Eat Less Processed Food for Better Health!
Eating processed food is a way of life for most people, especially here in America. Trans fats were introduced to our food supply in the 1910's; soon after that, canned, frozen, and processed foods followed, promising housewives an easier life. While it's definitely easier to pop a pre-made meal in the microwave or grab a protein bar for a quick snack, chemically processed foods have also paved the way for the most disease-ridden and obese society we've ever had. According to a study in 2014, more than $1 trillion each year is spent on treating sugar and junk food-related diseases, from obesity and diabetes, to heart disease and cancer.
While I like hot dogs as much as the next guy, they are definitely in the category of "not very often"!
Convenience foods are high in sugar, high fructose corn syrup, unhealthy fats, chemical flavors, colors, preservatives, and texturants. They are also generally low in fiber and nutritional value. Read the labels of your favorite pre-packaged convenience foods, and you will find a plethora of ingredients you can't even pronounce!
In our quest to improve our lives with a simple change every week this year, this week's challenge is to eat less processed food. Last week we talked about cooking from scratch. As you try more yummy recipes that you make yourself from fresh, healthy ingredients, you will find that you have less and less need and desire for processed foods. I'm not suggesting that you never eat another processed food in your life; that's not practical. What I am suggesting is that you can cut way down on them and in the process improve your health greatly!
It's always a challenge to eat healthy on the road! Picture taken on a ferry in Europe just before sunrise while enroute to the next show...
Eat Less Processed Food is Simple Change #6 in our "52 Simple Change to Transform Your Life", which you can get for FREE by clicking here.
Here are some other ideas to help you cut down on processed foods:
- Check out the organic section of the supermarket. Typically the crackers, cookies, and bars in the organic section have a much smaller ingredient list of ingredients you can pronounce and recognize. Try swapping some of your favorite processed foods for more natural versions.
- Make a meal plan for the week. Go through some cookbooks and online recipes, and plan out what you are going to eat for the week. Make time to cook from scratch, and reap the health and taste benefits!
- Go shopping with a list, and stick to the list! It's really easy to grab tempting cookies, bags of candy, etc. Stay out of those aisles, and stick to your list!
- Eat before you shop. If you're full, you're less likely to be tempted to buy a bunch of junk food.
- Make a list of things you can snack on that are either fresh or minimally processed. Ideas: fruit and cheese, nuts, sliced veggies and hummus or a healthy dip, or bars like Kind bars (Ingredient list for the Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt flavor: "Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Peanuts, Walnuts), Chicory Root Fiber, Honey, Palm Kernel Oil, Sugar, Crisp Rice, Cocoa Powder, Non GMO Glucose, Sea Salt, Soy Lecithin, Milk Powder, Vanilla Extract").
Eat Less Processed Food is Simple Change #6 in our "52 Simple Change to Transform Your Life", which you can get for FREE by clicking here.
