Special to the Reading Eagle: Kate Murray
Your pantry is the place to start a healthy diet. Stick to natural, plant-based products and avoid processed foods loaded with salt and sugars.
The ancient Chinese believed we are influenced by climatic changes and should live in harmony with them.
Autumn is a good time to regroup, reorganize, and forgive your pantry for all those bad intentions it's been harboring all summer. Instead of cooking with a can of soup that contains 800 milligrams of sodium, why not grant that pantry some salvation and purge those bad habits for good?
If you're feeling overwhelmed about how to begin eating clean, read on for a step-by-step guide to gaining a healthy, plant-based pantry.
1. Added sugar: Believe it or not, when nutritionists talk about cutting back on added salt and sugar, they are not really talking about that half-teaspoon you put in your morning coffee or the sprinkle of salt on your fresh asparagus. Most folks don't realize how much salt and sugar is added to packaged products by food manufacturers.
Plan time to go through your cupboard item by item and throw away as much packaged food as possible. Take a good, hard look at the food you consume every day. Pay close attention to the ingredient labels. It's deceiving when the front of the label on a cracker box touts "all natural" and "gluten free" when sugar is hidden in almost every processed and packaged food, including those whole-wheat crackers, corn chips, cereals, salad dressings, fruit juices and energy bars.
The sugar in these foods is often disguised by one of its many names: dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, lactose and sucrose. Eating foods that contain these refined carbohydrates in the first few ingredients on the label can contribute to many health issues, including weight gain, diabetes, thyroid problems, adrenal problems and even depression.
2. Artificial sweeteners and dyes: Toss anything that contains artificial sweeteners or dyes. Among the most dangerous is aspartame, the artificial sweetener most commonly found in diet soda. Be mindful of foods that tout "sugar free" and carefully read the ingredient label. Artificial sweeteners can cause headaches, digestive issues and seizures.
Instead, opt for 100 percent raw cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup to satisfy the need for sweetness in a recipe. If it says "sugar free," then it most likely contains a toxic chemical concoction.
Food dyes are also commonly found in cakes, cookies, candy, drinks and gum. If the food looks like it isn't a color of nature, then don't put it in your body. Food dye has been linked to allergies, asthma and mood disorders.
3. Hydrogenated oils: You've probably already noticed partially hydrogenated oils in many packaged products, but here's some food for thought: Choose your peanut butter wisely. This is one instance where you want to look for the "all natural" version; you know, the kind with the real peanut oil floating at the top. You do have to take the extra step of mixing the peanut butter, but this is the natural peanut oil, not the dangerous hydrogenated oil, so it's worth the effort.
Look for the peanut butter where the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. This assures no hydrogenated oil, the most dangerous ingredient in peanut butter. Hydrogenated oils are processed oils used by manufacturers to extend the shelf life of products. For more about peanut butter, see http://asilentcure.org/the-thing-about-peanut-butter/.
So what types of ingredients should you keep on hand? What are the healthier alternatives? Answer: whole, plant-based foods, including fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Your pantry should contain staples to help enhance your preparation of the plant-based foods.
Legumes are beans, and there are many varieties: black-eyed peas, lentils, northern beans, lima beans, pinto beans, split peas, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, cranberry beans, yellow eye beans and pearl barley, to name a few. If you fill up your pantry with plenty of beans, herbs and spices, you'll always be able to make a healthy alternative using whatever produce you have on hand.
We've heard it before: Eat your vegetables! Cruciferous vegetables from the Brassicaceae family include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and bok choy. They make you feel full from the fiber, and they contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol (i3C), a natural source of DIM (3,3'-Diindolylmethane) that helps promote estrogen balance.
4. Herbs and spices: Salt, white and black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, tarragon, ginger, nutmeg, sesame seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, saffron, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, vegetable bouillon, Tabasco sauce, lemon, coconut, vanilla extract.
Grains: Oats, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, corn (including whole, cornmeal and popcorn), millet, rye, teff, wheat (spelt, farro, kamut, durum, bulgur, cracked wheat and wheat berries).
I also like to keep pad thai noodles (made with brown rice) in my pantry, whole grain pizza crusts, and nutritional yeast. The yeast is a good source of vitamin B-12 and can be used in dressings, soups and sauces.
In my fridge you'll always find fresh produce, sprouted grain bread, leafy greens such as kale and chard, almond and rice milk (unsweetened), yogurt made with almond milk instead of dairy, and jellies and jams for spreading on toast. The easiest "recipe" for a snack is fresh fruit. Cube it and make kabobs as a fun treat that kids love.
Kate Murray is certified in plant-based nutrition and the author of "A Silent Cure in My Back Yard." Find more recipes at: asilentcure.org.