CNCA Health

Health Magazine

Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping

Grocery store shopping

You probably already have a few tricks for navigating the grocery store … and getting out without a cartful of unhealthy impulse purchases. This is smart, because grocery shopping dictates what you’ll eat for the next week (or two), and it’s important to go in with a plan.

Planning your meals is rule number one for healthy eating, which is why your trip to the grocery store should involve a list of ingredients needed to prepare wholesome meals at home. Beyond this, Hella Wella has compiled a quick go-to guide of the “dos and don’ts” of healthy grocery shopping. If you’re trying to eat better, these simple tips will help:

DO …

  • Avoid the middle of the store: This is where most of the processed and packaged foods reside. There are a few healthy exceptions, like dried beans and whole grains, to be found in the interior, but most of the healthy food – produce, meat, dairy, etc. – is on the perimeter.
  • Bring a calculator: You may need to do a little math to figure out which food contains less sugar per serving, or which is a better deal per ounce. A calculator comes in handy for this (or use the one on your smartphone).
  • Shop after you exercise: You’ll still be on your exercise ‘high’ and you’ll be feeling good about your health goals, which is a recipe for healthier food choices.
  • Look for short ingredient lists: The fewer ingredients, the closer to its natural state. Food activist and author Michael Pollan recommends avoiding packaged foods with more than five ingredients.
  • Make healthy food swaps: Try:
  • Low-sodium, organic and nitrate-free deli meats and cheeses instead of regular
  • Whole-wheat and whole-grain pasta and bread instead of white refined versions
  • Grass-fed beef instead of grain-fed beef
  • Organic, free-range chicken instead of conventionally raised chicken

DON’T …

  • Shop hungry: You’re much more likely to make impulse purchases and buy junk foods if you’re hungry while you grocery shop.
  • Buy something just because it’s on sale: Even if you can get your favorite snack food for a steal, remember that it’s not a ‘bargain’ for your health.
  • Assume fat-free and low-fat mean ‘healthy’: Reduced fat foods often have added sugar and salt as replacements.
  • Buy canned vegetables: Canned veggies have added sodium and the cans may be lined with the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). Frozen vegetables are a healthier choice.
  • Buy foods with trans fats: This synthetic fat is linked to heart disease, diabetes and other chronic disease. If a food lists “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” on the label, it contains trans fats.
  • Forget your list: Remember, creating a list is rule number one. Be sure to bring it with you … and stick to it.

 

Source

Hella Wella

Recent Posts

  • Swapping Water Fluoridation Chemicals Could Reduce Arsenic in Drinking Water by 99 Percent
  • Are Coffee and Tea Good for You?
  • How Your Sports Team Losing Might Make You Fat
  • Top 10 Nutritious and Affordable Fruits
  • Top Ways To Protect Your Vision Health
  • Top Natural Solutions for More Restful Sleep
  • Top Foods and Nutrients for Heart Health
  • Top 10 Food Ingredients to Avoid
  • Countries with Most Food Safety Violations
  • Starving Cancer: Eat Your Own Chemotherapy?
  • 5 Benefits of Yoga — No Matter What Your Age (Plus, What Type is Right for You)
  • How to Choose the Right Multivitamin: 5 Key Steps
  • The Critical Role of Magnesium in Your Health
  • Omega-3 During Pregnancy May Reduce Risk of Childhood Obesity
  • Fueling Your Body to Boost Your Workout
  • Are Artificial Sweeteners Good for You?
  • Reduce Salt by Adding Vinegar?
  • Most BPA-Free Plastics Still Leach Toxic Chemicals
  • New Blood Test for Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer
  • New Strategy for Creating Custom Cancer Vaccines

© Copyright 2023 CNCA Health · All Rights Reserved ·