Do you ever look at other people’s shopping when you are waiting at the checkout? Sadly enough I do, and yesterday I took a sneaky peak into a really unhealthy shopping trolley. Read on for top-tips for healthy shopping.
Shopping Trolley Spy
So first up – the problem. We all have nutritional needs, but for some reason many many of us don’t meet those needs.
In the UK, Europe and USA we have an abundance of foods, but similarly we have an abundance of health complaints which, can largely be attributed to poor nutrition.
A little sneaky I know but yesterday was far from the first time I had been in line with a shopping trolley that is literally killing its consumer. So I took notes!
Sometimes described a ‘beige’ foods, this shopping list is a prime example of a calorie-dense and nutrient-sparse diet, that attributes to so many ill health and obesity related problems in the UK.
Sorry if I offend you, but seriously if your shopping basket looks like this you will be lacking in vitamins, minerals, fibre, omega 3 and good fats such as CLA, anti-oxidants, not to mention the acidity and stress this causes from chronic inflammation.
Lets have a closer look
- Pot Noodle – insulin stress, anti-nutrient, additives, empty calories
- Squash – sugar, artificial sweetner, insulin stress, anti-nutrient, empty calories
- Cheap processed bread – common allergen, insulin stress, anti-nutrient, empty calories
- Potato – insulin stress, anti-nutrient,
- Frozen chopped onion – really? use a real onion!
- Onion rings – processed, contains ingredients causing insulin stress, anti-nutrient, empty calories
- Noodles – insulin stress, anti-nutrient, empty calories
- Pasta – gluten common allergen, insulin stress, anti-nutrient, empty calories
- Low-fat cheese – eliminates the good fats, increases the portion of allergens such as whey and casein that is counteracted by abundant fats. Increase dairy fats, reduce processing and dairy can be really healthy – full fat organic butter, whole organic ‘raw’ milk, full fat cheese, full fat bio Greek yogurt. Why reduce the fat since it is the GI of the dairy that makes it fattening (that’s why milk can be good for athletes post exercise when insulin sensitive)? Finally, fat allows the vitamins A,D, E, K to be absorbed.
- Biscuits – insulin stress, anti-nutrient, empty calories
- Canned / processed reformed meats – anti-nutrient, empty calories, preservatives, additives, salt, junk.
Does Your Basket Look Like This?
If your basket looks like this you are in trouble. If you buy junk, you will eat junk at home. How can you expect your body to function if you don’t supply it with the nutrients it needs? How can you expect to feel energised, happy, healthy, have great concentration, have a great physique, great skin, if you don’t provide the nutrients your body needs for this?
Just because the ‘beige’ diet is sold to you and on face value looks cheap, it does not mean it is right:
The price of ‘beige’ foods may look low, but what are the costs to you as a person, your family, and the nation with rising health bills? Great food is health care, and if you don’t provide yourself with it you will likely need medical ‘sick care’ sooner than later.
10 Shopping Basket Must Haves
- Spinach / green leaves like kale, lettuce,
- Tomato
- Peppers
- Eggs
- Organic meat / poultry
- Oily fish – salmon line caught
- Quinoa
- Onions
- Garlic
- Fruits – lots of them!
I hope this is more useful than it is ranting. If you are victim of the ‘beige’ epidemic, please please please do something about it. Take your health into your control and buy green. If you like this article, and you want more nutrition advice, then grab your plan in the side bar, and of course share and ask questions below.
Happy healthy shopping, Nico.