'Healthy' Foods

Not all food is made equally, something I'd hope you would learn by reading my blog. A lot of foods that are called 'healthy' really are not, but an unhealthier version of a once fantastic product. Here is a list of 'healthy' foods and their actually healthy alternatives!

-Nut Butters: Smart choosy moms do not choose Jif. Jif and Skippy are certainly not the peanut butter you want to be eating, they're filled with unnecessary oils and sugars. If you want a healthy peanut butter, look for a fresh ground butter that has nothing added- just nuts! You can find machines where you can grind the nut butter yourself in stores such as Whole Foods and Fresh Market, and some grocery stores have it in their deli section. With only one ingredient, a tablespoon of nut butter provides healthy fats, as well as delicious taste. More common nut butters are peanut and almond (I love almond butter, it is so good!) You can also make your own nut butter with a food proccesor at home! I've done this and it came out great.

-Pita Chips: My mom loves Stacy's Pita Chips, as do many other people who think that they're healthy. Truth is, the flour they used is enriched, which basically means it's more processed than it should be. Plus, homemade pita chips are always healthier than any pre-packaged kind. There are plenty of homemade pita chip recipes floating around the internet, but I'll post a recipe soon. They turn out delicious, and are very simple to make!

-Instant Oatmeal: Instant oatmeal gets a good rep because it is oatmeal, but what a lot of people don't know is that there are so many added ingredients to those little packs. Even if you're eating the plain instant, they still add ingredients that aren't in old fashioned oats. The flavored packs contain even more ingredients that you wouldn't normally put in your oatmeal. Don't go with the quick oats either, because those are more processed than the old fashioned. Go with old fashioned oats, and make sure the only ingredient is oats. If you're REALLY on the go and don't have time to measure out the oats, here's a tip: measure a lot out at a time, and put them in individual baggies for future use. Just as convenient as instant! I'm going to post two oatmeal recipes that are so good, they kick the instant oatmeal pack's butt! They're a staple in my breakfast regime and I eat them 4 out of 5 days of the week :)

-Granola: Granola can be healthy, but most packaged brands contain a heavy dose of sugar. A healthier alternative to granola is homemade granola. I haven't made any, but there are a bunch of healthy vegan granola recipes!

-Some Canned Soups: Soup can be a great option, light and very flavorful! If you go for canned, avoid mainstream brands like Campbells and Progresso, which can contain ingredients like unnecessary oils and potassium chloride. Brands such as Amy's and Muir Glen are fantastic, and have a lot of vegan options, and NO funky ingredients!

-Flavored Water: Brands such as Crystal Light contain aspartame, the same ingredient in equal, which in studies has been led to a bunch of toxic things, such as cancer. Flavored water is looked at as healthy, which unless it's homemade, it really isn't. Plain, natural water is always a better option, and should be a huge part of your healthy lifestyle. If you're still transitioning from sugary drinks such as soda and juices, a good option is flavoring your own water with natural foods such as fruit, cucumber, and mint. I personally like my water the way it is :)

-Artificial Sweeteners: Splenda and Equal are zero calorie, but they contain sucralose and aspartame, two artificial ingredients that can be very harmful to your body. Avoid these at all costs! Instead, use any all natural zero calorie sweetener such as Stevia, PureVia, or Truvia. If you want a less refined option, opt for agave nectar.

-Maple Syrup: 100% Pure maple syrup is in fact a healthy option, but a lot of 'maple syrups' like Aunt Jemima and Hungry Jack contain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. Even if they don't have high fructose corn syrup, you should always go for 100% Pure maple. If you want another alternative with a thicker consistency, try organic agave nectar.

-Commercial Smoothies: Some are great, others contain artificial sweeteners or loads of dairy. It's always better to blend your own smoothies, and there are so many combinations to experiment with! I usually make mine with fruit, almond milk, occasionally a nut butter, and sometimes some of my Jarrow Optimal Plant Protein Powder if I just did a workout. I make green smoothies too! If you are out though, good options are All Fruit smoothies from Jamba Juice and Health Starts Here from Whole Foods (Almond Berry Cream is amazing, and I make it at home a lot).

These are a few that I can think of off the bat, but comment below if you can think of any!