Food Quality + Sourcing Guide
If there’s a health food aisle and health food stores, what is the rest of the food in the super market?
Most of it’s not so great.
But fret not… In this guide, I’ll show what to look for, what to avoid and some shopping tips to help you eat to feel your best!
KEYS TO SOURCING REAL FOOD:
VARIETY- Eat a diverse range of plants + animals. Eat the rainbow with fruits + vegetables.
LOCALLY- Eat foods sourced close to where you live to reduce emissions + support local farmers.
QUALITY- Look for organic produce, grass-fed meat, pasture-raised eggs + wild-caught fish.
SEASONALLY- Eating produce in season ensures greater diversity, lessens environmental impact + prevents sensitivities.
PROTEINS:
LOOK FOR: Organic, Grass-fed/finished, Pasture-raised, Cage-free + Wild-caught
AVOID: Conventionally farmed, Corn-fed, Antibiotics / Steroids, Preservatives / Nitrates
SHOPPING TIPS: Even your local super market should carry good quality meats at a reasonable price, but if not look to subscriptions like Butcher Box (Get free ground beef for life + $30 off your order with this LINK), whole animal purchase (do a quick internet search in your area), or shop Farmer's Markets and local butcher shops.
BEST + WORST PROTEINS
ENJOY: liver, duck, beef, lamb, seafood, pork, other game meats, poultry (some should limit chicken)
LIMIT: deli meats, sausages, pepperoni, hot dogs, ham, canned meats. If you are going to consume these items make sure to look for nitrate-free options.
Fats:
LOOK FOR: Organic, Grass-fed, Cold-pressed
AVOID: Margarine, Canola/Vegetable/Sunflower + Other Seed Oils, Cheap/conventional varieties, Fried foods
SHOPPING TIPS: Buy cooking oils stored in dark glass, buy single origin, and look for more saturated fats like tallow, lard, and coconut oil to ensure you aren’t consuming rancid oils. Identifying the smoke point will help you decide which cooking fats are good for each method of cooking.
* When it comes to NUTS + SEEDS, look for sprouted varieties, or soak them yourself to release some of the anti-nutrients that cause them to be hard to digest.
BEST FATS / OILS TO USE
DON’T COOK: flax seed oil, walnut oil, almond oil
DO COOK: olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, tallow, lard, grass-fed butter / ghee
CARBOHYDRATES:
LOOK FOR: Organic, Non-GMO, and Local
AVOID: Ultra-processed, Pre-packaged, and Pre-seasoned
SHOPPING TIPS: Look for grains you make the old fashioned way and add your own spices to cook instead of the microwavable kinds in plastic. When it comes to bread and pasta, look for organic to avoid heavy glyphosate consumption.*
* Depending on your dietary needs/preferences, you may want to avoid gluten and gluten-containing products. I recommend looking for replacements with cassava over corn, rice + nuts. Not all Gluten-Free products are actually healthier. For some, sourdough might be a better option.
PRODUCE:
Generally speaking, all produce is considered “healthy”, but depending on your dietary needs, you may want to avoid certain groups like nightshades, too much raw veg, and conventionally grown produce.
DIRTY DOZEN / CLEAN FIFTEEN
(Use this guide to help you choose when to prioritize organic!)
DIRTY DOZEN - ALWAYS BUY ORGANIC
strawberries
spinach
kale
nectarines
apples
grapes
cherries
pears
tomatoes
celery
potatoes
peaches
CLEAN FIFTEEN - CONVENTIONAL VARIETIES OK
avocados
sweet corn
pineapple
onions
papaya
sweet peas
eggplant
asparagus
cauliflower
broccoli
cantaloupe
mushrooms
cabbage
honeydew
kiwi
PROCESSED FOODS:
MINIMALLY PROCESSED: Whole foods prepped for convenience. Washed lettuces, waxed apples, seasoned fresh meats, some juices, bags of grains, pre-cut + frozen fruit/veg. These are generally safe to eat.
PROCESSED FOODS: Pressed, refined, ground, milled + packaged products like breads, oils, dairy, granola, most nuts + seeds, cured/deli meats, noodles, frozen pizza, canned fruit/veg/fish. Some are safe in moderation.
HIGHLY PROCESSED Foods that have undergone ultra processing treatments like dressings, soups, frozen meals, sodas, baked goods, chips, crackers, seasoned grains + canned meats. Most not safe for regular consumption.
* When it comes to choosing processed foods - READ YOUR INGREDIENTS! If you don’t recognize the ingredients, your body will likely need to detoxify them causing stress to your system.
Canola oil, sunflower oil, soy lethicin, synthetic vitamins and other additives are common in many processed foods. Aim to get the least amount of ingredients possible!
Ultra-Processed Foods + Cancer Correlation
One revolutionary study by the BMJ showed a direct correlation between ultra-processed foods + cancer, stating that a 10% increase in highly processed foods led to a 12% increase in overall cancer risk + a 11% increase in breast cancer risk. Eat at your own risk!
CONFUSING FOOD LABELS:
ORGANIC- Produce has been raised without synthetic fertilizers + non-GMO. Meat is grass-fed + raised in natural habitat.
LOCAL- Most are sold within 24 hrs of being harvested. Fresher + better tasting.
NATURAL- Can be used as a marketing tool w/o much meaning. Look carefully at ingredients.
NON-GMO - Not genetically modified in a lab.
When it comes to sourcing your food, following these guidelines can be incredibly helpful. But try not to stress yourself out. Changing to a cleaner way of eating takes time to learn.
As a general rule, you should try to get about 80% of your calories from real whole foods in their natural state, with the other 20% accounting for more fun foods that aren’t the most supportive for your health, but that you enjoy!
For a clean eating shopping guide that you can download and customize - CLICK HERE!
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