Recently the push for “clean” “non-toxic” products has been quite overwhelming. Not that opting for cleaner products is ever a bad practice, but it can create some anxiety and trigger old bad habits if you have a poor past relationship with food, etc. There are some great tips and tricks to keep in mind while opting for cleaner ingredients and non-toxic products for a low toxin lifestyle!
Understanding what ingredients and additives you might want to watch out for.
Doing some research around different items to look out for on your ingredient labels is the key to success. Knowing what might not benefit your body and support it on an optimal level is important. For example: knowing that sugar alcohols irritate your gut would be good to know and something to look out for.
Here are a few ingredients to look out for and why:
Gums
Gums are a common food additive used to thicken and prevent separation of ingredients. Over consumption and regular consumption of these will cause gas, bloating and inflammation in the gut.
Artificial Sweeteners
Some common sweeteners are; saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and neotame. The dangers of regular consumption of these are; depression, anxiety, weight gain, cancer, headaches and other health hazards.
Natural Sweeteners
Although natural sweeteners are a better option it is crucial to ensure that you do not OVER consume these. Meaning, not having them every single day, but only every once in a while. Natural sweeteners to be on the look out for are; stevia, erythritol, xylitol and monk fruit. Over consumption of these sweeteners can wreak havoc on the gut microbiome.
MSG
Monosodium glutamate is a common flavor enhancer that restaurants use and it is often snuck into some packaged foods. To avoid MSG it is recommended to cook your own food and buy your ingredients in their raw natural state. Some common side effects are; nausea, weakness or fatigue, heart palpitations, headache, sweating and hives.
Yeast Extract
Yeast extract is another common flavor enhancer commonly found in canned and packaged foods. A solution to avoiding this is cooking your own meals and buying foods in their most raw and natural state. Consumption of this can cause side effects such as bloating, cramps, constipation and diarrhea.
Making conscious choices when it comes to shopping at the store.
In general when grocery shopping it can be overwhelming and add on trying to choose cleaner products, it can be stressful. Keeping in mind that your cart should be 80% whole foods and 20% packaged needs. Trying to incorporate a more whole food approach will encourage a more nourishing experience at the store and around food in general.
Ingredients on your food labels should all be able to be pronounced.
This is a great rule to live by at the grocery stores and can make it a quick process of deciding whether a product might be the best choice for you or not. At a quick glance you can usually see if there are ingredients that you can read or not. Almost always if there is something on an ingredient label you can not pronounce it probably is not the most beneficial for you. This is especially important when looking at different supplement products, protein bars and packaged goods.
Take baby steps, do not change everything all at once.
This tip is so important. Encouraging and emphasizing a stress free and sustainable switch to cleaner choices will help make this a lifelong habit rather than something that you will easily get burned out on. Replace items when it makes the most sense. If you have run out of your favorite oats next time at the store opt for the sprouted and glyphosate free option!
Buy organic when possible, and local if possible!
Organic produce, meats and other items are a great indicator that they have a little more integrity than your average grocery items. A great way to support local and get quality food is finding a local farm and or going to your local farmers market. You can oftentimes find a lot of options that are not only supporting a local business but going to nourish your body in so many ways.
You Can Still Enjoy Life While Focusing on Health
Being able to realize that although it would be nice, and in a perfect world, living 100% non-toxic would be amazing. The reality is that just is not possible. Therefore, if your friends invite you out to dinner you do not have to stress about what oil they are cooking with or if their foods are organic. If you live your life toxin free 90% of the time, 10% of the time will not cause you to lose progress or derail what you have already implemented! It is all about your mindset.
In conclusion, do your research and see what foods you are currently consuming and maybe analyze the ingredients a bit to see if any of the not so beneficial ingredients stand out. Swapping for a cleaner item the next time you are at the store and seeing how you feel will be the only way to know!
