Some rules aren’t meant to be broken.

I’m not a total party-pooper, but when it comes to nutrition – some rules are best followed.

According to a study by BMJ Open, over half of Americans’ diets come from processed foods, and around 90% of energy comes from added sugars. If this isn’t a health crisis, I don’t know what is.

Add to this a culture of “too-busy-overworked-stressed-out” and it’s no wonder we’re looking for a quick fix at the nearest fast food joint or grocery store.

Instead of joining these disturbing stats, I want you to make a few simple tweaks to your grocery haul by avoiding these foods:

REFINED GRAINS

With refined grains, the bran and germ are removed along with the vitamins and minerals – essentially leaving it as “empty calories”. The lack of fibre makes it high on the glycemic index, affecting your blood sugar levels, and the lack of nutrients leaves it void of all benefits.

TIP: Not ready to give up your grains just yet? I get it. Try opting for healthier options like whole grains, quinoa, oat or spelt. Almond meal is also a great option for flour (but not a grain).

STORE BOUGHT SOUPS

As innocent as an organic carrot ginger soup might sound, they may as well stick an IV in and pump you with sodium, additives, preservatives and sugar. And let’s face it, often “natural” flavours and colours too.

Sodium in itself isn’t the problem – quantity and quality absolutely make a difference.

TIP: Opt for a simple homemade soup by pulling out your Vitamix and adding in some of your favourite vegetables and a little water or low-sodium stock, plus your favourite herbs or spices.

DIET EVERYTHING

Aspartame can have major neurological side effects, in fact, almost two-thirds of all reported side effects are neurological. Even with 10,000 estimated reports, the FDA admits that probably only 1% of people actually report a reaction. How’s that for putting things in to perspective?

Not only that, it adds to weight gain. Sounds odd for a 0 calorie sweetener, but aspartame actually slows down your metabolism and increases appetite.

TIP: Sweeten your food or drinks with stevia, raw honey, pure maple syrup or blackstrap molasses instead. A little natural sweetener is still sugar, but far better to get some health benefits then the damage done by aspartame!

FRIED FOODS

Fried foods are made with refined oils such as canola or vegetable oil and are cooked at temperatures that cause the oils to go rancid (eww, right?). These high-fat foods add to the unhealthy mid-section weight gain, clog your arteries, and lead to overeating. 

TIP: Making fries at home is seriously easy! Heat your oven to 425F. Cut your potato (any kind!) into large fries, add in a little unrefined avocado oil, himalayan sea salt, and oregano. Lay flat on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

VITAMIN WATER OR JUICE

Also known as liquid sugar, these foods do not add any vitamins or minerals to your diet. They claim to be good for you and have added in some nutrients, but their sugar content outweighs the nutrient content – creating an imbalance.

Think of it more like drinking candy. Not so beneficial to your health, eh?

TIP:  Make your own flavoured water at home easily by adding any fruit or herb to your water, infusing some great flavor.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying food, but we also have to remember that food is meant to fuel our bodies – so pay attention to what’s going in to your body by avoiding these unhealthy foods at the grocery store.