The problem many of us have today is knowing what is knowing what best means. My mom thought that Cheerios verses Fruit Loops was best. Sure, it's better, but not by far. There are a lot of things that we didn't used to know about food. But we know the processed cake from the store is not good. We know MacDonald's is not good. We start with what we know and remain willing to learn.
Looking back we have seen many different trends. Many different health claims. Many opposite swings of the pendulum. Eggs are bad for your cholesterol. No, eggs are highly nutritious. Fat is bad for you so eat all the fat-free you want. Wait--sugar is the bad guy. Fiber from grains is very important. And now, the question of whether grains are even good for us? Some foods such as coconut oil once considered ultimate poor choices are now considered some of the most highly nutritious foods in the world. Often a food will start out as healthy and then be made unhealthy by processing methods. Here are just a few examples:
.Yogurt and Kefir are healthy, but make sure it is plain yogurt or kefir, whether or not you choose to go with non fat yogurt or kefir is up to you, some people swear by full fat yogurt, (Bulgarian style) and others choose non-fat. There is also the option of soy yogurt for people who are choosing not to eat animal products, but do realize that there are lots of healthier options for fermented products (including kimchi and miso). By plain I do not mean vanilla, I mean PLAIN. Yes you will be shocked when you first taste it (if you are used to the sugary kind) but realize that those so-called healthy yogurt/kefirs you may have been eating often have as much sugar in them as ice cream! Honestly if you want something sweet just sprinkle a dash of all natural sweetener (whether it be date powder, stevia, coconut powder) on top, and add some fresh berries or banana. The nice thing about plain yogurt is that it can be strained to make yogurt cheese, which can replace mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream, margarine, and other unhealthy condiments on your sandwich. Here in Canada (there is no Trader Joe's) healthy yogurt is hard to come by, but Liberte makes good ones.
.Nut butters (almost every one would agree) are healthy: (Peanut butter gets criticism from paleo types, but most people agree that it is relatively healthy) however after a dozen or so ingredients are added the majority of the ones on the market today are anything but. If you look at the list of ingredients there should be only one ingredient: NUTS!
.Nuts are healthy, but loose some of their nutritional value in the roasting process so opt for raw nuts, all nuts have various unique nutrients so opt for a variety.
.Coconut products are for the most part highly nutritious, but avoid the ones that are sweetened
.Cheese is a food that is somewhat controversial, some people who are wishing to lower their cholesterol avoid it altogether, and there are definitely other options when it comes to calcium, but one thing is for sure, the kid friendly bright orange blocks of rubber sold on the market today are not supposed to be orange...and goat cheese might be a better option. If you choose to eat cheese be careful what kind of cheese you are purchasing, try to purchase organic cheese, and use it sparingly!
.There is no doubt in my mind that I would choose butter over margarine any day, but if you are concerned about cholesterol, there are many other, and tastier alternatives such as dipping your bread in olive oil, spreading on some coconut butter (coconut meat), apple butter (unsweetened), soaking veggies in vinegar, different spices and even exotic options such as umeboshi plum paste or ghee (clarified butter). I personally swear by organic grass fed goat butter and use it VERY occasionally. I would by no means recommend margarine, despite the fact that it is recognized by the heart and stroke foundation. But, if I had to choose one, it would be earth balance as it is vegan friendly and as close to natural as possible (by no means is it healthy!)
Salad dressings can ruin a highly nutritious salad instantly. Opt for making your own dressing, an in a pinch use some balsamic or apple cider vinegar, cilantro, spices, or if you must, opt for organic natural dressings such as Brianna's or ones made with Greek yogurt.
Crackers are for the most part, empty calories, high in sodium and empty carbs, but there are a few nutritious options on the market such as ryvita, or Mary's organic crackers (check the label). But if you eat cheese try spreading it on an apple slice as opposed to a cracker.
Pasta used to all be garbage, but there are many types of pasta upping their game including quinoa pastas, buckwheat (soba) pastas, brown rice pastas, bean pastas, and other whole grain pastas. My personal favorite is the quinoa pastas!
