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10 items to keep off your grocery list
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Steer your grocery cart clear of products that offer little nutritional value; then you can opt for healthier alternatives.
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By Vanessa Hurley
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Each time you stroll down the aisles of your grocery store you're presented with many options, but some of the products you add to your cart will deliver more nutritional rewards than others. If you're looking for ways to eliminate some of the "less healthy" foods from your diet, the grocery store is a good place to start. Remember that no food should be considered "bad" for you and all foods can be included in a healthy diet -- in moderation.
1. Soft drinks
The average 12-ounce can supplies about 10 teaspoons of sugar and has no nutritional value. Some varieties contain caffeine which can leave you dehydrated. In addition, soft drinks can end up replacing more nutritious and hydrating beverages like milk and water.
Alternative: Swap the soda for water or low fat/skim milk.
2. Potato chips
A handful every now and then is fine, but how easy is it to stop there? Generally speaking, most varieties of chips are composed of saturated fat, sodium and empty calories. While some companies are starting to fry their chips in heart-healthier trans-fat-free oils, the fat and calories still add up.
Alternative: Baked potato or tortilla chips are lower in fat and calories.
3. Fruit-flavoured beverages
Many varieties contain a minimal amount of real fruit juice -- the rest is water and sugar. Because the juice content is negligible, the beverage provides little nutrition and zero fibre.
Alternative: Enjoy a piece of fruit. It contains fewer calories, more nutrition and plenty of fibre (even more than a glass of real fruit juice).
4. Doughnuts, along with pies, cinnamon rolls and other pastries, are often packed with artery-clogging saturated and trans fat. These calorie-laden foods are made primarily of fat, white flour and sugar and contain next to no nutrition.
Alternative: A low fat, high fibre fruit muffin will keep you feeling satisfied and sustain your energy levels throughout the day.
5. Bacon, along with hotdog wieners, sausage and bologna can be high in saturated fat, preservatives and sodium. And a diet high in sodium can lead to high blood pressure.
Alternative: Reduced fat/reduced sodium bacon, turkey bacon and veggie bacon, lower fat hotdogs, turkey or veggie dogs.
6. Pre-packaged lunch kits tend to contain high sodium, high-fat processed cheese and deli meat, along with trans-fat-laden crackers, and a sugary, high fat dessert to top it off. Weighing in at about 620 calories, 33 grams of fat (13 of which are saturated), and 1,000 mg of sodium, is the convenience really worth it?
Alternative: Whole-wheat crackers with low fat cheese, low fat deli meat and a piece of fruit.
7. Instant noodles are often coated in artery-clogging hydrogenated fat such as palm oil. One 85 gram package contains about 16 grams of fat and loads of sodium.
Alternative: Look for noodles made without oil. Add some reduced-sodium broth and veggies of your choice.
8. Chicken nuggets can be breaded, deep-fried and bursting with saturated and trans fat. And most brands tend to use dark meat which is even higher in saturated fat than its white counterpart.
Alternative: Chunks of chicken breast coated in whole-wheat bread crumbs and baked in the oven.
9. Canned luncheon meats are among the least healthy sandwich fillers. They are often high in total fat (a 60 gram portion contains approximately 14 grams of fat), saturated fat and sodium.
Alternative: Try lean varieties of deli meat such as ham or turkey. Freshly sliced deli meat has less sodium than packaged.
10. Meat pies
One pie contains about 450 calories, 30 grams of fat and 1,180 mg of sodium -- almost half your daily allowance! If you're concerned about your heart health, consider eating them less often.
Alternative: Chicken or beef stew with a whole-wheat roll.
While this list doesn't include all of the "less healthy" foods found in grocery stores, it gives you an idea of what foods you should consume less often. Be sure to read nutrition labels to make an educated decision before buying. If you'd like more advice, seek out a local nutritionist or dietitian who provides supermarket tours.
Trying to lose weight? Check out these websites that will help you succeed.
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