BECOMING FOOD LABEL SAVVY!!

“Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.”- Bethenny Frankel

The myriad of lifestyle related diseases is making us pay more attention to the way we eat, what we eat, when we eat and how much we eat. We consciously make informed choices when making our purchases and raking off those items into our trolleys from the supermarket shelves. The amount of time we spend reading labels, knowing which ingredients to avoid and the sheer amount of information can be akin to Nutrition 101 course!

If you are like me, you are probably spending more time at the supermarket reading food labels and nutritional facts on that can or plastic container you are holding, than the time you allotted for you entire grocery shopping. The prints are more often than not, so tiny I usually need to bring out my reading glasses peradventure there are some hidden contents I have since decided I no longer want to ingest.

A wise woman has since advised me that I should be in the market (not supermarket) where I will not require my reading glasses, shopping for fresh organic produce –vegetables, fruits (not imported or coated with some white film), chicken, seeds, spices, goat meat, etc.

We should eat more fresh, green, organic and as close to nature as much as possible.

Reality is, we are not eating 100% organic and fresh anymore like our grandparents. Most foods we are buying off the shelf have preservatives, are chemical laden, loaded with toxic chemicals, and probably stripped of nutritional value, making them poisonous and toxic to the system.

Quick check list of what we have been advised to look out for and avoid when reading food labels:

Anything you cannot pronounce –A school of thought believes that if you cannot pronounce the word, do not buy because it is a chemical!

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) – MSG causes all types of physical and medical problems. It increases appetite and it can lead to weight gain.

Aspartame – Stimulates appetite, causes depression, leads to all types of medical conditions including PMS and migraine.

High Fructose Corn Syrup –This is very fattening. Chemically and physically addicting.

Hydrogenated Oil or Partially Hydrogenated Oil –This is transfat. It is fattening. Can cause heart disease.

Artificial Color Sugar, Fructose, Dextrose, Sucrose –Chemically made sweeteners. Can be addictive. Avoid at all cost.

Sucralose- Artificial Sweetner –Increases appetite, symptoms like migraine, PMS, allergies, depression. Fattening.

Remember to make good investments in your bank account! Have a great week interpreting your food labels correctly and making better food choices.

I wish you Optimum Health and Well-Being!!!