I want to eat more real or natural food and less of processed food. If you are like me then these tips could be of benefit. It is hard to stay focused and not slip into the ease of prepared or frozen food. Even packaged food can is in every kitchen.  Here is a list of simple ideas on how you can try to be more aware of if you are buying real food or processed food.

1. Label Reading

If you take the time to read the labels when in the grocery store you will see how processed any food could be. Read the labels, and if not knowing the ingredient try look it up.  Even if you might not know it or the name is long, does´t mean it is bad.  The FDA keeps a list of food additives that you can use to check as well as this list.

 

2. Stay Away from Packaged Food and Focus on Single Ingredient Food

After your reading labels during your fun visits to the grocery store it is time to take one step closer to real food. Consider what you could remove from your grocery list.  What you can add instead as single ingredient food. This means instead of buying mixed musli, buy the ingredients and mix it yourself. As an example.

3. Low Fat Out and Healthy Fat In

This fad that has been going on in diets to stick to low fat will not last.  Everyone needs fat as part of their diet. It is just about eating the right healthy fat and not the bad one. If we just look back to the way our ancestors lived and the fat that they had as part of their diet we should be ok. Embrace fats like real butter (good unsalted butter), coconut oil, olive oil. Maybe try grass-fed tallow or pastured lard?

4. Refined sweetener Out and Unrefined Sweetener In

Try be without the sugar and the high fructose corn syrup. Try also to remove the agave nectar.  It is a fact that sugar, natural and traditional is not good for our health.  But if you need some sweetener in your life or food go for unrefined sweeteners.

Try to add raw honey, molasses and date sugar. It is also fine to use unrefined cane sugar, sorghum syrup and brown rice syrup.  Try adding them in small quantities and reduce them little by little every time you use them. Your craving for sweet taste might go away.

5. Go Fresh, Local and Sustainable Grown Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables is always better than eating tinned or frozen.  It is not cheaper to buy it in tins.  You just have buy it more often than the one you can store forever.  Ask yourself, do you want to eat food that you can store forever?  You will get better flavor from fresh vegetables that just got picked. Good flavor is always in favor of lasting longer as a favorite with the family.  As long as you don´t boil them or cook them so they loose their flavor or taste.

6. If you drink milk, go for the fresh one

Try the raw milk. It is the tastiest milk I have ever had.  Fresh milk from grass fed cows is rich in micronutrients. It is also rich with immune building bacteria and food enzymes.  You can also try vat-pasteurized milk from grass fed cows.  This has more nutrients and wholesome fats than the traditional milk. It is better than most organic milk you find in stores.

7. Love Meat – the Right Way

It goes for all food, choosing the right type of quality is key. It makes all the difference in taste.

Meat from animals that have had respect for their natural diet makes all the difference.  They are richer in micronutrients like vitamin A and beta carotene.  Find your local source or you can order online from this store.

8. Create a list of fast, easy made foods that everyone likes

Now that you have had a thought about real food and processed food it is time to think and act.  Create a list of recipes that are simple and tasty for the whole family.  As mentioned in previous blogs, we all need those simple meals that we can do that still are healthy. We come home tired and everyone is hungry, what is your back up plan then?  A list of easy to make foods that the whole family can enjoy instead of going to the nearest fast food restaurant.  Real Food for Rookies is a book worth reading if you need something to get you started.

 

9. Try Super Foods

I have talked about the benefits of super foods in my blog, several times.  These are simple foods that natives thrived on due to their high nutrient density. These are all foods rich in vitamins, antioxidants and other vital things like fish oils. If you want to read more here is a blog I wrote about super foods.

This should get you started if you have been trying to buy more real foods but have not. I will write more about this in the future as  I think part of leading a life in balance is to eat food that is natural.