Healthy Food Shopping

7 Things to Watch Out For When Shopping for Healthy Food at a Supermarket

When doing your healthy food shopping, you need to watch out for a few things at the supermarkets. There are several things that you can easily overlook or not pay extra attention to, when shopping for food at a supermarket, or any food shops for that matter.

A few months ago, I bought a small cake at the Supermarket for my little boy. He was bothering me about how we needed to cut a cake for my birthday, and instead of me baking at home like I always do easily, I decided to be lazy and just picked up a cake from the supermarket. So much for healthy food shopping!

Well, the morning after the evening, so many spots broke out on his body like you would not believe. Even on his face! They were so bad, ugly and itchy. Poor boy! It was my fault though, I should have known better. And no matter what anti-itching or anti-inflammatory cream we used, it did not make a difference one bit.

He’s not allergic to nuts or anything, so I just could not understand why. He had eaten this particular type of cake before from the same supermarket, at the same branch too and had always been fine. It dawned on me that if I had read the ingredients and food labels on the package, I might have been able to avoid the horrendous situation. These sorts of situations occur all the time. I am a firm believer of ‘knowing what you are buying’, especially if you are shopping for healthy food.

Watch Out for this Important Checklist of Guidelines

Here’s a checklist of things to watch out for when healthy food shopping at a supermarket.

1. When buying a Spread, it is important to check for the amount of saturated fats and trans-fats contained in it. Pay attention to the combined amount and pick the spreads with the lowest amounts. Saturated fats and trans-fats can be harmful to health and increase the risks of contracting diseases such as heart disease and high cholesterol.

2. Try to limit processed juices and drinks. Most of them are little more than sugary water. Consuming too much sugar can be harmful to health. Water is by far the best form of drink around.

3. Avoid processed foods. You can always make your own home-made versions. Check for the ingredients and make sure that it is a much healthier option. When you buy ready-made foods or processed foods, you can’t be sure of what’s been put in it and the preparation method. Fresh home-made salads your own way are better than ready-made salads which can start to lose vitamins within minutes of opening the package.

4. Do not buy foods that contain hydrogenated fats. Check the food label. Don’t just assume that picking foods from the Healthy’ section is all you need. Hydrogenated fats (trans-fats) are known to be harmful to health. 5. Buy more whole grains and wholemeal foods. They’re all part of healthy food shopping!

6. Try to buy organic food where you can afford it. Shopping for healthy organic food is a great includion to your healthy lifestyle.

7. Watch out for ‘fat-free’ products. They’re not always what they say they are. A lot of them have a lot of other unhealthy ingredients to make up for the reduced fat.

In summary, be selective when you are doing your healthy food shopping. Make sure you are filling your fridge with healthy and nutritious foods for yourself and the family. Supermarkets and food manufacturers are businesses, and are not necessarily filling their shelves with what will serve your health correctly.

The information here is for general guidance only.
Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle.