Are you confused by the “rules” of healthy eating? There are so many opinions out there on what is good for us and what’s not, what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t. One minute carbs are bad the next minute they’re good in moderation, then some are ok and others we should stay away from, simple carbs and complex carbs need to be treated differently, oh and protein is fine but only some kinds of protein and wait hold on a minute because we haven’t even began to touch on fats, good fats, bad fats, low fat, trans fats, fat free, omega 3 and make sure you’re not eating too much of the same stuff and don’t eat the same thing every day and you need to have 3 meals a day, no wait it’s 6.... Does eating really need to be this messy?
Food is a vital part of our survival, without it- we die. What I struggle to comprehend is why we went from knowing exactly what we were eating, how much to eat and how often- to not knowing all that much at all. Somewhere along the line, eating a slice of apple pie got more complicated than pi squared. Colours, additives and supplements are so prominent in our supermarkets these days we hardly notice anymore. But what are these additives doing to our bodies? If they were really that bad, then why are they allowed to be added in the first place?
If we look at the humble carrot for example, we know that carrot contains beta-carotene; a nutrient our bodies turn into Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy teeth, skeletal tissue, soft tissue, mucous membranes, low light vision and the pigment in our retina. It is also essential in the cell turnover in our skin, which is why it is a popular active ingredient in many cosmeceutical age management (or anti-aging) serums. Scientists have tried extracting the beta-carotene to turn it into supplements, however their research indicates that once isolated, the beta-carotene doesn’t have the same nutritional effect as when it’s found in its natural state. So now we use the extracted Beta Carotene as a colourant in our processed foods, giving margarine its yellow-orange hue. Is it bad for you? No, not necessarily. Do the supplements do our bodies any good? Certainly not.
So, what am I getting at? Two things really. The first is that we shouldn’t take supplements at face value- they aren’t all created equal. While we don’t need to be taking a multitude of vitamins and supplements in order to be healthy, it is important to know that we are getting enough of them through the foods we eat. If you think you may be lacking in something, chances are a multivitamin isn’t going to be the definitive answer- see a Naturopath or your preferred healthcare professional before spending your hard earned cash on a generic multi; chances are you might only be lacking one or two vitamins, which might I add, you may be able to replenish naturally through diversifying your diet.
The second is while not all food additives are necessarily bad for you, some certainly are. If you’re anything like me, while you want to eat well and be healthy, you don’t want to spend four hours in Coles checking the back of every single label of every single product that you chuck into the trolley- I’d rather be doing more exciting things with my time. If you are interested in the nasties, you can find a valuable list here.
So what can you do? Well you already know the answer to that- KISS. I don’t mean mack on with the guy or gal at the checkout, I mean Keep It Simple Stupid. Go back to basics with your food, eat whole foods, foods that you can eat raw, foods that haven’t been processed and foods that you can find in nature. Forget all the science behind it all and stick to the basics. Eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible and you will start to feel amazing. You will loose weight, feel great and it won’t even feel like you’re missing out on anything or trying too hard.
I want you to go and do something, right this second. Don’t wait until tomorrow, don’t put it on the to-do list that never gets done. Start right now. I want you to waltz on over to your pantry and take a good hard look at the contents.
Are there things sitting in there that could sit there for years without going bad? Are there ingredients on the back that you can’t pronounce? If there is, the best place for them is the next community food drive, or call your local Church or Community Centre and ask if they take on donations. These items certainly have their place in the world, but that place isn’t in your pantry! You will be helping your local community as well as starting a new “healthy eating” chapter to your life. For those of you living in Melbourne:
Christ Church Community Centre
Information: Non perishable food can be dropped off at Christ Church Community Centre between 9 and 12:30 Monday to Friday or contact us to see if we can make other arrangements. Perishable food is by arrangement only.
Some food is distributed as emergency relief to local people. Other food is used in our programs including Open House which provides a free weekly meal for homeless and disadvantaged people.
Contact details
Address: 14 Acland St, St Kilda
Email: ccmisc@ozemail.com.au
Phone: 03 9534 9250
Email: ccmisc@ozemail.com.au
Phone: 03 9534 9250
So, it’s this easy: eat local, eat organic, eat fresh whole foods and you can’t go wrong.
Have you had any bad experiences with food additives? Share your experience in the comments below!
ReplyDeleteEmma xx