We need to get real about what’s happening in the food industry. We have corporations trying to fool us into thinking we are eating healthily, when the exact opposite is true. New research has found that people are often so focused on their diet that they end up doing things to undermine their own efforts. For example, they may think, “I’m on a diet” and then eat an entire pizza because they believe there’s no greater sin than eating bad food while in the midst of a weight loss effort.
They might also view healthy food as less tasty or satisfying than unhealthy foods and consequently not eat enough of the good stuff to make up for the extra calories.You deserve to know what’s happening in your food and how it affects you, so that you can make better decisions for yourself. UW health uconnect is here to help. Here are some reasons why you are a rookie in healthy food:
1.You don’t know what a real, natural ingredient is.
Food companies have been working hard to fool us into thinking their products are healthy, when they’re really not. They will use natural sounding ingredients, but the product itself is actually processed and unhealthy for you. Look for real ingredients, like beans, cabbage or kale and avoid anything that has “flavor” on the ingredient list (unless it naturally tastes like that product) or anything with an ingredient you can’t pronounce.
2. You don’t know what processed means yet.
When the word processed, it sounds like it’s bad for you, but processed can also mean good for you. You see, a good example of processed food that is healthy for you is something that comes in a box or can. Processed foods keep longer and are easier to transport, so these foods are on our dinner table more often than not. Processed foods can also help us save time in the kitchen because they cook faster and taste pretty darn good too. However, be sure to read labels as some packaged foods have ingredients that aren’t so good for you!
3. You still shop at the grocery store.
Grocery stores use tricks to help you think you are getting a better deal when you buy food there. For instance, some of the ingredients that are considered necessary may be replaced with cheaper ones so that you think the “whole” thing is actually a lot cheaper than buying it separately. The bottom line is: Stop shopping at your local grocery store and go online to trusted resources like UW Health Uconnect to find good quality and safe foods!
4. You’re still eating junk food.
Food companies have been coming up with new ways to fool us into thinking their food is healthy when it’s really not. One example is adding artificial ingredients to food. Artificial ingredients are not the same as natural ones, so be careful when deciding which foods to buy. If you want to see what real food looks like, look for foods that don’t have an ingredient list.
5. You think dairy is healthy for you.
Dairy doesn’t automatically make food healthy for you, and it can be bad for your health! Some dairy products contain hormones such as estrogens and antibiotics and other chemicals that affect your body’s chemistry and may lead to cancer or immune system imbalance issues. To stay healthy, go with dairy alternatives like soy milk and rice milk.
6. You don’t know what a natural color is.
Yes, food companies use natural colors in their products. Some of these colors can cause cancer and other diseases because they are derived from coal tar, which is a derivative of petroleum! When you read the ingredient list on a product, look for anything that has color in it because that’s probably why it’s there!
7. You still drink soda pop.
Soda pop is not good for you; it has no nutritional value and can cause chronic health issues. To stay healthy, drink water and natural fruit juices. Don’t get tricked by the “diet” drinks, because they contain artificial sweeteners that could be bad for you.
8. You’re still eating packaged foods.
When it comes to packaged food, in most cases the more processed something is the less healthy it is for us. The nutrients have been taken out of the food during processing, so the more processed something is, the less nutrients it contains! Stay away from processed foods whenever you can and go with whole foods instead – like fresh fruits and vegetables!
9. You’ve got to get out of the grocery store.
Grocery stores are not where you want to go when you are trying to eat healthily. If a product can make it in a grocery store, it’s probably junk food because if it were that healthy, it wouldn’t be there long enough for you to buy it! Food companies have worked hard to make sure their product ends up on the shelves of your local grocery store, so be careful and don’t fall for any tricks when shopping!
