5 Quick Rules To Follow When Grocery Shopping

Do you find yourself wanting to eat healthier, but you are not really sure how to do that?  You go to the grocery store and look at the bewildering array of foods that claim to be natural or organic, but are they really better for you?

Well, here are five ways to get you started in picking the best possible foods that you can.

1.   The closer the food is to the way it grows, the better it is for you.  Let’s use the example of a peach.  Which do you think is healthier for you – a fresh peach picked from the tree, or peaches that have been canned and preserved in a liquid substance that includes high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients to preserve freshness?  Typically, the further down the processing line a food goes, the more its nutrients have been damaged, destroyed or removed.  Processing of foods tends to destroy or break up the nutrient or health value of the original food.  You may gain speed or convenience, but it is at a cost.  So, when you shop think about how much has been done to a food to get it from the field (or barn) to the grocery store and then to you.  In this case, less is better.

2.  Buy organic whenever possible; organic really is better.  I am a huge advocate of eating organically.  For me it is a common sense issue.  It is not only about what a food has in it (more nutrient packed), but it is also very much about what is not in and on it (health damaging pesticides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, etc).  Studies have shown a link between chemicals put on the foods we eat and major health risks such as cancer, ADHD, nervous system disorders and weakened immunity, among others.  Look at this chart below and decide for yourself which you would rather eat.

3. Natural does not mean a whole lot when it comes to the food industry.  You will see the term natural used very loosely and very widely as a way to make you think you are getting something healthy.  Instead, look for free-range, hormone-free, certified organic or similar labeling.  

4.  The less ingredients on the label the better.  You will be amazed at what you find hiding in your foods when you read labels, so, you must always read the label!  In general, the shorter the list of ingredients, the “cleaner” the food is for you.  Also, if there are a lot of ingredients that you are not able to pronounce, that is a good sign that you are buying a processed or chemical-heavy item.

5.  Make a list of ingredients to avoid.  Here are some things to get your list started: avoid foods containing MSG (may aggravate neurological disorders, cause headaches, chest pain, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat… this is just a sampling of side effects), high fructose corn syrup (a major reason for the U.S.A.’s soaring obesity and diabetes rates), artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose, aspartame, saccharine, acesulfame potassium or neotame (linked to cancer, neurological issues, headaches and obesity) and artificial fats such as margarine (contains trans-fats, can cause high cholesterol, obesity, cancer). 

Our bodies are made to process and gain nutrition from foods that are as close to the way they are grown as possible.  Foods that have been manufactured, highly altered or stuffed with preservatives or additives are ALWAYS bad news.  So, my friends, make your list… happy shopping and healthy eating to you!