Cleaning Out the Clutter

How to Spring Clean the Diet

Trans Fats, Saturated Fats, Sodium oh my! What is lurking in your pantry??? Spring is on its way, the flowers are in bloom, the grass is becoming greener, and Mother Nature is creating beauty all around us. What better time to clean out the clutter in your pantry and refrigerator, removing unhealthy products in lieu of healthier ones.

Processed foods make up a large part of the grocery stores, and unfortunately a lot of the unhealthy choices make their way into our homes. I often tell my clients “you pass the food product only once in the grocery store, you pass it every day at home.” Why tempt yourself with foods that offer very little nutritional value, and if it’s there you are more then likely going to eventually eat it. That is how the pantry “cleanout” is going to help you and your quest for healthier eating.

Below is a 5 step guide to cleaning out the clutter

Step 1- Remove any food product that contains the word “Partially Hydrogenated or Fully Hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient list. These foods will contain “trans” fats, even though the label claims “0 g of trans fat”.
Step 2- Remove any food product that has a calorie content of over 200 calories / serving
Step 3- Remove any food product that has over 8 g fat / serving
Step 4- Remove any food product that has more then 12 g sugar
Step 5- Remove canned goods or frozen goods with more than 500 mg sodium

Below are 5 tips to use when buying products:

Tip 1- Look for products that have 200 calories/ serving or less
Tip 2- Look for products that have less than 5 g total fat and no Partially Hydrogenated or Fully Hydrogenated oils in the ingredient list
Tip 3- Look for processed products that have less than 300mg sodium
Tip 4- Look for cereals, granola bars, and snack goods that have less than 8 g sugar and yogurts with no more than 12 g sugar
Tip 5- Look for grain products that have more than 3 g fiber and “whole grain or 100% whole grain” listed in the ingredient list