These days it seems almost impossible to follow all of the trending do’s and don’t’s of eating healthy. Just when you think you’ve gotten a handle on what not to eat, more information comes out about something else to add to the list. If you’re a parent of children who have allergies or dietary restrictions, things seem to get even more complex! The good news is that you can lump most ‘bad foods’ into 3 categories so that you don’t have to remember them all. Keeping these in mind when you shop can help ensure that you only bring home the good stuff!
Refined Sugar (Beet Sugar & Cane Sugar)
It’s always a good idea to stay as far away from refined white sugar as possible. In addition, avoiding high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a good idea too. Refined sugars have a myriad negative influences on the body, and many people find that cutting them out changes everything.
Did you know that some refined sugar brands don’t specify whether the ingredient is beet sugar or cane sugar? Beet sugar is cheaper and easier to process. And for some big time producers, that means more money for them at the expense of our health. For brown sugar, beet sugar is sprayed with a molasses coating to get the same look of brown cane sugar with molasses. Yummy :/
Processed or Enriched Flours & Grains
Pure grains are essential to most healthy diets, but some of them must be avoided. Processed grains and flours are often times nothing but shallow cards and a source of allergy aggravation. Things get really complicated when you add in bleaching, added chemical nutrients, and shelf life issues.
Saturated Fats & Trans Fats
Trans fat is a chemically produced fat that can cause a whole list of health issues in even the strongest individual. Saturated fat is natural, but it should be consumed in small doses. These two fats are the leading ingredients alongside sugar and processed flours that make up the standard American diet (SAD). Sad isn’t it (I couldn’t resist!) Those that are allergic to dairy should be on the look out for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils listed as ingredients in margarine or dairy alternatives.
Keep these food styles in mind as you shop, and you’ll also be able to avoid some key food allergens. You’ll be able to learn more about the foods you bring home, the purity and health of the ingredients you & your family consumes!
Resource – Beet Sugar article: https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/SUGAR-SUGAR-Cane-and-beet-share-the-same-2939081.php