Say What? Nutrition That You Can Pronounce.
Pick up any packaged food item and you’ll most likely find a mile long list of ingredients. Do you read these or proceed quickly to consumption?
Yes, I like to eat!
If your answer was YES, you may want to change your habit. Reading ingredient labels is one of the best things to do for your well-being. If you can’t pronounce what’s on the label chances are, it is not the healthiest choice for you.
Today’s food commandment is all about being able to pronounce our ingredients…..think of all of the ingredients in the world, how many of these do you think you are able to pronounce (or better yet, know what they actually are).
For instance, a Hostess Cupcake which we know isn’t so good for us contain something called, “sorbitan monostearate.” According to Wikipedia, this substance can also be referred to as synthetic wax. While this may not be as harmful as the high sugar volume contained in just one serving, it certainly is not an ideal food substance. Mother earth did not grow sorbitan monostearate….a scientist came up with it.
Avoid products containing ingredients you can’t pronounce.
When I take clients on the Health Food or Grocery Store Tour, we do a lot of ingredient reading. We become detectives in search or real quality food. In a place like Whole Foods, it is a little easier to achieve this.
However, looking at the length of the ingredient list, the sugar content per serving, the sodium number, etc. are all important in terms of healthy food selection. Any store, including Whole Foods, will never receive a nutritional A+ for every product they carry.
Read Your Labels.
In addition to checking for ingredients that you CAN pronounce, follow these 3 general guidelines to get you started with a healthier shopping and eating experience:
1. Count the number of ingredients. Anything more than 10 is way too much!
2. Look at the first two ingredients listed. Is sugar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, or anything in this family making it to the top of the list? Keep this one out of your cart.
3. Does the front of the box contain statements like, “Tastes Great!” or “High in Fiber” or “No Sugar Added” If so, be suspicious. Never trust a claim, instead read the back to get the real 411. Manufacturers health promoting claims do not mean that their product is healthy.
Get The Real 4-1-1 On Your Food.
Assignment: go to your cabinet right now and pull out a box of something that you know is not healthy. Read the ingredients and start googling any words that are tough for you to say. Learn what truly is in what you are eating before consuming.
I rarely have my clients throw out anything (unless it’s margarine or rancid oils) that they already have in the house. Instead, indulge without any guilt in your current unhealthy household goods. The next time you are at the store, find a healthier alternative…..gradual steps create lasting change.
