Do you know these smart shopping tips for healthy eating?
Zaak OConan

Any healthy eating plan begins at the grocery store. Learning to make smart choices when shopping for food is the key to the success of any healthy diet plan. Learning to recognize the healthiest, freshest foods is a skill every grocery shopper must learn.

Of course, the logical place to start the healthy shopping trip to the grocery store is at the produce section. Most large modern supermarkets have huge produce sections, often taking up a large portion of the store. It is not unusual for the produce section alone to contain hundreds of choices, so it can be difficult to know the best foods to choose.

When it comes to the produce section of the supermarket, however, it is difficult to make a bad choice. That is because almost all fruits and vegetables are healthy, low in calories and delicious. While there are some high fat fruits and vegetables, such as avocados, they are the exception rather than the rule.

The most important thing to remember when shopping for fruits and vegetables is the old saw that variety is the spice of life. Trying a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may never have heard of before.

Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is a great way to enjoy a healthier diet without becoming bored. Many new diets fail due to boredom, but eating a large number of different fruits and vegetables every day can virtually eliminate that problem.

One way to introduce this variety into a healthy diet is to seek out fresh, in season produce on every trip to the grocery store. Not only are fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables usually less expensive, but the changing variety will help guarantee fresh new recipes week after week.

Of course the produce section is not the only place to find healthy, nutritious foods. The other parts of the supermarket are also full of both good and bad choices. For instance, when choosing bread, it is best to buy whole grain breads and avoid the more processed varieties. The same is true of baked goods. Whole grain products contain large amounts of fiber and other nutrients that the more refined baked goods may lack.

Important healthy eating decisions need to be made in the meat section of the grocery store as well. This means buying the leanest cuts of meat you can find. In addition, extra fat should be trimmed from the edges of steaks, roasts and chops. You can do this trimming at home, or, better yet, have the butcher do it at the store. After all, why pay extra for what you won’t use?

Even though poultry is generally low fat, not all poultry is created equal. Some varieties, like duck and goose, contain significant amounts of fat. A roast goose or duck can be great for Christmas or other special occasions, but these meats are generally too greasy to be used for everyday meals.

Even low fat poultry like chicken breasts can benefit from some additional trimming. Removing the skin from chicken significantly cuts the amount of fat and calories it contains. In addition, using low fat white meat chicken instead of fattier dark meat is a smart move.

When buying ground meats, always try to buy the leanest varieties you can afford. Ground beef that is 97% lean is a good choice. In addition, ground turkey or ground chicken makes a good, lower fat substitute for ground beef, and it can be used in all recipes that call for ground beef, including tacos, burritos, barbeque, burgers, etc.

One important note about ground turkey and ground chicken, however. Processed ground poultry products can often contain surprisingly high levels of fat. That is because manufacturers often grind up unwanted skin and fat in addition to the lean turkey or chicken. This is a particular problem with lower priced varieties of ground chicken and turkey, so it pays to read the labels and monitor fat content carefully.

Learning to be a smart shopper is a vital part of enjoying a healthy lifestyle.. No matter what your reason for eating healthy, learning to shop smart and buy healthy foods is an essential first step.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

Tags: Author, Avocados, Boredom, Butcher, Calories, Christmas, Diets, food;, Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits Vegetables, grain products;, Grocery Shopper, Grocery Store, ground poultry products, Healthy Diet, Healthy Diet Plan, Healthy Eating Plan, Large Portion, Logical Place, Nutritious Foods, Recipes, Smart Choices, Spice Of Life, Supermarket, Supermarkets, Turkey;, Variety Is The Spice Of Life, Zaak —

If youve read about the pH miracle diet and youve decided to give it a try, you have a few tasks ahead of you. Depending on how committed you are the program you may begin with clearing out your pantry and your refrigerator of all highly acidic foods. If you live with others who wont be on the diet with you, you may just want to remove the high acid treats that you find irresistible. Either way, whether you do a kitchen purge or just remove a few items from your shelves, youll need to go grocery shopping.

Shopping for the pH miracle diet can be done at any grocery store, but occasionally people find it easier to get specialty items at health foods stores or natural food chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joes. However, if you live in an area where there is no access to these types of stores, you can still easily purchase the items you need at a standard grocery store.

Before you make your shopping trip, youll need to start a list of items. You dont want to walk into the grocery store blind and try to remember what you need to buy. Some people like to work from the alkaline food lists in the book. This is a good approach if you have a lot of money to spend and just want to fill your kitchen with these foods. However, a better and more organized approach is to first make out a menu list for the following week. When you shop from a planned menu and the recipes that go with those meal choices, youll only buy what you need. Additionally, many of the foods on the alkaline list are fresh vegetables. Youll want to make sure that you actually need them before you buy them so you wont risk wasting money.

