The inherent dangers of eating processed food have been meticulously documented in all branches of the media in recent times. We have all been subjected to stories about the damage which chemicals and fats we had never until recently heard mention of are doing to our bodies and how they are likely to both cause us health problems in the longer term and ultimately shorten our lives. Yet so many of us still eat those processed foods and junk foods on an every day basis. Why?
In a lot of instances, it is because we are labouring under the misconception that we have no alternative. We genuinely believe that we are too busy leading our hectic lives to eat in a healthy fashion. We may make a stab at it, on perhaps weekends or holidays, but when the working week rolls round again, we revert to our old habits. Hopefully, I can demonstrate here how we can eat in a healthy fashion and avoid those processed foods without compromising or significantly altering our way of life.
The first step we have to take is to realise the importance of eating the right foods at the right time of day. This means eating a full and nutritious breakfast, a satisfying lunch and a lighter meal simply to tide us over in the evenings. Eating too much at night means that we are going to bed with the food undigested and it is broken down in to energy as we sleep. As we are not using said energy, it simply turns to fat.
Breakfast
Buy some natural wholegrain cereal from your supermarket. Wholegrain cereals are extremely good for your heart and of course require no time be spent in preparation. When you get up in the morning, pour yourself a glass of fresh fruit juice, put some cereal in to a bowl and add some semi-skimmed milk. Semi-skimmed milk is lower in fat than conventional milk but does not have the tasteless quality of fully skimmed. Add a chopped banana for extra vitamins and sustenance.
Put two slices of bread in to the toaster to toast while you drink your juice and eat your cereal. Spread the toast with sunflower or olive oil based spread as opposed to butter or margarine. There are some delicious butter alternatives out there - simply experiment until you find the one which suits your taste, or ask friends or colleagues for advice.
As an alternative to the cereal, try some low fat natural yoghurt. Use it as a dip for some freshly chopped fruit such as apples, bananas, even strawberries.
Lunch
There seems to be a great misconception in the world that sandwiches are necessarily a fat-laden, unhealthy choice for a meal. This is absolutely not the case as like any other type of meal, it is what we put in the sandwich that counts. Sandwiches prepared the night before and boxed in the refrigerator to be simply collected the next morning are an excellent choice for a healthy and satisfying lunch.
The first thing we have to make sure of is that we use the correct type of bread or bread rolls. "Burger buns" or the likes most certainly do not come in to that category! Browse the bakery section of your local supermarket. There are many types of delicious bread rolls, perhaps made from the likes of olive oil, which are also extremely nutritious. A great favourite of mine is the ciabatta. Remember also to use the oil based spread.
Try fresh green salad leaves with sliced tomato, cucumber and basil; low fat cheddar cheese with sliced onion and finely chopped fresh sage leaves is also delicious; what about grilling some bacon the night before and adding some sliced tomato? Cold bacon sandwiches are delicious! Use your imagination here and come up with your own combinations - the process can actually be fun as well as nutritiously beneficial!
Take some fresh fruit with you to eat after your sandwich(es), such as an apple and an orange.
Evening Meal
As previously mentioned, we should not be eating too heavy a meal in the evenings. Try some pasta mixed with home made tomato sauce and sprinkled with fresh basil. To make homemade tomato sauce in bulk and freeze it in batches, simply peel and de-seed a large batch of tomatoes, chop them up and heat them at length in a large pan. Try adding a skinned and de-seeded red bell pepper for a bit of variety.
Alternatively, grill a fillet of meat such as lamb or pork and serve with a light salad. What about putting some chicken pieces on to poach one night in preparation for the following night's meal. Soup can then be made with the stock to consume the night after that.
Again, there are an infinite number of ways in which we can reduce our reliance on processed and chemically enhanced foods. Try a Google search, glance through some cookbooks either at home or at your local library, ask around for advice. The first step is always the hardest, and that is realising what you have to do for the benefit of your long term health and determining it is an action you are most definitely going to take.