Eating a natural diet can be extremely beneficial for your health both physically and mentally, but it can be tricky to figure out how to begin. The average western diet is packed full of artificial and chemical foods that offer little in terms of nutrition, so it can seem hard to avoid processed foods when it’s so readily available. Thankfully, there are a number of simple steps that you can follow to transform your diet, helping you to eat more natural foods in no time at all. So, if you’re interested in finding out more, then keep on reading!
Start Cooking Your Own Meals
One of the most effective ways to eat a more natural diet is by cooking your own meals, as this is the only option to maintain full control over the different ingredients that go into the food that you consume. If you rely on microwave meals, readymade sauces and take out dishes that require no intervention on your part, then you have no way of actually checking which ingredients were actually combined to create the plate you’re chowing down on.
Mass manufactured meals such as those mentioned above often use lower quality ingredients, and they are commonly filled with preservatives, additional colors and artificial flavors designed to supplement the flavor and shelf life, but also cause unintended effects to your body and health! Make the commitment to spend more time in the kitchen, preparing your own food from raw ingredients so that you can maximize the natural nutritional value of every dish you eat.
Eat Seasonally
Another brilliant way to encourage yourself to eat more natural food is to opt for a seasonal diet. When you start to focus more on natural foods, you’ll soon notice that certain fruits and vegetables are only available during specific periods each year. This is because a large percentage of plants are ‘seasonal’, flourishing in one particular time frame dependent on the climate and a number of other factors that relate exclusively with nature.
Even some meat products are found during a particular period each year, such as some species of fish and lambs during spring. Humans have long relied on seasonal foods to vary their diet and maintain weight throughout the entire year, so it makes sense to continue this tradition. Take inspiration from the Barrio Queen Seasonal Menu if you want to eat some delicious seasonal dishes.
Avoid Aspartame
Last but by no means least, considering aiming to actively avoid aspartame as this artificial sweetener is one of the most complicated chemical ingredients on the market today. Studies are proving the sheer volume of potential side effects from excessive aspartame consumption, yet it’s still present in so many different drinks and snacks in your average grocery store. “Diet” carbonated drinks are some of the worst culprits – be sure to read your labels and choose the best option for your diet.