While some of us are ignorant on the contents of the products we shop for in the supermarket, there are some people who shop wisely. This means taking note of the nutritional value and health content of products, something that is certainly a necessity for people who put premium in living healthily.
But are we wise enough to know which are healthy and which are not? Apparently we lack the knowledge as far as weighing out the health value of certain products. So with that in mind, how do we shop for the product containing the right nutritional value?
Here are some smart tips for the healthy-minded shopper:
Visit the outside first!: Most grocery stores place whole, natural and unprocessed foods in the perimeter aisles of the store. The bulk of your purchases should come from these areas.
Get to know fruits and vegetables: Produce should command a fair share of your shopping cart space. The more fruits and vegetables, the less room you have for processed, less healthy options.
Choose protein wisely: Seek out “free-range,” “grass-fed,” “free of hormones,” “wild,” etc. options in the meat section. If you’re a vegetarian, good sources of proteins include nuts and seeds, tofu, soy milk, free-range eggs and some dairy products.
Be selective with dairy: Choose hormone-free and organic dairy and eggs.
Fats or no fats: Fat is an essential part of the diet. The key is the right types of fat such as non-saturated fat which has numerous health benefits or fats/oils that come from UNREFINED vegetable sources or oily fish such as salmon or tuna.
Reward yourself: There is no crime in treats but moderation is key.
Don’t forget to supplement: Try to consume the best diet possible, but a high-quality multivitamin and omega-3 fish oil should still be a regular part of your diet. We just don’t get enough of the vitamins and minerals we should, even when we try to be perfect with our diets.
Also, you may want to check out the Life Time Fitness Nutrition-Smart Shopping event on Tuesday, July 21, from 6:15-7:30 p.m. Open to Life Time members and non-members, a Life Time nutrition coach will lead participants through a local grocery store and provide nutrition tips and guidance along the way.
(Source) Press
Tags: healthy shopping, nutrition, nutritional facts
This entry was posted
on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at 11:25 pm and is filed under Diet, Fitness, Health.
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