Sourcing Ingredients

Do you ever wonder where your meat or eggs came from when you’re shopping at the store? Unfortunately these days we need to be vigilant about our food origins. Conventional farms do not look like that idyllic image pictured below. The bread and milk we get at the store now is very different from our grandmother’s day. A loaf of whole wheat bread now contains much more gluten and sugar and less fiber than ever before. Food manufacturers are stripping away any nutritional value that piece of bread once had to increase production and lower their costs. Grains in the past were not hybridized or genetically modified like today. Please don’t fall for the marketing gimmicks on the product – like “heart-healthy,” “all-natural” or even relying on gluten free as being a health indicator. We must turn the product over and read the label. I love an app called Trash Panda for scanning in a product and determining which ingredients I need to avoid and the explanation. Eventually you will remember those red flag ingredients and this will become second nature. But if that sounds complicated then just stick to buying mostly real whole foods without labels – shop the perimeter of the store.

There are certain foods that may seem healthy, but you will want to avoid these or be careful when choosing these products. Most nut milks are full of fillers and shelf-stabilizers. Additives such as carrageenan, tricalcium phosphate and gellan gum can cause digestive upset and have been linked to certain cancers. Make sure your nut milk contains only the nut, water and possibly a pinch of salt. I go with a brand called Elmhurst, which can be purchased at Whole Foods or online. Oats are another product that has seen the worst of industrialization. They are one of the most heavily glyphosate (aka weed-killer, Roundup) sprayed crops. If you cannot give up oats make sure you are buying organic. Make sure you are buying organic from EWG’s Dirty Dozen list to make sure you are not consuming weed killer in your seemingly healthy salad. And lastly, many studies have shown conventional coffee beans are often laden with mold mycotoxins and should be avoided. Considering you probably drink it every day, you may want to consider swapping out your beans with a high-quality organic roast and grind those beans just before sipping to avoid mold development.

What to buy instead? Eggs should come from pasture-raised farms where the chickens actually get to roam and produce much more nutritious eggs. You will be amazed by the bright orange yolk of a healthy hen! These pasture-raised eggs, contain around 12g of protein, compared to a conventional egg only has 6g. Buy organic and/or grass-fed and finished meat to ensure you are getting more vitamins and minerals in your diet. Conventional farms feed their cattle and chickens grains that are sprayed heavily with glyphosate and injected constantly with antibiotics that we do not want in our bodies! I love to shop local and support nearby farms raising their cattle using humane and responsible practices. If you’re in Texas, I highly recommend ordering from 1915 Farms. It is run by a wife and husband who left their corporate jobs to start a regenerative farm and they are passionate about sharing their vision for healthier agriculture. Use promo code CLEANFOODS for a discount!

Another quality ingredient source I use is Fish Fixe, which makes eating more omega rich seafood an easy weeknight option. It comes pre-portioned with instructions on the bag for several ways to cook the fish. Use this link to receive $10 off your order! https://fishfixe.refr.cc/cleanfoodsbyrebecca

Other meal or snack ideas from brands that I trust are…