Around 150 million years ago, our early ancestors met their dietary needs by eating heated meat, and wild vegetables, seeds and fruit. Fast forward to today and over the last 100 years we’ve seen the extraordinary rise of and preference for processed foods (which is only partly due to our busy lifestyles).
When you next go to the supermarket, take your time to examine the food labels on a variety of ‘packet’ foods. The ingredients list is always in order of highest to lowest: e.g. a box of cereal may list their first ingredient as corn. But the second ingredient is often sugar! A longer the list may mean more processing and additives are involved, such as stabilisers, trisodium phosphate E339iii and other strange stuff that read as though they were created in a laboratory rather than grown in the ground.
Where our food comes from and is packaged also plays a part in our overall health. You might be shocked to know that estimates show we consume five grams of micro and nanoplastics every week. This is the equivalent of a credit card in plastic each week into our bodies.
(The growing pressure from us as consumers on manufacturers and government is helping to reduce plastic packaging and plastic pollution in our oceans and environment. Please keep that pressure on!)
Thankfully, recent times have also seen a backlash against artificial colours, flavourings, and food additives. More consumers now seek out natural, organic, and unprocessed foods.
So, what are natural foods? Generally speaking, natural foods are free from synthetic and artificial ingredients or additives, so… check out that packet!
A good philosophy is, if you shop at a major supermarket, stick to the outside perimeter where all the fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruit are, and limit your shopping down the aisles.
Here are some tips on how to eat more whole, natural foods:
- Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits
- Limit processed foods
- Read labels before choosing
- Choose oils and spreads wisely
- Reduce intake of refined sugars
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Substitute vegetables in recipes
- Make water your primary beverage
- Choose food from ethically raised animals
This way of eating can not only boost your health but also help you appreciate the natural flavours of various foods.
Enjoy your good health!
by Andy Derijk