Five criteria for healthy food selection

It is when we shop for our food that we make the decisions that impact our physical health the most, therefore careful selection is literally vitally important to our health. These five guidelines provide a good, solid base for deciding what we eat and where we get if from.


Five criteria on which to base your food selections are:

1. Whole

A food is whole when it is unprocessed, unrefined and intact – it should be bought exactly as it is provided by nature without any additives or preservatives. Whole foods are the foundation of a healthy diet.

2. Natural

What “natural” means, in food terms, has over the past few years become a big debate, and even the US Food and Drug Administration has refrained from officially defining what a natural food is. Broadly, natural foods are considered to be foods that are in their natural state meaning food that does not contain any artificial ingredients, colourants, additives or preservatives.

3. Organic

Organic foods are grown according to guidelines that prohibit the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, genetic modification, irradiation or sewage waste. Organic meat, poultry, dairy and eggs are free of hormones as the animals are not given any growth hormones or antibiotics during rearing. By selecting organic food, you ensure that your body is not exposed to these unwanted substances.

4. Fresh

Food is considered fresh when it is not preserved by canning, dehydration, freezing or smoking. Acceptable ways to preserve food are by pickling or fermenting, where good or friendly bacteria is used, and drying, which makes the food more nutrient dense.

5. Seasonal

Nature’s cycles of planting and harvesting provide us with the right nourishment at the right time; eating seasonal can help support the body’s natural healing process. Seasonal food generally has more flavour, and is often more affordable as it is more readily available. Eating seasonally also creates variety in our diets.

Sources
dictionary.reference.com
healthyorganic.co.za
localfoods.about.com
www.fda.gov
www.mindbodygreen.com
www.naturalnews.com
www.netmums.com
www.sheknows.com
www.simplesocialkitchen.com
www.thefreedictionary.com