By Carol Harblin (CHHC) When I go food shopping, what appears to be a simple quest turns into an adventurous journey. Buying a product based on the front of the package can be a trap. Just because the product says something like 100% juice, does not mean that it really is 100%. Turn the product over and read the ingredient label and search for certain taboo words like high fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, and partially hydrogenated. These select few ingredients are inundated into our food supply and it's up to us to crack the code.
The ingredient label is the key to the quality of your food. On a lighter note, the foods you will find in the produce department are as close to nature as you will get in a market. Fruit and vegetables do not require an ingredient label because they are whole, unprocessed foods.
The nutrition label is good to read when you need to know the sugar content of a product or how much fiber there is, but for the most part the ingredients is where you will determine if it is worthy of your shopping cart. Typically, a product is made up of the first few ingredients. If you want to buy a good hearty cereal, you don't want to read sugar or high fructose corn syrup as the first few ingredients on the list.
Did you know that even some pickle jars will list high fructose corn syrup in its ingredient list? Keep your guard up at a market and your magnifying glass handy for these treasure hunts.
The milk and egg aisle seems like it would be easy enough, but you don't want to consume hormones and antibiotics either. On most egg cartons, it will state whether it is hormone-free and antibiotic-free at the top of the package. Milk cartons will keep this information on the lower side of one of its panels.
The more you become aware of these traps, your supermarket journey does not seem as daunting. It can be a bit disheartening because you realize you cannot buy an item that you have always enjoyed. You soon realize that there are other options out there and that you need to keep your awareness level up and your eyes wide open. Most supermarkets have organic products and a health food section. When in doubt of where and what to buy, swing over to the health food section of your local market. The typical shopper may assume organic products and health food products may be expensive, but you will find that some items are comparable to mainstream items.
Just remember, the closer to nature a product is, the quality is most likely better. Your body is worth the effort because it's the only body you are ever going to own. You cannot trade your body in after 150,000 miles like a car. Be smart and read your ingredient labels, your body will thank you in the long run.
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When I go food shopping, what appears to be a simple quest turns into an adventurous journey. Buying a product based on the front of the package can be a trap. Just because the product says something like 100% juice, does not mean that it really is 100%. Turn the product over and read the ingredient label and search for certain taboo words like high fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, and partially hydrogenated. These select few ingredients are inundated into our food supply and it's up to us to crack the code.
The ingredient label is the key to the quality of your food. On a lighter note, the foods you will find in the produce department are as close to nature as you will get in a market. Fruit and vegetables do not require an ingredient label because they are whole, unprocessed foods.
The nutrition label is good to read when you need to know the sugar content of a product or how much fiber there is, but for the most part the ingredients is where you will determine if it is worthy of your shopping cart. Typically, a product is made up of the first few ingredients. If you want to buy a good hearty cereal, you don't want to read sugar or high fructose corn syrup as the first few ingredients on the list.
Did you know that even some pickle jars will list high fructose corn syrup in its ingredient list? Keep your guard up at a market and your magnifying glass handy for these treasure hunts.
The milk and egg aisle seems like it would be easy enough, but you don't want to consume hormones and antibiotics either. On most egg cartons, it will state whether it is hormone-free and antibiotic-free at the top of the package. Milk cartons will keep this information on the lower side of one of its panels.
The more you become aware of these traps, your supermarket journey does not seem as daunting. It can be a bit disheartening because you realize you cannot buy an item that you have always enjoyed. You soon realize that there are other options out there and that you need to keep your awareness level up and your eyes wide open. Most supermarkets have organic products and a health food section. When in doubt of where and what to buy, swing over to the health food section of your local market. The typical shopper may assume organic products and health food products may be expensive, but you will find that some items are comparable to mainstream items.
Just remember, the closer to nature a product is, the quality is most likely better. Your body is worth the effort because it's the only body you are ever going to own. You cannot trade your body in after 150,000 miles like a car. Be smart and read your ingredient labels, your body will thank you in the long run.