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Grocery Shopping Makeover

Do you know which foods are healthy when you go grocery shopping? Many consumers are bombarded with different nutrition messages and this can make grocery shopping for healthy foods a difficult task. Truestar will reveal some common grocery shopping mistakes and show you how to make the most of your trips down food aisles.

Here are some common grocery shopping mistakes and how to correct them:

1. Spending more time in the aisles of the store rather than in the perimeter. As a rule of thumb, many of the foods found in the aisles of your grocery store, such as crackers, cookies, candy soda, canned foods and white pasta, are processed and refined. These foods often contain bleached flours, trans fatty acids and preservatives. The perimeter of the store contains foods that are fresh and natural, such as fruits, vegetables, unprocessed lean meats and poultry, whole grain breads and low-fat dairy products. The foods found in the perimeter of the store are filled with vitamins, minerals and essential fats that optimize health and prevent disease. So, shop in the perimeter of the store first and then quickly move through the aisles to purchase the items needed.

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2. Going to the grocery store hungry. If you go grocery shopping when you are hungry, you are more likely to make impulsive purchases that will likely not be healthy, such as cookies, chips, and candy. Keeping unhealthy food out of your kitchen is one of the best ways to ensure the entire family eats healthily.

3. Not making a list. Having a list when you shop is a good idea because it keeps you focused on the healthy foods you need. When you make your list, plan the meals you are going to prepare for the week and then look in your cupboards and fridge to see what you need. Having a list will make it easier for you so you can avoid all the unhealthy and tempting foods!

4. Ignoring the labels and nutrition facts. Reading labels can be a difficult task if you don’t know what to look for so many consumers just ignore them! But, when you are trying to eat healthily, you must look at the nutrition labels and ingredients. When reading a label, it is important to remember that ingredients appear in order of most to least. In other words, if the food item lists the word sugar or oils first, it contains more sugar or oils than any other ingredient. When selecting products, try to stay away from food items that list the words bleached, refined, partially hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids. Also, always look at the recommended serving size and nutrition information for that serving size (calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, sodium). If you eat triple the serving size, be sure to triple the numbers too! For more information, see Label Reading.

5. Skipping the dairy section completely. Many people mistakenly cut dairy foods from the diet because they believe they are high in fat. Ironically, new research shows that adding low-fat dairy products to your diet can actually help, not hinder the weight loss process. It is believed that a high-calcium diet from dairy products works by suppressing the hormone calcitrol, causing fat cells to stop producing and to burn fat. As well, the fat loss seen from dairy may be due to other components in dairy products such as minerals or protein working with calcium to produce the weight loss effects. Experts recommend getting 3 to 4 servings of low-fat dairy products each day. One serving equals an 8-ounce glass of low-fat milk, 1 cup of low-fat yogurt or an ounce and a half of low-fat cheese. For more information, see A Skinny Summer Food.

6. Not “colouring” your cart. Adding colourful fruits and vegetables to your cart means you will be getting more nutritional value! In addition to the minerals and vitamins fresh fruits and vegetables offer, they also contain disease-fighting chemicals called phtyonutrients. Phytonutrients are what give the plants their radiant colours and taste. Phytonutrients have been shown to offer protection against many diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. The next time you go grocery shopping, colour your cart with red, blue, green, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. See Color Your Plate for more information.

Truestar is Healthy All The Way
Truestar meal plans contain all the healthy ingredients and foods you need to eat right and be fit! Use Truestar meal plans and a grocery list when you go shopping in order to find healthy foods. Get on the other components of the Truestar plan such as exercise, supplements, attitude and sleep for a healthier you!

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