How to Navigate the Supermarket

Since the foods we eat (or don’t eat) often have a direct connection to symptoms, I spend a lot of time with my patients developing nutrition plans. When you’re making healthy lifestyle changes, the supermarket easily becomes an overwhelming place. But I don’t want it to be! So here are a few tips on how to successfully navigate your way through it.

Nutrition Advice Tip #1: Shop The Perimeter

The perimeter is where you’ll find the most protein-packed, nutrient-dense foods to fuel your body with. Plus the amount of processed food on the perimeter is minimal, so you’ll almost always be making healthier choices by choosing from these areas. Top items to avoid in these areas include bacon and deli meat (very high in sodium), sweetened yogurts, sour cream, processed cheeses (namely American), and cow’s milk.

Nutrition Advice Tip #2: Look At The Bottom Or The Top Of Shelves

It’s a lot easier to find high sugar cereals than low sugar ones, and boxed mac & cheese versus whole wheat pasta or quinoa. That’s no coincidence. Stores market to the littlest customers - children - and keep unhealthy “kid” food at eye level for them. As you roam the aisles, stick to things like whole grain pasta, brown or black rice, quinoa, raw honey, 100% pure maple syrup, and no-sugar added nut butters.

Nutrition Advice Tip #3: Buy Organic Whenever Possible

There’s a reason why those conventional apples are bigger, brighter, and cheaper than the organic ones. They’ve been sprayed with chemicals and pesticides that make them look better and last longer. On the other hand, in the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, organic plants boost their production of its vitamins and minerals to strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds.