As early as the 1930s, many doctors believed the U.S. was becoming a sick nation due to its increasingly high consumption of nutrient-deficient processed foods, according to Robert D. Johnston, author of "The Politics of Healing." A processed food is any food that has been altered from its original state to preserve freshness, enhance taste or provide convenience. Processed foods can contain trans fats, high amounts of sugar, sodium and cholesterol, and sometimes a lengthy and incomprehensible list of additives. Eating a diet based entirely on non-processed foods can be difficult to maintain, but making a few important changes can help increase your health and longevity.
Step 1
Purchase meat that is as close to its original state as possible. For example, chicken breasts, legs and thighs that come in clear packaging are better choices than breaded chicken cutlets or nuggets. Manufacturers add sodium nitrate and nitrite to lunch meat, hot dogs and bacon to give them a pink color and protect them from bacteria, according to Jillian Michaels, author of "Master Your Metabolism." Purchase whole chickens or turkey, bake or roast them and slice them up for use in sandwiches and salads.
Step 2
Eat fresh, whole fruits rather than canned fruits packed in syrup, which often contain high-fructose corn syrup and exorbitant amounts of sugar. "Canned fruits, even when packed in their own juices, are considerably higher in sugar than when you just eat them off the tree or vine," Michaels says. Buying fresh fruit when it's in season can lower your grocery bills. Buying it from local farmers markets can reduce its transportation time, which can help to preserve its freshness and nutrient content.
Step 3
Select fresh vegetables rather than frozen or canned. Canned vegetables often contain high amounts of sodium, which helps preserve foods. Buy organic vegetables whenever possible. Always wash vegetables thoroughly in warm, soapy water and rinse before use. Take special care washing celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale and collards, as non-organic varieties of these vegetables contain more pesticides than other vegetables, according to the Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.
Step 4
Bake bread from scratch with a whole-grain flour such as rye, barley or spelt, and make your own pasta from whole-grain flour. At the very least, purchase organic, whole-grain bread and pasta. Manufacturers strip nutrients from whole grains to maintain product freshness in white bread and pasta. For example, a 1 oz. slice of enriched white bread contains .5 to 1g of fiber compared to 1.6g of fiber in the same-size slice of whole-wheat bread, according to Roberta Larson Duyff, author of "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide."
Step 5
Snack on whole foods rather than packaged cookies, candy, chips, crackers and dips. Make fresh salsa with tomatoes, onions and spices and pair it with homemade tortilla chips, or make your own oven-baked potato chips. Eat a cup of blueberries or blackberries instead of commercial ice cream or frozen yogurt. Keep nuts and chopped veggies handy for quick, nutritious snacks.
References
- "The Politics of Healing"; Robert D. Johnston; 2004
- "Master Your Metabolism"; Jillian Michaels; 2009
- Environmental Working Group: EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff; 2006
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