingredients

  • Stay away from marketing words such as 'low-fat', 'low-sodium', 'low-calorie', 'fat-free'

What do we mean when we say eat whole foods, rather than food-like products? It’s pretty simple: whole foods come from nature. They are grown or raised, not manufactured. Here are some examples:

Whole Foods include...

  • Vegetables

  • Fruits

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Whole grains

  • Legumes

  • Meats, eggs, poultry, fish

Food-like Products include...

  • Pre-packaged foods

  • Foods with a long ingredient list

  • Highly processed foods

  • Foods that aren’t from nature (there’s no such thing as an M&Ms farm, for example!)

And don’t forget to read that ingredient list carefully to see what is in the package. When reading labels, look out for the sugar, salt and fat/oil content. Excessive amounts of sugar and salt are often added to many food products, while the quality of oils and fats used may not always the best.

Wondering why you want to focus on eating whole foods when there are so many other options on grocery store shelves and those cheap and colourful fast food restaurants sit tempting you on every corner? Here are a few benefits you will enjoy:

  • Weight loss

  • Reduced inflammation

  • Healthy digestion

  • Increase in energy levels

  • Blood sugar balance

  • Satisfaction, as you will obtain the nutrients your body and mind needs to thrive

  • Many more benefits that will enhance your quality of life!


And that’s it — all the tips you need for a healthy next grocery shop! Want some recipe inspiration? Click here to find a delicious healthy dish to enjoy for your next meal!

Jessica MittonComment