Saturday, June 16, 2012

Read those labels!

Labels can be a tricky thing, as food companies promote their products as healthy. An obvious one for example would be those high sugary cereals that have large bold print on the front saying they are made with whole grains.........does it really matter when all that sugar is added? Another good example is when the Nutella commercials showed a mother saying she could count on Nutella for giving her children a healthy breakfast........um Nutella is nothing but sugar!

Morningstar vegetarian frozen meals appear to be healthy to until you read the label and notice the Carmel coloring and high fructose corn syrups in the ingredients. Carmel coloring and high fructose corn syrups should be avoided always. Many whole wheat breads are also made with corn syrups, Carmel coloring or processed flours.

This is why reading labels is so important, as many foods are disguised as being healthy yet upon inspection of labels proves to be nothing but bad for your body.

I recently purchased Ann's House Cranberry Nut Antioxidant, boasting how it is trans fat free, cholesterol free, low sodium, good source of protein and good source of Antioxidant vitamin E. Sounds good right? Yet the label shows that the cranberries have sugar added to them. Sure there could be worse choices, but somebody who is trying not to eat refined sugar would not want this going into their body.

If you are new to switching over to a whole foods eating plan perhaps a great step you could take is by starting with 3 ingredients you commit to not putting in your body. Maybe you would want to start with White Flour, High Fructose Corn Syrups and Carmel Coloring. Once you decide which three you want to give up, pay attention to the labels in the store and do not purchase any items that list these as their ingredients. After a full months time, add an additional item to your list of giving up on a monthly basis. You will be well on your way to eating healthier wholesome foods in this manner without making a major over night switch. By doing it slowly, you may be more likely to stick with it as it slowly forms a habit as well.

So check those labels and be conscious of what you put in your body! As Woody Harrelson says, "If you can not pronounce it, Mother Nature did NOT make it and perhaps you shouldn't eat it!"

To a healthier you!

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