Most bread on the market today had tons of additives, and some people (such as Paleo or low carb) decide to give it up altogether. Take a look at so called healthy bread in your grocery store, and chances are you will be surprised when you read the label. I have found a few brands of bread that do not have additives (such as sugar or corn syrup) including
Other food items popular in the 90's (and said to be healthy) such as fruit juice and pretzel sticks have since been proven to be nothing more than refined carbohydrates and sugar. So therefore I avoid ALL fruit juice (even if it is natural, when you separate the fiber in whole fruit from the natural sugars your pancreas treats it the same as if you had a glass of coke) granola bars (with the odd exception from the health foods stores, read the label) and the like
Muesli and granola are for the most part ridden with sugar, especially generic brands. There are a few brands out there that sell healthy muesli and granola but it is way to easy (and inexpensive) to make your own with rolled oats. If you must purchase them Bob's natural's is a good brand.
http://www.foodforlife.com/about_us/ezekiel-49
and
http://www.silverhillsbakery.ca/
If you want to avoid wheat both have plenty of options, and when all else fails, make your own bread!
These are just a few of the changes I have made in my journey eating clean that have made a huge difference, including tastier meals!
.Nut butters (almost every one would agree) are healthy: (Peanut butter gets criticism from paleo types, but most people agree that it is relatively healthy) however after a dozen or so ingredients are added the majority of the ones on the market today are anything but. If you look at the list of ingredients there should be only one ingredient: NUTS!
.Nuts are healthy, but loose some of their nutritional value in the roasting process so opt for raw nuts, all nuts have various unique nutrients so opt for a variety.
.Coconut products are for the most part highly nutritious, but avoid the ones that are sweetened
.Cheese is a food that is somewhat controversial, some people who are wishing to lower their cholesterol avoid it altogether, and there are definitely other options when it comes to calcium, but one thing is for sure, the kid friendly bright orange blocks of rubber sold on the market today are not supposed to be orange...and goat cheese might be a better option. If you choose to eat cheese be careful what kind of cheese you are purchasing, try to purchase organic cheese, and use it sparingly!
.There is no doubt in my mind that I would choose butter over margarine any day, but if you are concerned about cholesterol, there are many other, and tastier alternatives such as dipping your bread in olive oil, spreading on some coconut butter (coconut meat), apple butter (unsweetened), soaking veggies in vinegar, different spices and even exotic options such as umeboshi plum paste or ghee (clarified butter). I personally swear by organic grass fed goat butter and use it VERY occasionally. I would by no means recommend margarine, despite the fact that it is recognized by the heart and stroke foundation. But, if I had to choose one, it would be earth balance as it is vegan friendly and as close to natural as possible (by no means is it healthy!)
Salad dressings can ruin a highly nutritious salad instantly. Opt for making your own dressing, an in a pinch use some balsamic or apple cider vinegar, cilantro, spices, or if you must, opt for organic natural dressings such as Brianna's or ones made with Greek yogurt.
Crackers are for the most part, empty calories, high in sodium and empty carbs, but there are a few nutritious options on the market such as ryvita, or Mary's organic crackers (check the label). But if you eat cheese try spreading it on an apple slice as opposed to a cracker.
Pasta used to all be garbage, but there are many types of pasta upping their game including quinoa pastas, buckwheat (soba) pastas, brown rice pastas, bean pastas, and other whole grain pastas. My personal favorite is the quinoa pastas!
Most bread on the market today had tons of additives, and some people (such as Paleo or low carb) decide to give it up altogether. Take a look at so called healthy bread in your grocery store, and chances are you will be surprised when you read the label. I have found a few brands of bread that do not have additives (such as sugar or corn syrup) including
Other food items popular in the 90's (and said to be healthy) such as fruit juice and pretzel sticks have since been proven to be nothing more than refined carbohydrates and sugar. So therefore I avoid ALL fruit juice (even if it is natural, when you separate the fiber in whole fruit from the natural sugars your pancreas treats it the same as if you had a glass of coke) granola bars (with the odd exception from the health foods stores, read the label) and the like
Muesli and granola are for the most part ridden with sugar, especially generic brands. There are a few brands out there that sell healthy muesli and granola but it is way to easy (and inexpensive) to make your own with rolled oats. If you must purchase them Bob's natural's is a good brand.
http://www.foodforlife.com/about_us/ezekiel-49
and
http://www.silverhillsbakery.ca/
If you want to avoid wheat both have plenty of options, and when all else fails, make your own bread!
These are just a few of the changes I have made in my journey eating clean that have made a huge difference, including tastier meals!
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