Are you in charge of keeping yourself and your family fed? If so, providing your family members with healthier options can be a daunting task. Whether it’s purchasing the right foods, knowing how to prepare them, or trying to get your family to eat them, there are many questions that can arise. So let’s go over some important steps in healthy eating.
Know what’s in your food. Before you bring anything home, scrutinize it. Check the ingredient list for any foreign-sounding substances. Chances are that if your brain has a difficult time understanding ingredients like “Sodium Benzoate” or “Potassium Bromate”, your digestive system will too. Check sugar content. If the product in hand contains added sugar, for goodness sake, put it back on the shelf. Next, check fats. You want to completely avoid artificial trans fat, also called partially hydrogenated oil. This is one of the most unhealthy fats you can consume. The nutrition label should read “Trans fat: 0g”. Lastly, check for an unhealthy dose of sodium. Try to find foods containing 150 mg of sodium or less. You will find that the majority of ready-to-eat processed foods will not stand up to such a thorough inspection. This is why whole foods will be your best option.
Cook it yourself. Yes, it seems easiest to grab a bag of tater tots and corn dogs and pop them in the microwave, but think of the long-term health effects when your bad eating habits catch up to you - because they will. Instead, grab some raw potatoes and prepare them yourself. Don’t know how? The days of clueless cooks can be behind us, with the spread of online recipes and instructional videos. Simply grab your smartphone or laptop and google whatever you want to find. "How to prepare lentils", "how long to cook brown rice", "how to use quinoa", and a host of other questions have all been answered by knowledgeable people who have used such ingredients for years. Use their free cooking tips and don't be afraid to experiment! Eating healthy isn't as hard as you might think!
Know what’s in your food. Before you bring anything home, scrutinize it. Check the ingredient list for any foreign-sounding substances. Chances are that if your brain has a difficult time understanding ingredients like “Sodium Benzoate” or “Potassium Bromate”, your digestive system will too. Check sugar content. If the product in hand contains added sugar, for goodness sake, put it back on the shelf. Next, check fats. You want to completely avoid artificial trans fat, also called partially hydrogenated oil. This is one of the most unhealthy fats you can consume. The nutrition label should read “Trans fat: 0g”. Lastly, check for an unhealthy dose of sodium. Try to find foods containing 150 mg of sodium or less. You will find that the majority of ready-to-eat processed foods will not stand up to such a thorough inspection. This is why whole foods will be your best option.
Cook it yourself. Yes, it seems easiest to grab a bag of tater tots and corn dogs and pop them in the microwave, but think of the long-term health effects when your bad eating habits catch up to you - because they will. Instead, grab some raw potatoes and prepare them yourself. Don’t know how? The days of clueless cooks can be behind us, with the spread of online recipes and instructional videos. Simply grab your smartphone or laptop and google whatever you want to find. "How to prepare lentils", "how long to cook brown rice", "how to use quinoa", and a host of other questions have all been answered by knowledgeable people who have used such ingredients for years. Use their free cooking tips and don't be afraid to experiment! Eating healthy isn't as hard as you might think!
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