Stop buying processed foods, immediately. During the few days (or a week for those of you hoarders) when you are revolutionizing your place of food storage, either live off what you already have, get (healthy!) take-out, and/or buy fruits and veggies.
Step 2.
Take inventory. What, and how much, do you have? This could save you money--I recently found 3 bottles of the exact same seasoning. I recommend taking care of the fridge in one sitting. The pantry or cabinet can go one shelf per day if you need to. If you have a very busy schedule, don't panic, just make sure you mark where you left off the day before.
Step 3.
Is it expired? Throw it out. Empty bottles and recycle them. The easiest way to empty old salad dressing or sauce is to shake it first. If you can't find the expiration date, and no one remembers when it was bought, it's probably best to toss.
Step 4.
Check the ingredients. The fewer ingredients, the better. I cannot stress this enough. If the ingredient...
...is too hard for you to pronounce, get rid of it.
...cannot be easily spelled by anyone other than chemist, get rid of it.
...ends in -ose, it is most likely a sugar--get rid of it.
...is derived of corn or soy, get rid of it.
...is "emulsifier" (carrageenan is also one), get rid of it.
Why?
I (influenced by several food documentaries and articles) consider the simplest food to be the best for me. If I suspect an ingredient is highly processed, how am I supposed to know how my body (a body that has evolutionarily survived and thrived on foods found in nature, AKA natural foods) will derive nutrients from it?
Ingredients ending in "-ose" are usually forms of sugar. The sugars you should be eating are the ones that are unrefined/unprocessed. Think that you're not eating that much sugar? Think again.
Do you know how much corn products you consume? Probably way too many. Watch King Corn to understand how powerful corn is in American society.
Regarding emulsifiers, they are what keep your liquid/gooey products from separating. Seriously people? Have we gotten so lazy that we can't shake a bottle for two whole seconds? There are no proven health risks from emulsifiers, but there is no reason to be using them in the first place. Read. Key line: "Emulsifiers are necessary if you have oil- and water-based products. The real question would appear to be: do we need oil- and water-based products? Often, the answer is no." (Pat Thomas)
Whatever is left, keep!
Step 5.
Donate the food you are getting rid of. Yes, that means that someone else will be eating it, but in the end, artificial food is better than no food, and someone may not have the same opportunity you have to take the next step.
Step 6.
Go grocery shopping! If you are suddenly left with a few healthy jars of applesauce, almond butter, and coconut milk, here's your chance to change your life.
New and Improved Shopping List
My goodness people! There is so much DELICIOUS food out there. There are pinto beans and mushrooms (personally not my favorite) and lemons and zucchini. Don't put your body in extra stress from what you put in your mouth. The best part about this is that there are SO many options. You just need to find what you like, and the more looking you do, the more you will find. I promise.
Step 3.
Is it expired? Throw it out. Empty bottles and recycle them. The easiest way to empty old salad dressing or sauce is to shake it first. If you can't find the expiration date, and no one remembers when it was bought, it's probably best to toss.
Step 4.
Check the ingredients. The fewer ingredients, the better. I cannot stress this enough. If the ingredient...
...is too hard for you to pronounce, get rid of it.
...cannot be easily spelled by anyone other than chemist, get rid of it.
...ends in -ose, it is most likely a sugar--get rid of it.
...is derived of corn or soy, get rid of it.
...is "emulsifier" (carrageenan is also one), get rid of it.
Why?
I (influenced by several food documentaries and articles) consider the simplest food to be the best for me. If I suspect an ingredient is highly processed, how am I supposed to know how my body (a body that has evolutionarily survived and thrived on foods found in nature, AKA natural foods) will derive nutrients from it?
Ingredients ending in "-ose" are usually forms of sugar. The sugars you should be eating are the ones that are unrefined/unprocessed. Think that you're not eating that much sugar? Think again.
 |
| Gross! |
Regarding emulsifiers, they are what keep your liquid/gooey products from separating. Seriously people? Have we gotten so lazy that we can't shake a bottle for two whole seconds? There are no proven health risks from emulsifiers, but there is no reason to be using them in the first place. Read. Key line: "Emulsifiers are necessary if you have oil- and water-based products. The real question would appear to be: do we need oil- and water-based products? Often, the answer is no." (Pat Thomas)
Whatever is left, keep!
Step 5.
Donate the food you are getting rid of. Yes, that means that someone else will be eating it, but in the end, artificial food is better than no food, and someone may not have the same opportunity you have to take the next step.
Step 6.
Go grocery shopping! If you are suddenly left with a few healthy jars of applesauce, almond butter, and coconut milk, here's your chance to change your life.
New and Improved Shopping List
- fruits
- apples!
- melons!
- berries!
- bananas!
- avocados!
- pomegranates!
- vegetables
- kale!
- spinach!
- carrots!
- beets!
- lettuce!
- radishes!
- cucumbers!
- seeds
- pumpkin!
- sunflower!
- chia!
- buckwheat!
- hemp!
- flax!
- nuts (and nut butters :) )
- almonds!
- walnuts!
- hazelnuts!
- cashews!
- macadamia!
My goodness people! There is so much DELICIOUS food out there. There are pinto beans and mushrooms (personally not my favorite) and lemons and zucchini. Don't put your body in extra stress from what you put in your mouth. The best part about this is that there are SO many options. You just need to find what you like, and the more looking you do, the more you will find. I promise.
 |
| A scrumptious snack of applesauce and cinnamon. |
P.S. If you want a more gradual change into a fresh-food lifestyle, keep the processed foods you know you will eat. This way you can eat all the food you have and slowly introduce more unprocessed food! Yay!
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