Marilyn from Urban Homemaker has a list at her site of the Top 10 Troublesome Ingredients we need to look out for in our food. She has asked me for a few suggestions in how to avoid these and here is what I came up with.
WHY BUY ORGANIC?
To avoid most of these troublesome ingredients you can buy organic foods. In doing so, you would avoid MSG, high fructose corn syrup, GMO’s, artificial colorings, chemicals & trans fats. However, remember, there is a difference in the quality of various organic foods. It has become big business and some companies are doing as little as they have to in order to get the “organic” label. The very best options are to buy local organic whole foods and avoid packaging as much as possible. However, Marilyn asked if I had an idea for a healthy alternative to RANCH dressing, and I have to admit that for this I do use a packet of Simply Organic Ranch Dressing mix! (You can get it at a health food store or some grocery stores carry it now along with other Simply Organic packets like Bean Dip mix, Taco Seasoning mix, etc.) Mix it with organic sour cream for a yummy veggie dip, and for salad dressing just add a little milk to get the right consistency. For more flavor you could add garlic and/or some sea salt & pepper. My kids love it too and eat more veggies this way. UPDATE: Now I make my own ranch salad dressing or my own ranch veggie dip and it’s much better tasting than the above suggestion (very easy, too)!
HEALTHY MILK
To avoid rBGH you could really go healthy and drink raw milk, but if you don’t think you’ll make that move yet, at least choose the next-best healthy milk options.
WHY TAKE COD LIVER OIL?
To balance out the Omega-6’s prevalent in our bodies from the typical American diet, be sure to take cod liver oil for omega-3’s (and also for the vitamin A & D) to prevent many diseases. (Don’t worry; you can take the capsules if the thought of taking the oil puts you over the top!) At the link above you can read about the MANY health benefits in doing so, along with info on where to get the best price.
HEALTHY MEATS
To avoid sodium nitrite, find natural meats online, or at a farm near you: www.localharvest.org or www.eatwellguide.org.
BECOME A LABEL READER!
Once you get into the habit of reading labels (or better yet, eating more foods without labels), it gets easier over time and really isn’t that difficult (see links below for more on that). If all this still overwhelms you, though, be sure to check out my new post, Health & Nutrition Rookie Tip of the Week!
- Avoiding harmful chemicals in food and the environment
- Eating healthy on a budget
- Eating healthy without sacrifices
- Life changes: 5 ways they’re all the same
- Support from your spouse in the kitchen
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Anna 03.04.08 at 8:19 pm
My son loves the Ranch dressing I make using a recipe from Dana Carpender’s 500 Low Carb Recipes. Especially with homemade mayo, it’s a winner for all of us, and nary a nasty ingredient to lament. He learned to like Ranch dressing at the neighbor kids’ house and asked for it, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy commercial dressing. He says he likes the homemade Ranch version better anyway.
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Kelly 03.05.08 at 4:37 am
Anna,
Can you give us that recipe, or is it on your site?
Also, I just found out Urban Homemaker doesn’t carry the Simply Organic packets anymore, but you can also get them at a health food store or even grocery stores are carrying them now.
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Bamboo 04.25.08 at 7:07 pm
Anna,
Could you share what seasonings are used to make the ranch dressing? I was thinking of using those seasonings to add to my plain yogurt to make a ranch-like dip/dressing.
Thanks,
Beth
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Bamboo 04.25.08 at 7:16 pm
Okay,
I just found my own answer… at the bottom of the link given by Kelly in this blog post. I’ll paste it here in case anyone else is looking for it:
http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?article=911
Sorry, I should have looked a bit more before asking.
Beth
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Kelly the Kitchen Kop 04.26.08 at 2:19 pm
Beth,
Let us know how that one tastes, I haven’t tried it yet.
Thanks!
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Bamboo 05.12.08 at 6:31 pm
Kelly,
I tried the ranch dressing recipe from the link and it is fantastic. I use plain yogurt as my base for the mix instead of sour cream (for the dip). The first time I put the recommended amount of the mix in the yogurt and it was too strong. The next time I put much less (and added a bit at a time) and it was more to my liking. We used it like that for salad dressing too and liked it.
Thanks so much for giving this link with the Ranch dressing/dip recipe.
