Cutting Out Highly Processed Foods

Do you eat Cool Whip?

 

This might change your mind!! Holy gross!

This just highlights the importance to me of knowing what is in our food, and what we are actually putting in our bodies. I read somewhere that the McRib (which Caleb loves) has over 70 ingredients. 70?! I am sure everything else on their menu is right up there as far as the number of ingredients go.

Much of what can be bought on grocery store shelves is full of highly processed ingredients...as you saw in the Cool Whip article, some ingredients aren't even food! The more ingredients in a product, generally the more processed it is. Processed food is full of chemicals, things that we were never meant to eat, and they are not good for our bodies. A good rule of thumb for shopping at the grocery store is to shop the perimeter. Much of what is in the middle isles is not good for you.

They were giving out samples of granola bars in superstore a while ago. One sample was dipped in chocolate, the other wasn't. I grabbed one dipped in chocolate (might as well go all out right?) and the man giving them out said "you're not going to try one of the healthy ones?" I almost laughed in his face. I said, "I don't think I would call either of those healthy!" He then corrected himself...well maybe "healthier". Right. Shows me right there how confusing all this information can be, and how easy it is to be mislead. Here's a simple solution...eat real food. Try to only eat things with a few ingredients, ingredients that you can pronounce/would use in your own cooking.

 I give myself a pat on the back when I can stay out of the middle isles while shopping. Basically think of what people were eating a couple hundred years ago. I don't think they were eating fruit roll ups and chocolate milk. The exterior of the grocery store is where the fruits, veggies, dairy, and meats are. You really don't need much else than that.

I have another goal for myself. If I do indulge in anything highly processed, I then have to research what the ingredients actually are. Hoping this turns me off from the food....I am turned off from Cool Whip for sure!! It makes a difference when you know exactly what you are putting into your body. I will post my confession here, and then what I learned. Sound like a deal? Deal.

PS if you are needing a real food treat here is one that is amazing!!! But I warn you, you might not be able to stop at one. :)

Happy Eating!