Pantry clean out -

As the season changes and temperatures rise, it’s the perfect time to reevaluate our eating habits and make sure they align with our health goals. A great place to start is by revamping your pantry for a healthier summer. This is exactly what we explore in our latest podcast episode as we do a pantry clean out.

Organization:

The first step towards achieving a healthier pantry is organization. Having clear canisters for each type of food not only helps keep your shelves tidy but also allows you to see exactly what you have in stock at a glance. This system is especially beneficial when planning grocery lists since it prevents overbuying items that you already have.

However, a well-organized pantry doesn’t necessarily mean a healthy one. The contents matter just as much as the arrangement. One key aspect to your pantry clean out is understanding food labels. It is important to not getting swayed by calorie counts alone.

Many people still believe that calorie count determines whether or not food is healthy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Foods can have similar calorie counts but vastly different nutritional values and effects on the body due to their different ingredients. For instance, 100 calories worth of nuts are metabolized differently from 100 calories worth of candy.

Nutrition Labels:

Instead of fixating on calories, we should focus on ingredients when determining if something belongs in our pantries or not. One tip shared in the podcast was looking for products with fewer than ten ingredients listed. The shorter the list, the better.

However, being aware of certain buzzwords often used in ingredient lists such as ‘natural flavors’ is also important since these can often be misleading and mask unhealthy components like hidden sugars or unhealthy oils. A basic rule of thumb would be: if you can’t pronounce an ingredient or don’t know what it means, research it before deciding whether or not to include that item in your diet.

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Clean out the Cooking oils:

The podcast episode also touched upon healthier alternatives for cooking oils like coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil instead of hydrogenated ones like Canola oil which has been linked to negative health effects due to its high Omega-6 fatty acid content which can lead to inflammation when consumed excessively.

Another crucial part discussed was sugar consumption–an area many people struggle with due to its addictive nature and its presence in many foods under various names like fructose or maltodextrin. A simple strategy suggested was limiting daily sugar intake to no more than six teaspoons.

Finally, snacks are an integral part of most people’s diets especially during summer but they don’t need to be detrimental to health if chosen wisely! The episode wraps up with a guide featuring 20 different healthful snack ideas perfect for warmer weather, although we no longer offer this you can grab a meal plan!

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Revamping your pantry may seem daunting at first but taking it one step at a time makes the process manageable without overwhelming yourself or others who share your kitchen space. Remember: small consistent changes over time often lead to significant long-term results.