Should you cut red meat? Is a little sugar okay? Is paleo right for you? How about dairy products? Eating healthily can be exhausting. And frighteningly, companies often market their products in a way to trick you into believing you are doing your body a favor by buying them. There’s a good chance you’re not. So here’s the lowdown on how to dodge the lies and eat like you mean it…
Products you should avoid:
- Anything that says ‘diet’, ‘light’ or ‘lite’ on the packet. This most often means it’s full of chemical replacements to the calorie-laden alternative. Stay away!
- Paleo packets. Pre-packaged paleo meals and snacks go against the whole idea of paleo. If something is processed, has coconut by-products added, or is made of a long list of refined grain-free ‘frankenfoods’, do you think you should eat it?
- Vegetables and fruit from the supermarket. Okay, so there are worse things you could eat for sure, but the incredible truth about this produce is how long it’s been since it was harvested from the source (it can be up to three weeks!). By the time these fruit and veggies hit the shelf, the nutrients they originally contained are severely depleted. Go organic, get a weekly fruit and veggie delivery or shop at farmers markets as much as possible.
- Foods that come pre-prepared. You don’t necessarily need to totally avoid pre-prepared foods, but you MUST check the ingredient list. Companies use preservatives, flavor enhancers, cheap ingredients and all sorts of other chemicals to add shelf-life and flavor to pre-prepared meals and snacks. Always read the label of what you’re about to consume, if there’s any single ingredient that you don’t recognize put it back on the shelf.
