GMOs, food dyes & corn syrup, oh my! 😱
I know it can be overwhelming to learn what’s inside the food you eat, but my advice has always been to face the facts, and move forward with healthier choices. 💪
And that’s what we’re gonna do today, starting with your pantry.
This article is for you if you’ve been wondering:
But, before we get too far, I want you to know that the goal here is to build awareness. I’m not suggesting you toss out every item with a questionable ingredient.
It’s about progress, not perfection.
OK, let’s make some pantry progress! 💪
First things first → your goal each week should be to buy as much minimally processed food as possible. This is the fresh food you find on the outer perimeter of the grocery store… the stuff that oftentimes doesn’t even have a label (fruits, veggies & meats).
BUT, convenience foods are often necessary, and your pantry is probably chock full of them. Things like canned soups, crackers, croutons, pastas, salad dressings, condiments, trail mixes, granola bars & protein powders.
While these foods are great for fixing quick meals & snacks, you want to be mindful of the ingredients. So, grab a pair of reading glasses if you need them, and let’s take a spin through your pantry.
Here are the ingredients I want you to avoid:
Pay special attention to foods that are marketed to kids like cereals, fruit snacks, and boxed macaroni and cheese. But don’t ignore the more sophisticated products. Food coloring can also be found in pickles, salad dressings, energy bars, and more.
If you’re looking for a natural way to brighten up your foods try using beets, turmeric, matcha, and spinach.
Avoid all seed oils, including sunflower seed oil + soybean oil. And the most common → canola oil. Canola oil is used in soooo many packaged products because quite frankly, it’s the least expensive and companies want to keep their costs down.
OK, now that we have some of the main offenders covered, let’s chat about the not-so-obvious ingredients that can still be harmful to your health.
As a general rule of thumb, I usually tell people that they should recognize & be able to pronounce the ingredients on their food labels. But some things sorta *sound* like they aren’t so bad, when in fact they should be avoided.
A perfect example of this is “natural flavors”.
Sounds pretty harmless, right?!
The problem however is that it's a really vague, unregulated term that can include preservatives and solvents, both of which you don’t want to be consuming regularly! For this reason, it’s best to avoid products that list “natural flavors” as an ingredient.
Two more “not-so-obvious” things to look for:
BPA stands for bisphenol A, an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics & resins since the 1950s. Most companies are now using BPA-free packaging, but it’s always good to check.
Aluminum is unfortunately a common addition to some processed foods (especially certain baking mixes) and baking powder. Look for aluminum-free on the packaging to be sure you steer clear of this.
There’s usually some confusion about these two terms, so let’s get clear on what each means.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are foods grown using certain bio-technologies to create higher yields. Most of the crops (corn, canola, sugar beet, and soy) in the United States have been genetically modified, as have many animal feeds which impact our milk, eggs, seafood, and honey. There is some debate about whether GMOs have a negative impact on your health, but I personally avoid them.
Organic means that the food was produced mostly (95% or more) without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, genetically modified organisms, chemical food additives, or irradiation. Organic food is also made without preservatives and artificial colors, and often contains more minerals and vitamins compared to conventional food.
Here’s what you should remember: if a label says “organic” then you know it’s also non-GMO. But if a package says “non GMO”, that does NOT mean it’s organic.
The Takeaway → If possible, try to shop organic as much as you can.
Buying organic means:
And one last tip on this front: while I know most of us shop at big grocery stores for the convenience, if you can find a local farmer, that gets major bonus points in my book. They may not have paid to go through the lengthy process to become “certified organic”, but if you know & trust your farmers, that goes a long way.
I hope this article has helped empower you to make healthier choices.
If you’re looking for extra support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can talk about your health goals, and make a realistic plan that works for you & your family.
We also offer advanced testing that allows you to identify food intolerances & sensitivities.
Just give me a call, or send an email! 😉
