The Meaning of Food
Are you eating “food”?
Does processed, artificial, chemicalised junk really count as food?
Is the word “food” used all a little too loosely these days?
This month we are all about inspiring you to make your food nutritious! So much of the ready-to-eat, packaged, highly processed foods available on store shelves today are questionably nutritious.
Your body needs food to fuel all of its intricate processes that enable you to live; the beating of your heart, the inhalation of oxygen, growth, your brain’s bright ideas, the healing of a cut, and so very much more. So right now, in this moment, it’s time to consider if you are making the best food choices to support all of your body’s amazing processes to be the best version of yourself.
The top tip; eat real food. Real food is what is produced by nature. Real foods are whole, unrefined and minimally processed. Eating real food means eating more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and wholegrains. When choosing animal products, be sure to choose good quality and minimally processed options. There are some creative ways to add more vegetables to your diet such as grating a carrot into Spaghetti Bolognese mixture or using cooked spiralized zucchini instead of pasta in such dishes. What are some ways you can increase your vegetable intake? Try one today!
When going in search of real food, the outer sides of the supermarket are where you should look to fill the trolley from. When you explore the inner isles, this is where lines blur. Ingredient lists are your best friend in these inner isles. Take a look at them. How many of the ingredients in that list can you pronounce, or imagine as a whole food? If you answer 100%, this item could belong in your trolley. If you’re stuck a few ingredients down the list, it’s time to consider if another option may better fuel your tank. Ingredient lists are itemised in descending order from the largest contributing ingredient to the least contributing ingredient.
Items on the shelf posing as food and requiring your investigation include some of the packaged breakfast cereals, sauces and condiments, packaged snacks such as bars and biscuits, the all too common sweets and chips, processed meats, carbonated beverages, and the list unfortunately doesn’t stop there. Watch out for such imposters and be your own detective!
Choosing to eat real food isn’t always easy. It’s often not what we first reach for. And it’s not always readily available on the go. This makes preparation key. Without preparation, that 3pm snack easily turns into a packet of chips or candy bar from the nearest retail outlet. Being prepared will enable you to make good food choices. This month, challenge yourself to prepare your real food 3pm snack on Sunday for the week. Need an idea, check out our divine bliss ball recipe below.
Choco-Blueberry Bliss Balls
70g cashew nuts 1/3 cup sesame seeds 1/3 cup of sunflower seeds 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut 1 cup dates 1/4 cup peanut butter (100% peanuts) 4 teaspoons coconut oil (melted) 1/8 cup cocoa 3/4 cup frozen blueberries Extra desiccated coconut
Soak dates for 5 minutes in boiling water. Combine first 4 ingredients in the food processor and process until fine. Drain dates and add to the food processor and continue to process until dates are well blended. Add peanut butter, melted coconut oil and cocoa and process into a well-blended mixture. Lastly, add blueberries and process until roughly chopped and mixed through. Roll into small balls and then roll and coat in desiccated coconut. Makes approximately 20 balls. Store in the freezer and take out approximately 10 minutes before you want to eat. And lastly, enjoy!
References:
“Food | Definition of Food in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/food.