Beth
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Margie/Midwifery Student/Mom of 7 01.14.09 at 12:49 pm
I have to admit, I feel kind of numb. I discovered your website a few weeks ago and try to spend a few minutes a day reading. To be perfectly honest I think it will take about a year or two to incorporate eating healthy into our lives. I know, I know you purists out there (no insult intended, honest, I wish I was just like you!) are saying to yourself ??? midwife? mother of 7??? Junk food junkies? Why? Well I just have lived the way I’ve always lived. The system of Industrialized food is overwhelming. The town I grew up in had no “health food stores” just basic supermarkets and a couple of hometown grocers with real butchers etc. I and my children have been exceptionally healthy with hardly any illnesses. Indeed we have had very few instances where we had to use antibiotics which is very rare these days. My grown kids have made it to adulthood with an average of three courses for their entire LIVES. On the other hand some of the people I knew who were into organic food, health food etc (you know whats coming) kids were sick all the time!!! So now you wonder why my sudden interest. Well my oldest daughter is having some health issues as am I. I began to research diets for high cholesterol and found a ton of conflicting info. And as a born again Christian my spirit just felt….unsettled? I kept being encouraged by my Dr to simply eat whole foods. What I’m supposed to survive on apple and oranges?? So I began to research real food. Then I began reading about the dangers of chemicals etc. and literally felt that there was no real whole foods left to be had. Good bread was my only real concession to eating healthy (and even that had scary sounding ingredients!!) and it became cost prohibitive so for Christmas my family bought me a Bosch. Little did I know this was going to open up a whole new can of worms for me. I googled Bosch recipes and found Kelly the Kitche Kop. OH boy…. Now I have a hugely stocked pantry (always my habit) and guilt! There’s no way that my husband will agree to throw out all those groceries. And I’ve tried going to the health food store here and felt like I was in a foreign country. Not only were many of the foods strange but alot of the people seemed pretty strange too. So I have been reading bits and pieces of this blog to him and we are actually thinking of moving to the country to grow a garden and maybe even have chickens and a cow! BUT that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel compromised every time I go to the cupboard. I feel so confused when I go grocery shopping that I have left a few times without buying anything. I decided to buy some real cream the other day and found that ALL the brands were ultrapasturized! I saw mexican cream but don’t know what’s what! So am I better off just sticking to my sugar free fake creamer???? I feel like I am starting from scratch and I suppose I am. I am in the middle of taking midwifery classes and sometimes life can be overwhelming. I really have good basic beliefs about natural being best which is why I always had a hard time with people who were into being healthy and ended up taking handfuls of supplements that made my stomach hurt to just watch them! Birth is best when nature rules so I’m sure that the same go for the kitchen. I am planning on replacing each item we use up with real food. Does anyone else have this dilemma or does everyone totally purge their cabinets and start over. I find the costs for organic sort of high and since I am so ignorant I don’t always know whether I am buying something that is just a processed as non organic (organic cereal for example which I really know isn’t any better that regular becaused it’s processed) and I have wandered the isles a few times and cannot find many of the things that are suggested as healthy. I sort of feel like it’s hopeless, but I know I’m just a little overwhelmed by so much info. On the upside I STOPPED drinking diet coke (a small miracle in itself as I’ve been addicted since my twenties, I’m 44) and I am making bread Kelly style. I have fresh veggies and fruit in the house and (guiltily) ate a little Debbie’s cake yesterday and discovered it tasted like CARDBOARD. It was so bad that I know I will never be tempted by them again. I think my taste buds are just starting to come back to life from years of diet coke, LOL! If anyone can relate post here. I’ll be watching for it!
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Kelly 01.15.09 at 7:31 am
Margie, I wanted you to know that I will respond to your comments soon, my kids are waking up now, but I can help you! I’m working at school this morning, and later have to get my posts ready for tomorrow, but SOON I will respond to you. I felt the SAME way not long ago!!!
