Shopping Basics

An ideal diet is composed solely of whole foods and ingredients, and is devoid of packaged and processed foods, and any non-food ingredients (i.e. chemicals, additives, preservatives, etc.). Even if ideal, however, this type of diet is nearly impossible for a typical consumer. Nevertheless, when buying groceries, try to make the best choices possible by following these basic guidelines:

• choose 100% Whole Wheat bread products and pasta, and brown rice (not "made with whole grains," "all natural," "honey wheat," or any other wheat variation - those are all still made with refined white flour, which has little nutritional value)

• for packaged products such as cereals, bars, frozen foods, etc. avoid those with the following ingredients:
- high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and anything that resembles a chemical more than an actual food
- those with some form of sugar as one of the first three ingredients
- those that make health claims (for e.g., food products approved by the FDA as "heart-healthy" are not necessarily healthy)

• choose organic and/or local foods (farmer's markets are ideal for both)

• keep in mind that snack foods and sweets that are labeled as "low-fat" or "organic" are not necessarily healthy (very often low in fat = high in sugar); treat these foods as treats and eat them sparingly
 
• choose eggs and dairy products with the most information about their origins (e.g., local, organic, cage-free, free-range)