Easy Ways to Ditch Processed Foods
By Sara Butler
Trouble is waiting for you in aisle six – and aisle seven and eight. Processed foods are everywhere you turn, from the frozen foods to the bakery to the dairy aisle! Processed foods are foods that have been altered from their natural form. Strictly speaking, not all processed food is bad, since technically coffee beans and pasteurized milk are processed. But what you should be on the lookout for are highly processed foods. These foods are basically stripped of their nutrients and filled with unhealthy fats, sodium, sugar, and ingredients you can't spell or pronounce. You don’t have to fall victim to them anymore because they’re easy to avoid if you follow these simple steps.
Improve the Pantry
Go into your pantry and remove the following foods:
- White flour – White flour and anything made with it needs to go! White flour has fewer vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein than whole wheat flour. It’s basically the godfather of all highly processed foods, so avoid it when you can.
- Packaged bread – Much of the packaged bread you buy is simply bad for you. It’s packed with preservatives that makes it stay fluffy for days on end. Your best bet is to go with bread that is made from sprouted grains and that’s usually found in the freezer section to keep it fresh.
- White rice – It’s just not good for you. It’s been stripped of all the nutrients you need to stay healthy such as magnesium. Opt for brown rice or even quinoa.
Give the Fridge a Makeover
Now it’s time to move to the refrigerator. You need to pitch these common items and opt for something less processed:
- Salad dressing – Pre-made salad dressing is filled with all kinds of unhealthy things, chief among them fat and sodium. It’s easy to whip up your own, so ditch the store bought stuff.
- Flavored yogurt – This may seem like a healthy choice, but usually it has so much sugar that you may as well have a candy bar for breakfast. Stick with unsweetened plain yogurt and add some fresh fruit to it.
- Processed meats – These are terrible for your colon, but even nitrite-free versions are high in sodium. So skip deli meat and try a rotisserie chicken instead.
Replenish the Freezer
There are some frozen gems to be found, but first, you have to get rid of:
- Light ice cream – Simply not as virtuous as it sounds! Make your own frozen yogurt instead.
- Frozen dinners – These are fat and sodium bombs, so stock up on easy to defrost proteins as an alternative.
- Frozen vegetables in sauce – You don’t need the sauce! Buy plain frozen veggies instead.
See? That’s not so tough. You can easily keep highly processed foods out of your life by following these steps!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.