Kelly
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Kelly 01.16.09 at 1:29 am
Margie, I’m going to cut and paste your comment into this box, then squeeze my replies within your comment, my words will be in ALL CAPS…
I have to admit, I feel kind of numb. I discovered your website a few weeks ago and try to spend a few minutes a day reading. To be perfectly honest I think it will take about a year or two to incorporate eating healthy into our lives. THAT WOULD BE GREAT!! IT TAKES TIME. I’M STILL ADDING THINGS AND CHANGING THINGS UP. AND THERE ARE *PLENTY* OF THINGS I DON’T DO THAT I “SHOULD” OR THAT I’D LIKE TO EVENTUALLY. I know, I know you purists out there (no insult intended, honest, I wish I was just like you!) I’M NOT INSULTED, BUT HAVE YOU READ MY “DARK SECRETS” POST??? are saying to yourself ??? midwife? mother of 7??? Junk food junkies? Why? NOPE, GUESS WHAT I’M SAYING TO MYSELF? MIDWIFE? MOTHER OF 7?!! HOW AWESOME THAT SHE IS MAKING TIME TO THINK ABOUT FEEDING HER FAMILY A LITTLE HEALTHIER WHEN TIME HAS *GOT* TO BE HARD TO COME BY FOR YOU!!! Well I just have lived the way I’ve always lived. The system of Industrialized food is overwhelming. I AGREE. The town I grew up in had no “health food stores” just basic supermarkets and a couple of hometown grocers with real butchers etc. I and my children have been exceptionally healthy with hardly any illnesses. THAT’S AWESOME, YOU MUST HAVE NICE HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEMS. Indeed we have had very few instances where we had to use antibiotics which is very rare these days. My grown kids have made it to adulthood with an average of three courses for their entire LIVES. THAT’S GREAT!! On the other hand some of the people I knew who were into organic food, health food etc (you know whats coming) kids were sick all the time!!! YEP, YOU NEVER KNOW… So now you wonder why my sudden interest. Well my oldest daughter is having some health issues as am I. I began to research diets for high cholesterol and found a ton of conflicting info. And as a born again Christian my spirit just felt….unsettled? I kept being encouraged by my Dr to simply eat whole foods. WHAT A GOOD DOC! What I’m supposed to survive on apple and oranges?? So I began to research real food. I HOPE YOU’RE RELIEVED SOME TO FIND OUT IT’S NOT ABOUT ONLY APPLES AND ORANGES, BUT ABOUT HEALTHY STOCK (SEE TONIGHT’S NEW POSTS), LOTS OF BUTTER, AND OTHER GOODIES LIKE THOSE! Then I began reading about the dangers of chemicals etc. and literally felt that there was no real whole foods left to be had. Good bread was my only real concession to eating healthy (and even that had scary sounding ingredients!!) and it became cost prohibitive so for Christmas my family bought me a Bosch. WOO-HOO, DON’T YOU LOVE IT?! Little did I know this was going to open up a whole new can of worms for me. I googled Bosch recipes and found Kelly the Kitchen Kop. I’M SO GLAD YOU FOUND YOUR WAY HERE! OH boy…. Now I have a hugely stocked pantry (always my habit) and guilt! NO NO NO, I HOPE THAT’S NOT WHAT PEOPLE LEAVE WITH AFTER READING MY SITE! THERE’S ALWAYS CHANGES WE CAN MAKE, BUT WE’RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN! YOU DIDN’T KNOW THIS STUFF BEFORE, AND EITHER DID I! I WISH I COULD GO BACK AND FEED OUR OLDEST HEALTHIER FOODS AS A LITTLE GUY, BUT I JUST PLAIN DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I DIDN’T KNOW. CAN’T BEAT OURSELVES UP OVER IT. There’s no way that my husband will agree to throw out all those groceries. THAT’S OK, JUST SLOWLY START REPLACING ITEMS WITH BETTER CHOICES. OR BETTER YET, DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT YET, FOR NOW, TAKE BITE-SIZED PIECES OF NEW INFORMATION AND “DIGEST” IT AS YOU ARE READY. And I’ve tried going to the health food store here and felt like I was in a foreign country. Not only were many of the foods strange but alot of the people seemed pretty strange too. AND SOME OF THE FOOD IN THERE IS NOT SO GREAT, EITHER. So I have been reading bits and pieces of this blog to him and we are actually thinking of moving to the country to grow a garden and maybe even have chickens and a cow! WHOA, YOU’RE REALLY FEELING IT, EH?! LOL
BUT that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel compromised every time I go to the cupboard. I feel so confused when I go grocery shopping that I have left a few times without buying anything. YOU CAN EMAIL ME IF YOU NEED TO – IN THE CONTACT INFO. I decided to buy some real cream the other day and found that ALL the brands were ultrapasturized! THAT STINKS! CALL AROUND BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME NEXT TIME AND TRY THAT. CALL SMALLER GROCERS. I saw mexican cream but don’t know what’s what! I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, EITHER. So am I better off just sticking to my sugar free fake creamer???? CAN YOU FIND A SOURCE FOR RAW MILK? (SEE THAT POST) THAT CREAM WOULD BE THE BEST! I feel like I am starting from scratch and I suppose I am. I am in the middle of taking midwifery classes and sometimes life can be overwhelming. I really have good basic beliefs about natural being best which is why I always had a hard time with people