You’ve heard the saying, “You are what you eat!” If this is true it’s important to pay attention to what we are putting into our bodies. Educating ourselves on what foods are natural and healthy for us can be a full-time job. You practically have to become a detective to know what’s in or on the foods we eat. Just the other day I read that the producer of aspartame, a common harmful and toxic ingredient in diet sodas, is trying to rebrand the sweetener which is already marketed under several trademark names with another new one. Making it virtually impossible for the average consumer to depict exactly what they are consuming. Here are a 3 everyday easy tips to follow for a healthier day and you!
Swap sugar and artificial sweeteners with agave. Agave is a natural sweetener like honey. Why is it better? Sugar is a processed sweetener that has no nutritional value except for calories, plus it has a high-glycemic index causing blood sugar levels to spike. Pushing our bodies to the extreme is detrimental to our health. Agave, on the other hand has a low-glycemic index keeping our bodies constant. Agave also contains nutrients like saponins which reduce blood cholesterol levels, increases bone density and stimulates the immune system, and a nutrient called fructane which increases healthy bacteria in our digestive system.
One of the best ways to ensure we are eating healthy foods is to try and eat them in their purest form. For example, fruits, vegetables especially those that are grown locally and organically are a safe bet. According to WebMD organic crops must be produced without conventional pesticides (including herbicides), synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. If a food has a “USDA organic” label, it contains at least 95 percent organic ingredients, and a government-approved expert has inspected the farm where it was produced to make sure the farmer follows USDA requirements.
Replace refined grains with whole grains. To choose a whole grain food, look on the ingredients list. According to Wikipedia, a good rule of thumb to follow is if the ingredient lists “whole wheat,” “whole meal,” or “whole corn” as the first ingredient, the product is a whole-grain food item. At kidshealth.org it explains why whole grains are so much healthier for our bodies than refined grains. “Whole grains contain all parts of the grain kernel. But refined grains, like the flour used to make white bread, have had the fiber-dense bran and the nutrient-rich germ processed out, leaving only the starchy endosperm. This means that refined grain is not as rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc.”