Tempted by certain foods in the grocery store? I know choosing the healthiest items while shopping the aisles can be a challenge, even frustrating at times. There are so many things to consider:
reducing added sugars, avoiding unhealthy trans fats, limiting processed food. It’s important to read labels and look more closely at ingredients so we know what we’re eating. But that can be tough when you’re in a rush and need to pick up dinner in a hurry. It helps to know in advance what to look for when you are at the store.
Here’s my quick guide for choosing the better option next time you are at the supermarket:
Don’t see something on the list? Keep these tips in mind for
less-stressed and healthier grocery shopping:
- The closer to nature the better. Would your great-grandma recognize it?
- Choose food with fewer ingredients and ones that you recognize. Less is more!
- Look for “partially hydrogenated oil”…when you find it, stay away! That’s a code word for trans-fat.
- Check the label for added sugar. If it says fructose, glucose, corn syrup, dextrose, honey, lactose, maltose or sucrose, these are all forms of sugar. Also, sugar quantities on labels are often listed in grams. To figure out how much sugar the product actually contains, divide the amount of sugar grams by four — that will tell you how many teaspoons of sugar are in that food. For example, if something contains 24g added sugar, it contains six teaspoons of sugar. That’s just about the recommended daily maximum intake of sugar!
The substitutions in my chart will help you eat healthier foods while limiting sugars and unhealthy fats. You’ll see that simple changes to your diet will make a big difference. And, hopefully, you’ll have an easier shopping trip the next time you go to the market!
Want more clean-eating recipes? Get ‘em here:
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Berry Tart
Edamame Hummus
Note: PLEASE consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet or medications. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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Don’t see something on the list? Keep these tips in mind for less-stressed and healthier grocery shopping:
