Many of us grew up on sugar cereal, mac-n-cheese, fish sticks, and chicken nuggets. They were our favorite foods, but have you ever looked at the ingredient lists? If not, take a look, you may be surprised.
Now that I know what goes into these foods, I question whether we can even call them food. They are more of a food-like substance made up largely of fillers and preservatives. So, are you eating food or a food-like substance?
When you focus on putting good nutrient-dense real food into your body, you will begin to feel the difference. You might be surprised that things you didn’t even realize were bothering you begin to change.
Let’s talk about REAL FOOD today, so you can feel great and make the best choices for your body.
What is Real Food?
Anything that is made in nature instead of a lab, things your great-grandparents would recognize as food, would be considered real foods. Quality meats, healthy fats, vegetables, nuts, and fruit are the foundation of all real food items.
If you can’t find it in nature, get it from a farmer, or grow it yourself, it probably isn’t real food. Even if you can find the original product in one of these places, there may be fillers or preservatives added in processing. It’s important to read the label to see if each ingredient on the list qualifies as real food.
What are the Benefits of Real Food
- decrease inflammation
- stabilize blood sugar
- regulate menstrual cycles
- clear skin (less acne)
- move toward your ideal weight
- increase and sustain energy (when focused on quality protein and fat)
- feeling satisfied longer
- gut healing (fewer digestive issues)
- increase positive feelings (less anxiety and depression)
How to Buy Real Food
Most real food items will be found on the perimeter of the grocery store. The packaged items in the middle of the store are generally highly processed and often contain a long list of ingredients.
When you want to buy real food, it is helpful to look for foods with just a few ingredients. For example, a popular brand of fruit snack lists over twenty ingredients on the package while strawberries only have one.
You should be able to easily recognize everything on the ingredient list. Look up anything you don’t. Then ask yourself if you would ever find it in your grandparents' pantry. Consider finding something else if it wouldn't be in her pantry.
Take it Slow
Real ingredients are much better for you than the ingredients used in processed foods, but it might take some time to make the switch. That’s okay! We are in a marathon not a sprint and real change takes time.
Just keep moving toward eating more real foods and less processed "food" each day. Here are some things that may help you:
- Choose at least one vegetable to eat each day (working your way up to 5-10!).
- Try having fruit instead of dessert.
- Focus on having protein and fat at every meal.
- Switch out chips with some trail mix (remember to read the ingredients).
- Set aside a couple of hours each week to prep meals.
- Buy a dozen eggs rather than a box of Pop-Tarts.
- Change your crackers to a healthier variety (Simple Mills brand is a great choice).
Cost Concerns
When you consider switching to a real food diet you may be concerned that you will need to spend more money. While you will likely spend more on produce and meat, you won’t be buying processed foods.
You get more nutrients per dollar when you buy real food. Processed food contains many fillers and few nutrients. For example, buying a bag of carrots rather than chips is about the same price, but carrots contain more nutrients.
Here are some tips when trying to save money and eat real food at the same time:
- Buying produce frozen or in season can help keep the cost down.
- Investing in a quarter, half, or whole animal directly from a local farmer can often save a lot of money. Splitting it with a friend helps with the upfront cost.
- You may not be able to buy organic, grass-fed, free-range, local food. Just get the highest quality you can afford. It’s better to eat non-organic meat and eggs than processed foods.
- Don’t feel bad for buying non-grass-fed, non-organic lamb, eggs, and some cheeses. Even canned fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, and herring are nutrient-dense foods that aren’t that expensive.
- Check out the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen to see what conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are safer to eat.
And remember, it’s an investment in your current and future health.
I hope you are able to experience the benefits of eating nutrient-dense real foods. It has made a huge difference in my life. Feel free to reach out if you need a little extra support in this area.
Dr. Jamie
P.S. Check out the following articles for ideas about real food meals - quality protein, breakfast ideas, and packed lunches.