who were into being healthy and ended up taking handfuls of supplements that made my stomach hurt to just watch them! Birth is best when nature rules so I’m sure that the same go for the kitchen. TOTALLY AGREE! I am planning on replacing each item we use up with real food. Does anyone else have this dilemma or does everyone totally purge their cabinets and start over. NO NO NO, THIS IS A SLOW, AND SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING PROCESS FOR *ALL*, AND IT’S EVEN TRICKIER IF MONEY IS AN ISSUE. GIVE YOURSELF TIME! I find the costs for organic sort of high and since I am so ignorant I don’t always know whether I am buying something that is just a processed as non organic (organic cereal for example which I really know isn’t any better that regular becaused it’s processed) and I have wandered the isles a few times and cannot find many of the things that are suggested as healthy. EMAIL ME IF YOU EVER NEED TO. I sort of feel like it’s hopeless, NO WAY! YOU’LL GET THERE!! but I know I’m just a little overwhelmed by so much info. On the upside I STOPPED drinking diet coke (a small miracle in itself as I’ve been addicted since my twenties, I’m 44) GOOD JOB!! and I am making bread Kelly style. ISN’T IT YUMMY?I have fresh veggies and fruit in the house and (guiltily) ate a little Debbie’s cake yesterday and discovered it tasted like CARDBOARD. It was so bad that I know I will never be tempted by them again. I think my taste buds are just starting to come back to life from years of diet coke, LOL! If anyone can relate post here. I’ll be watching for it! I HOPE I’VE HELPED YOU TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND JUST TAKE IT SLOW. IT WON’T KILL YOU TO EAT A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT YOU HAVE AS YOU SLOWLY WORK YOUR WAY INTO HEALTHIER FOODS. I’LL REPLY TO YOUR OTHER COMMENTS WHEN I CAN, IT MAY BE A FEW DAYS WITH OUR BIG BIRTHDAY PARTY HERE ON SATURDAY, BUT I WILL ANSWER YOU EVENTUALLY, I PROMISE! TAKE CARE, KELLY
[Reply]
Christine 03.02.09 at 9:17 am
Hey Margie, we are all right there with you, Sister! I am thankful to have a ‘nourishing tradition’ type friend who is happy to show and teach me things, and doesn’t discourage me when I roll my eyes and say, ‘I don’t think I’m interested in this right yet….’ She always reminds me to focus on whatever seems of interest to me, and work from there, ONE piece at a time.
5 years ago, if you had told me I’d one day have an herbal medicinal cabinet full of – not purchased herbal concoctions, but raw dried whole herbs – and knew exactly how to treat most things that I (then) treated with OTC and Rx chemicals….I’d have thought you were nuts. But one step at a time, I was interested in and found ways to replace the way we do things.
Your children will grow up with your healthier version of what you do, also. When my teens have a friend over, and she complains of migraines or stomach problems, they will brew her a pot of tea and add specific herbs to it, explaining how they work. Or go to the garden and uproot a bit of Feverfew to send home in a small pot, so the friend has her own source of fresh herb to treat her self. : ) I’ve heard my girls tell their friends, ‘well, you’d feel a LOT better if you get soda out of your diet…’ and things like this.
Good for you doing the things you have begun already! I share your dilema about coffee cream. : ) (For now, I buy unhomogonized milk by the bottle, and pour off that cream to use.)
Standing by for more specific solutions as we all work step at a time to improve our health. (And thanks for all you do for moms as a midwife – we had our babies at home with a midwife.)
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Lolaloves13 04.10.09 at 11:52 am
I just wanted to encourage Margie to not wory too much about changing everything so fast. One thing at a time. It has been almost 4 years on my journey of wanting to eat healthier. Just last year, I actually had the courage to join a coop and start getting the raw milk, grass fed beef, pastured eggs and trying to buy organic produce as local as possible. It took time and we still have things we need to replace with even better choices. The bread for instance. It is whole grain from a organic bakery, but not sprouted or fermented. I tried to make Mayo from Olive oil(Bariani), it was so bad! So bitter! I am still buying Hains. I just found this Real Food Media just a month ago and all the blogs have helped me to keep moving forward with this. That is great you are going to be a midwife! I also will say I have had three children and the last one was with a wonderful midwife and it was the best birth I had!
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Margie Kline 04.23.09 at 10:03 am
Thanks for your kind words. I am just taking baby steps but I think they are steps in the right direction. Life is very busy right now and I am finding the small changes we have made have become (good) habits. So I’ll continue adding more changes as time passes and I learn more. Keep me in your thoughts, I have my interview for Entry into the Midwifery Program that I am entering on Monday….. Yea!
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