What You Need to Know About the Importance of Eating “Real Food”

Of course there are options, whether you’re eating out or at home, for healthy foods that don’t sacrifice on flavor. However, while a meal may look totally safe for your diet, it could potentially be filled with harmful additives and preservatives.

Real food should not have additives or additional ingredients; real food is simply one ingredient. Slogans and ads can try and sway your eating habits by tossing out phrases like “no added sugar!” or “fat-free!” While these food options may be healthier than a Big Mac, they can still contain several ingredients that can throw off your diet.

Here are some helpful grocery shopping tips from Dr. G’s to make sure your diet’s getting real food that produces real results:

Know Exactly What You’re Putting in Your Mouth

One hint: labels. Always read the list of ingredients on the food you’re buying. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it. Many foods that seem healthy, like veggie patties and substitute meats, contain a high amount of preservatives. Stick to foods with one to a few ingredients. If the list is short, odds are you’re purchasing real food.

Real Food is Loaded with Important Nutrients

Natural meats and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that are vital to your health. Real broccoli stalks and orange slices contain more than 100 percent of RDI for Vitamin C in just one serving of each. Real almonds have a fair amount of calcium and iron. Supplements of these vital dietary products lack the right nutritional value for your system. Don’t let frozen meats and veggies fake you out, make sure you’re getting the real deal with your vitamins and minerals.

Real Food is High in Fiber

While fiber can be associated with not-so-pleasant things like extra gas, it provides several health benefits. Fiber is usually found in low-calorie foods and is great for the digestive system and metabolic health. Tasty foods with high fiber amounts include avocados, flaxseeds, and blackberries. Foods like these can also provide you with other beneficial nutrients.

Real Food Provides Variety

Your diet should be colorful and diverse. By combining several real foods, you’ll add a variety of flavor and dietary value to your daily food intake. For instance, make yourself a tasty chicken salad with natural, grilled chicken, hardboiled egg, tomato, avocado, and almonds. This will satisfy your taste-buds and your stomach, by providing you with healthy foods that are full of nutritional value.

Real food comes with real flavor, real vitamins and minerals, and real nutritional value.

Author

Dr. Charles Goldsmith Dr. Charles Goldsmith started his career as an OB/GYN over 30 years ago. He ran a successful practice but noticed his clients consistently requesting assistance with weight loss. After countless hours of research and studying the numerous aspects of weight loss, Dr. Goldsmith determined that weight loss is very complex and needed to be supervised by a physician.