Are you just beginning your health journey and don’t know where to start? Here’s an easy entry point — start by reading ingredient labels. In this article, I’m going to break down the importance of reading ingredient labels, how to purchase packaged foods wisely, and ultimately, what ingredients you should be avoiding.

In a perfect world, your diet will consist only of nutrient-dense whole foods and you’ll avoid anything that comes in a package and processed in a factory. In real life, this is highly unlikely. So, in these real-life circumstances, let’s empower you with the information to make smart purchases when you’re purchasing packaged foods.

Let it be said that not all packaged foods are created equal. Chips are a perfect example. You can purchase chips with three ingredients: potatoes, salt, and olive oil or you can purchase chips with twenty-five ingredients, including vegetable oil, maltodextrin, monosodium glutamate, natural and artificial flavor, dextrose, artificial color (yellow 6, yellow 5, and red 40), lactic acid, citric acid, sugar, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate.

The first package of chips was Boulder Canyon, the second was Doritos. For many on their health journey, a simple chip with three ingredients may be just fine as a snack from time to time. On the other hand, for many, a chip with multiple artificial flavors and ingredients may cause unwanted inflammation and sensitives that compound and eventually lead to illness and disease. So where do we begin?

Let’s start with a general rule of thumb: make sure you can pronounce and recognize each ingredient listed on the label. So, that’s to say, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient or if you don’t know what the ingredient is, put it back on the shelf and continue on. This rule will help guide you in purchasing the best-quality packaged foods until you’re able to investigate each ingredient listed and determine if it’s right for you.

The most common ingredients to stay away from include gums (e.g. guar gum and xanthan gum), refined sugars (e.g. high-fructose corn syrup and sucralose), carrageenan, “natural” flavors, and artificial colors. If you’re interested in learning more about the why behind each of these, the Environmental Working Group has a food score database that will help you navigate the potential health effects of these processed and artificial ingredients.

A note about refined sugars — they’re hidden everywhere! I want to include a list of the most common names of hidden sugars so you know what to look out for (scroll down for the entire list). With that being said, if you’re following the general rule of thumb, it’ll be fairly easy to avoid these hidden sugars because you’ll know what to look for.

Ultimately, the focus should be on consuming whole foods, even if they do come in a package. Choosing food items with clearly recognized ingredients on their labels will ultimately guide you in purchasing the best-quality foods to nourish and support your body.

Names of Refined Sugars

• fruit puree
• galactose
• glucose
• glucose-fructose
• glucose solids
• golden syrup
• high-fructose corn syrup
• honey
• invert sugar
• lactose
• malt
• malt extract

New Year’s Resolutions

Let’s make this year different than any before! I’m suggesting we skip the lofty New Year’s resolution that often leaves us deprived and unhappy and trade it in for living an intentional and mindful year that prioritizes self-care.

While self-care has become quite the trendy term, it simply boils down to prioritizing one’s own physical and mental health. It requires turning inward to uncover the things that bring happiness and joy, and ensuring we do more of those things!

So this year, instead of creating a rigid list of foods or activities you’re swearing off, consider creating a list you can draw upon whenever you’d like to revitalize your commitment to self-love and self-care. Begin this self-care list by taking inventory of all of the things that bring you joy. This list may include people, places, actives, hobbies, and perhaps even smells and tastes! Know that this list is ever-evolving, so remain flexible and update it as needed.

To help you succeed at this ongoing self-care practice, I’ve created a list of foods you can draw on to incorporate as part of your self-care practice.

Foods to help you focus:

Salmon (and other fatty fish) — Many researchers consider DHA to be the most important fat found in the human brain, and the unusual concentration of this omega-3 fatty acid in salmon helps explain the research-documented benefits of salmon including better brain function, better overall cell function, and improved control of the body’s inflammatory processes(1).

Strawberries — The strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits provided by strawberries have proven to improve brain function. Certain research studies have shown the connection between strawberry consumption and new nerve generation in the hippocampus, which is often involved in the learning and recall of new information(2)!

Cinnamon — Just smelling the wonderful aroma of this sweet spice boosts brain activity! Purchase cinnamon in it’s dried stick or powder form, or as a high-quality essential oil to diffuse in your home office.

Other suggested foods include avocado, blueberries, oranges, walnuts, and green tea.

Foods to decrease stress and tension:

Turmeric — Prized for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, recent studies have shown the spice plays an active role in treating various central nervous system disorders as well as offering a protective action against stress(3). Turmeric can be utilized either fresh or dried and is easily incorporated into many types of cuisines.

Eggs (and other proteins) — Incorporating high-quality, pasture-raised and organic, protein, like eggs, is key to supporting your body through stress as it will fuel your system from a cellular level, ensuring your body will return to balance. Eggs are also an excellent source of choline, a nutrient that has been shown to play an important role in brain health and may protect against stress(4).

Leafy greens — Leafy greens, including spinach, kale, and chard, all contain choline as well, which as mentioned above, play an important role in managing and reducing stress in the body. Additionally, the antioxidant richness found in leafy greens is helpful in the reduction of oxidative stress.

Other suggested foods include broccoli, parsley, organ meats, sweet potatoes, and water.

Foods to soothe and relax you:

Walnuts — A fascinating aspect of walnuts and their potential health benefits involves their naturally occurring melatonin. Melatonin is a widely-active messaging molecule in our nervous system and is critical in the regulation of sleep, daily (circadian) rhythms, light-dark adjustment, and other processes(5). If you’re looking for improved sleep and relaxation, grab a handful of walnuts!

Chamomile — Chamomile is best known for its wonderful calming action and is used to ease tension and stress, emotional upset, nervousness, and insomnia (6). Purchasing dried, organic flowers in bulk is an easy and affordable way to always have chamomile on hand to be utilized as a tea, compress, or a lovely addition to your bath.

Bananas — Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium, an important mineral that relaxes your muscles and activates your parasympathetic nervous system that regulates “rest and digest”.

Other suggested foods include honey, nuts, seeds, and eggs.

Foods to energize you:

Coffee or Green Tea — Both beverages naturally contain caffeine that stimulates the brain and central nervous system, helping you stay alert and energized. If coffee makes you too jittery, swap your afternoon pick me up for green tea.

Cacao — Cacao is a superfood that will boost your energy! It comes in many different forms, including powder and nibs, and can be added to smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal.

Apples — Due to its comprehensive macronutrient and micronutrient profile, this fruit provides a burst of energy in the form of carbohydrates and natural sugars, while also stabilizing blood sugar.

Other suggested foods include rice, quinoa, potatoes, pineapple, and dark chocolate.

Here’s to a new year where we swap the complicated resolutions for clear intentions and fuel our bodies with foods that support our goals! Wishing you only health, happiness, and joy for 2021.

SOURCES

1. “Salmon.” The World’s Healthiest Foods
2. “Strawberries.” The World’s Healthiest Foods
3. Kulkarni, S K, and A Dhir. “An Overview of Curcumin in Neurological Disorders.” Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medknow Publications, Mar. 2010
4. Glenn, Melissa J, et al. “Supplemental Dietary Choline during Development Exerts Antidepressant-like Effects in Adult Female Rats.” Brain Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14 Mar. 2012
5. “Walnuts.” The World’s Healthiest Foods
6. Justis, Posted By Angela. “A Family Herb: Chamomile Flower.” Herbal Academy, 25 Jan. 2018