Remember, when you first start, your diet doesnt have to be 100% alkaline. In fact, even on strict versions of the pH miracle diet a balance between acid and alkaline is recommended. So when you make your menu and your grocery lists, keep that in mind. Foods that are slightly and moderately acidic include bananas, whole grain pasta, dried beans, eggs, milk, nuts and wheat bread. There are many others and you can consult different resources on the levels of acidity in foods. Strive to have balance in your daily diet of 70% alkaline to 30% acid.

When you arrive at the grocery store, with your list in hand, youll notice that you will be staying along the outer rim of the grocery store. Generally, the foods along the walls are fresher and more natural than the foods within the aisles. If you think about it, all of the foods in the center of the store are processed and packaged. The outer edges consist of the produce section, the dairy section and the deli and/or meat counter.

Produce, especially vegetables, is going to be the primary focus on your pH miracle diet shopping trip. Buy organic produce if you have the means to. However, the real importance is that you buy the vegetables and use them in your cooking. If you have to use conventionally grown produce or frozen produce that is better than using no produce at all.

The only word of caution is to avoid canned fruits and vegetables. The canning process has negative effects on the alkaline state of these foods. There is also a lot of sodium in canned fruits and vegetables. If you cannot buy fresh, look for frozen. Many stores that do not carry organic fresh produce will have organic frozen produce.

Its best to purchase balance of alkaline and acid foods as you get used to this way of living and eating. If you go cold turkey on your favorite foods and believe that you have to be super strict in order to be healthy, you will end up rebounding back to you acidic ways of eating. Strive for mostly alkaline to begin with, and then you can move further up the alkaline spectrum and eliminate more acidic foods.

Tags: Acidic Foods, alkaline food lists, alkaline food;, Bananas, Food Chains, Fruits And Vegetables, Grocery Lists, Grocery Shopping, Grocery Store, Health Foods, Healthy Diet, Meal Choices, Menu List, Natural Food, natural food chains, Pantry, Ph Miracle Diet, Purge, Refrigerator, Shelves, Specialty Items, Trader, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Whole Grain Pasta —

If youve read about the pH miracle diet and youve decided to parcel out live a try, you obtain a few tasks ahead of you. Depending on how committed you are the program you may begin with clearing out your pantry and your refrigerator of all highly acidic foods. If you live salt away others who wont be on the diet with you, you may just want to remove the high acid treats that you acquisition irresistible. Either way, whether you do a kitchen purge or just remove a few items from your shelves, youll need to go grocery shopping.

Shopping for the pH miracle diet can be done at any grocery store, but occasionally people asset it easier to get specialty items at health foods stores or natural food chains related Whole Foods and Trader Joes. However, if you live in an area where ace is no access to these types of stores, you can still easily purchase the items you need at a standard grocery store.

Before you make your shopping trip, youll need to initiation a list of items. You dont want to walk into the grocery pabulum blind and try to conjure up what you need to buy. Some people like to work from the alkaline food lists in the leave. This is a good approach if you have a lot of cash to spend and just want to fill your kitchen with these foods. However, a better and more organized approach is to first make out a menu list for the following week. When you shop from a eventual menu and the recipes that go with those meal choices, youll only buy what you need. Additionally, various of the foods on the alkaline list are fresh vegetables. Youll want to make sure that you actually need them before you play ball them so you wont risk wasting money.

Remember, when you first start, your diet doesnt have to be 100 % alkaline. In fact, even on strict versions of the pH miracle diet a invoice between acid and alkaline is recommended. So when you make your menu and your grocery lists, keep that in mind. Foods that are slightly and moderately acidic have bananas, whole grain pasta, dried beans, eggs, milk, nuts and wheat bread. There are many others and you can consult different resources on the levels of causticity in foods. Strive to have report in your daily diet of 70 % alkaline to 30 % acid.

When you be present at the grocery store, with your list in hand, youll notice that you will enact staying along the outer rim of the grocery store. Generally, the foods along the walls are fresher and more natural than the foods within the aisles. If you think about it, all of the foods in the focal point of the store are processed and packaged. The outer edges consist of the produce section, the dairy section and the deli and / or meat counter.

Produce, especially vegetables, is going to be the slightest focus on your pH miracle diet shopping trip. Yes organic produce if you have the ingredient to. However, the real importance is that you buy the vegetables and use them in your cooking. If you have to use conventionally grown produce or sleety produce that is higher quality than using no produce at all.

The only word of caution is to avoid canned fruits and vegetables. The canning process has negative effects on the alkaline state of these foods. There is also a lot of sodium in canned fruits and vegetables. If you cannot buy fresh, look for frozen. Many stores that do not carry organic fresh produce will have organic glacial produce.

Its best to purchase balance of alkaline and acid foods as you get used to this way of living and eating. If you go cold turkey on your favorite foods and believe that you have to be super strict in series to be healthy, you will end up rebounding back to you acidic ways of eating. Strive for chiefly alkaline to begin with, and then you can move supplementary maturity the alkaline spectrum and eliminate more acidic foods.

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