The Top 5 Supermarket Foods to Avoid

I find it really difficult to find food that's totally free from nasties in the supermarket, and I know every week some things manage to slip though. Especially when I'm racing around and juggling the kids, or if hubby comes along. But here are the top 5 items I always to avoid, and what I like to swap them with. I have found just making this small change has really made a huge difference to the way i feel (energetically) and the way I look (much less cellulite)!

1. MARGARINE: This is basically a tub of over processed chemicals with yellow colouring and a very strange taste. Just swap with simple butter - cream, churned with water and salt. Full of vitamins, minerals and good fatty acids.

2. CANNED TOMATOES: Many cans are lined with plastic containing BPA – a synthetic substance linked to a list of health issues. The problem is that the food is in these cans for a long time and the BPA can leach into the food inside, especially if the food is acid like tomatoes! I just buy tomatoes in jars, use fresh tomatoes or buy pasta sauce in jars - Aldi does great organic one!

3. MICROWAVE POPCORN: The bag holding the popping corn is made up of a toxic mix of chemicals including perfluorooctanoic acid. Studies show that microwaving causes these chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into our popcorn. Manufacturers have promised to phase out these chemicals by 2015 so until then, we need to pop the kernels on the stove top with some butter or coconut oil.

4. POTATOES (NON-ORGANIC): The poor conventionally grown potato is sprayed with that many fungicides & pesticides that they are absorbed all the way through the vegetable. The Macro brand organic potatoes are only $1-$3 more a bag at Woolworth's, well worth the extra dollars.

5. CANOLA OIL: 'Canola' sounds harmless but it is actually a made up name for a man made oil, generally genetically engineered rapeseed plant. I just use good old organic coconut oil for cooking and Australia made olive oil for salads. (Buying Australian made Olive oil reduces any chances of cross contamination with GMO oils).

Sources: The Daily Green, Dr Mercola, Choice Australia, Environmental Working Group.