Making the decision to reduce or remove the amount of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, chemicals and ingredients from your diet is one that can improve your energy and health. Going natural is not an all or nothing endeavor. You can find ways to incorporate more natural foods in your diet and replace the biggest health offenders, as you ease into changing your diet.
6 Easy ways to eat natural on a daily basis
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
Yes, it really is that simple. By increasing the amount of fresh, natural ingredients in your diet, you will inevitably replace some of the more processed foods that you have become accustomed to.
Read every label
When choosing foods at the grocery store, be sure to read each label. Picking prepared foods with short lists of ingredients that you can actually pronounce is a great way to eat more naturally, while still having the foods you enjoy. You may find these new choices taste better too.
Choose carefully when it comes to your coffee
Many coffee producing countries do not regulate the use of chemicals and pesticides, so when the beans are imported, they could potentially bring unregulated chemical residue with them. Though going organic isn’t imperative to eat naturally, organic coffee is a natural choice.
Switch to organic dairy
Replacing your existing milk, yogurt and cheese brands with organic versions is a really effective way to improve your natural diet. Antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides can all be transferred from a cow to the milk that it produces. Organic milk is free from all of those chemicals, as organic dairies cannot feed their own cows grains that have been grown with pesticides, and they cannot use antibiotics or growth hormones.
Rethink your meats
Eating naturally does not equate to choosing a vegetarian lifestyle. An easy way to eat naturally without giving up your favorite sandwich is to choose natural lunch meats that are not treated with artificial preservatives and flavors. Nitrates are a common preservative found in lunch meats and hot dogs, and many people can be sensitive or allergic to this ingredient. Headaches are a common symptom of nitrate sensitivity.
Lose the low-fat prepared foods
Though a popular diet choice, many low-fat foods are not the best for our bodies. You need fat to digest carbohydrates, and your brain needs fatty acids for optimal function. Also, when the fat is removed from a food, it has to be replaced with something else. The usual suspects of fat replacement are high fructose corn syrup, salt and artificial sweeteners, so the most natural choice to cure an ice cream craving is a small serving of real ice cream, rather than a large serving of the reduced-fat version.
| Each small adjustment in your diet can have lasting effects on your overall health. The best way to you’re insure eating naturally on a consistent basis is to always have your kitchen and office stocked with healthy, natural snacks. It’s a simple way to ward off food cravings for the not-so-natural and often addictive vending machine snacks and meals delivered by way of a drive-thru window. |
More tips for healthy eating
5 Food priorities for healthy eating
Healthy dinner ideas for the busy girl
Healthful snacks for your snack attack
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