Food Advocacy,  Food For Better Health,  Healthy Eating

7 Day Eliminate Processed Foods Challenge

I started this food blog because

                I LOVE food.

                I love cooking food,

               eating food and

               shopping for food.

I think my lust for this necessity of life, has led me down a path of occasional laziness.

Couch PotatoYes, even foodies can be lazy sometimes.

 

Partially to blame for my laziness is the evil, PROCESSED FOOD INDUSTRY.

 

The Food & Drug Administration has determined processed foods as being:

    a. Anything that has been modified from its raw form

    b. Any substance has been added to the food, such as sodium-containing additives, which makes the product less healthy.

Shocking Facts about Processed Foods

More than 75% of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed foods, not the salt shaker.

          Research has shown, the increased consumption of processed foods by Americans over the last 50 years, directly relates to increased rates of heart disease and diabetes.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we should consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day.

All those sugary and salty processed foods stimulate dopamine in your brain.

Your body reacts the same way, as if you were consuming an opiate drug.

F0od companies know this … and purposely engineer their products to have this effect; so you will keep buying more.

OMG, Is That in my food?

Cellulose, which is actually ground-up wood pulp, is often used as an anti-caking agent in bagged cheeses.

Sodium bisulfite, a toilet bowl cleaning chemical, is also used in potato chips.

Hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are chemically engineered products, which the FDA has deemed UNSAFE.

Sodium Nitrite is prevalent in most processed meats to delay oxidation. During the process of cooking these meats, sodium nitrite can combine with other compounds forming a carcinogenic N-nitroso compound. Two large cancer research studies concluded when ingested, these compounds are associated with cancer,

 

 

Now, I am as guilty as anybody else, I love potato chips, snacks and fast food, but I have got to make a change.

Potato Chips
Mass produced potato chips are one of the worst processed foods. Full of salt, preservatives, fat and chemicals for processing. Avoid these if at all possible.

My goals:

  • to sleep better
  • to lose some weight
  • to feel better

My 7-Day Eliminate Processed Food Challenge

Starting today, I am going to try my damnest to eliminate all processed foods, for 7 days.  Then, I will evaluate how I did.

100 Days of Real FoodLisa Leake’s amazing book 100 Days of Real Food: Fast & Fabulous: The Easy and Delicious Way to Cut Out Processed Food

will guide me through this challenge.  Click link to purchase your own copy.

But I am a realist…I know I have to take baby steps.  I will fail if I take a full elimination dive.

 

 


Read my review of Lisa Leak’s fantastic book

http://joannsfoodbites.com/eating-real-food-to-lose-weight/


My Challenge Rules

1. No refined grains, only 100% whole grain

2.  No refined sugar

3.  Ingredient list must be real foods, no chemicals, no words I cannot pronounce

4.  No deep-fried foods

5.  Beverages limited to water, milk, all natural juices, my ONE cup of coffee daily.

6.  Heavy on fruits and vegetables

Six simple rules to this 7-Day Eliminate Processed Food Challenge.

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