Processed Food - Kick it to the Curb!

I'm no expert on the matter of healthy eating . . . yet, but I am learning more and more every day. And slowly incorporating more real food recipes into our daily eating.

So what's wrong with "processed foods"? Aside from the obvious fact that processed foods are lacking any nutritional value (or maybe not-so-obvious fact when the label says something like "iron fortified" or "heart healthy"), there is the other fact that these foods are actually bad for you. This video explains why.

I don't care much about my weight but truly believe we should focus on real health which comes from eating real food. Nevertheless this seems to be becoming a more prevalent notion (at least in circles of real foodies and many healthy people) -- it's not "fats" that are making you fat. It's the sugar, high fructose corn syrup, refined carbohydrates (like white flour), and lab-created oils and toxins like margarine, Crisco, vegetable and canola oils, and other man-made "food" items.

The crazy part is that one or more of these items is found in almost everything that has an ingredients list on it! When I started reading food labels I was seriously shocked  by how many unsuspecting food items contained high fructose corn syrup and other mystery or fake ingredients.I am by no means perfect at omitting ALL of those things from our diet, but I focus on making meals with only real ingredients.

My favorite line from the video is near the end when she says "Did God make it?" That's the best way to know if something is good for you. Was it grown? Can you find it in nature?

And just because I can't resist sharing it, here’s a quote on health I love from, Ezra Taft Benson:

“The condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. That’s why the Lord gave us the Word of Wisdom. He also said that we should retire to our beds early and arise early (see D&C 88:124), that we should not run faster than we have strength (see D&C 10:4), and that we should use moderation in all good things. In general, the more food we eat in its natural state and the less it is refined without additives, the healthier it will be for us. Food can affect the mind, and deficiencies in certain elements in the body can promote mental depression. A good physical examination periodically is a safeguard and may spot problems that can be remedied. Rest and physical exercise are essential, and a walk in the fresh air can refresh the spirit. Wholesome recreation is part of our religion, and a change of pace is necessary, and even its anticipation can lift the spirit.” (General Conference Address, Do Not Despair, Oct 1974, emphasis added)