By Janet Verney.
So, by now many of you have made some type of New Years Resolution and are already working hard to be a healthier version of you, or maybe you began and have already fallen off the resolution wagon? Happens to the best of us… Part of getting and staying on track with a healthier eating plan is to start fresh with a makeover of your kitchen pantry. Just the act of cleaning out the old and bringing in the new can be the motivation you need to reach your goals.
The best place to begin is to weed out products that are expired or have toxic ingredients. Over time you can begin to replace old products with new, healthier options. One step at a time works for some and others may choose to do a clean sweep!
Start by learning to read labels. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you know what to look for it gets easier and soon you will go straight for what you know and trust as a healthy product. Let’s break things down into three types of foods:
ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS: It is best to avoid all ultra-processed foods. These are pre-packaged foods that are filled with chemicals, preservatives, dyes, and artificial ingredients. If you cannot pronounce an ingredient, or you don’t know what it is, then don’t eat it!
PROCESSED FOODS: There are many processed foods that may be okay to consume. Look for products that do not have more than 3-5 ingredients, and those should be healthy. When available, choose organic products over conventional to avoid a dose of pesticides. An example of a processed food product that I regularly enjoy is organic almond butter – It is made with organic almonds and a bit of sea salt.
WHOLE FOODS: The best foods on the planet are the ones that give you the most life! They are whole foods, which include “living food” (sprouts that are still growing when eaten) and raw fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. When you begin with fresh ingredients full of life, you add that energy to your life! A mentor once said, “the longer the shelf life on the food, the shorter your life will be.” When it comes to purchasing fruits & vegetables, look at the beginning number on the scan bar sticker and that will tell you if it is conventionally grown (non-organic), a GMO food (Genetically Modified), or organically grown (free of harmful pesticides and sprays).
- 4-Conventional
- 8-GMO Foods
- 9-Organic (If 100% certified organic, then they are non-GMO)
Each year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) posts which fruits and vegetables are the most contaminated with toxins, known as the “Dirty Dozen” and the least contaminated are known as the “Clean Fifteen.” You can find more helpful information at ewg.org and you can even download the EWG app for your phone!
Toxic ingredients are running rampant in our food supply. For instance, a fast food chain had been adding to their bread a chemical that is commonly used to make yoga mats! Who wants to gnaw on yoga mats! Ugh! Thankfully they got caught and due to much publicity, they are no longer using this ingredient. Another example is a popular beverage company who uses “caramel coloring” in many of their drinks. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Think again…. The caramel coloring comes from the anal gland sacs of a beaver! Double YUCK! Bottom line, know what you are putting in your mouth and make conscious choices for your health. A great resource for evaluating pre-packaged foods by the brand name is also on the EWG website. They rate by category using a 1-being the healthiest to 10-being the unhealthiest. It is interesting to see where some of your old-time favorite foods may fall. You can check them out here: www.ewg.org/foodscores
You may find the chart below helpful in cleaning out your cupboards. Whole, clean food is first and foremost your best bet, with the addition of minimally processed foods being secondary. Following is EWG’s guide to good food that may be of interest: http://www.ewg.org/goodfood/. In addition, be sure to clean out toxic cleaning products and replace them with safer versions or homemade solutions (check for safety data on the EWG website).
You may want to consider joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where you buy into a farm for the season and get your share of fresh and often times organic fruits and vegetables. Although many local farms are not certificated organic, they usually practice organic methods. Simply ask your local farmer how they treat their crops for pests and climate issues. There is nothing better than eating local, seasonal, fresh foods! Farmer’s Markets are wonderful too! If you live in the Northeast, eating raw greens in the spring will support a natural cleanse for your body and in the colder months consuming more root vegetables will help you stay warm and grounded. Eating seasonally helps your body to run at its best – this is how your body is designed, your natural circadian rhythm! Isn’t nature amazing?
So, it’s time to get cleaning, one cupboard at a time! Don’t forget the fridge and freezer… Here’s to new beginnings!
| INCLUDE | DISCARD |
| An assortment of organic spices | Expired, non-organic spices |
| Healthy organic, cold pressed MUFA fats (olive oil & avocado oil) On occasion, coconut oil, sesame oil, or ghee | Partially hydrogenated oils, oils in light jars, old oils, canola oils, margarine, butter |
| Super Grains (Quinoa, Amaranth, Millet, Wild/Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Non-GMO Corn) Go with sprouted grains when possible | White flour, enriched flours, GMO flours, flour with fillers and emulsifiers |
| Baking Ingredients (non-aluminum baking powder & baking soda, organic extracts, Himalayan sea salt, chickpea flour, almond flour, coconut flour) | Old, non-organic baking ingredients |
| Sweeteners (Stevita, non-GMO Stevia, raw honey, coconut palm sugar, date paste, raw dates, organic molasses, yacon syrup, maple syrup) | White sugar, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners, over processed sweeteners |
| Smoothie makings (raw, organic protein powders, frozen fruits, greens, nuts & seeds, nut butters, dates) | Whey proteins, non-organic ingredients. |
| Snacks/Treats (dark organic chocolate, dried fruit, blue organic corn chips, Raw Rev Bars, fresh fruit dates filled with nut butter, organic nuts & seeds) | Anything with fillers, MSG, artificial ingredients, sweeteners, soy lecithin, canola oil, food coloring/dyes, preservatives. If you cannot pronounce it, or don’t know what it is, don’t eat it. |
| Organic potatoes, onions, garlic | Non-organic |
| Sprouted, organic cereals & homemade granolas | Cereals filled with sugar, gluten, preservatives, etc. |
| Organic, BPA-free canned goods, or preferably jarred | BPA canned foods |
| Fruit juice sweetened jams | Sugary jams & preserves |
| Refrigerated whole foods (seasonal, local, organic) | Limp veggies & mushy fruits, non-organic produce |
| Non-dairy homemade nut, seed, and coconut milks. Goat milk is another option and better tolerated than cow dairy. If dairy, choose organic. | Dairy and non-dairy filled with chemicals, especially with added hormones and antibiotics. Avoid non-organic almond milk. |
| Organic condiments, preferably homemade | Condiments filled with preservatives & chemicals |
| Gluten free soy sauce, Tamari or Braggs Amino Acid | Regular soy sauce |
| Grain-free fermented tempeh & organic non-GMO tofu, natto, and Miso paste. | Soy isolate, all the premade soy products |
| Frozen organic fruits & veggies (clean 15 on EWG) | Non-organic frozen fruits & veggies (the dirty dozen on EWG) |
| Minimally processed organic meals in the freezer | Overly processed foods with fillers, chemicals, stored in plastic trays (TV dinners/frozen foods in plastic). Do not microwave in plastic! |
Janet E. Verney is an Author, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Wellness Designer, and Healthy Food Chef who resides in Higganum and loves helping others to “health-up” their lives! Have a burning health or nutrition question, write to Janet at connect@roots2wellness.com. To learn more, visit her website at roots2wellness.com.
