Challenge: Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods for 30 Days
Following up on my last post, I thought I’d provide some insights into how to change your diet to eat more whole foods and fewer ultra-processed foods. Eric and I have done this at different times, with our “challenge” period lasting from 30 to 75 days. I don’t think it’s reasonable to cut them out altogether forever, just given our food system in this country, but, I have found that by challenging myself to do so for a set amount of time, I can get in touch with how foods make me feel, as well as gain a better understanding as to how many foods we eat have garbage in them (let’s call a spade a spade here - it’s not great).
I put in the title to challenge yourself to avoid ultra-processed foods for 30 days, because I really think that’s probably the minimum amount of time to notice a difference in how your body feels and result in shifts in habits long-term. For me personally, our 75 day challenge was what really made me realize I could live without most ultra-processed foods and find the right balance, but 30 days can still lead to lasting change.
You might be saying to yourself, I already eat really clean, so I don’t need to do this. I thought so too. And then I started looking at the labels of everything I bought at the grocery store…yikes.
Flavored sparkling water? Ultra-processed. Unless you have something in your kitchen called “natural flavors”. See my prior post for more information on natural flavors.
Chicken stock? Read that label closely. This was one we struggled with a lot. And I’ll say, this is also one where most chicken stocks on the shelf probably don’t have the ingredients in them to be considered ultra-processed, however, most of them have sugar and/or natural flavors, both things I try to avoid. I mean, honestly, why should there be sugar in my chicken stock? So Eric makes us homemade stock, and it’s actually quite easy and not as time consuming as you might think. We buy whole chickens from the farmers market, and he breaks them down and freezes the meat for future use. You can then roast the bones in the oven for 45-60 minutes at 375 or 400 degrees, and then throw them in the InstantPot or pressure cooker with water and any onion scraps you might have lying around and a small amount of salt for an hour and 45 minutes on low pressure, and voila - homemade chicken stock that’s better than anything you’ll buy at the store.
Crackers, chips, cookies - yeah, we all know those are generally not great. I’ve found that I like the Mary’s Gone Crackers, which are full of seeds and yummy things, but you can also make your own crackers with this recipe. Another recipe that’s easy and not as time consuming as you might think. Hankering for dessert? Try to make “energy balls” or bars with a recipe like this one, though when I’m trying to really cut out sugar I sub cocoa nibs for the chocolate chips.
Almond butter or peanut butter? Look out for ingredients on the label other than nuts - you’d be surprised how many brands add palm oil in for “peanut butter spread” (Justin’s brand, I’m looking at you). You can read more here about palm oil and why it’s best to avoid it.
You may be thinking, “So, Mandy, now that you’ve ruined everything, what should I eat?”
Grains, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, meat and eggs (preferably local and responsibly farmed), fruits and vegetables, tofu, tinned fish, the list goes on. I try to think about how I eat in terms of what I DO eat, rather than what I DON’T eat, and when I do that, I have found that I enjoy a lot of things I didn’t think that I did, especially once I get all the processed sugars and ultra-processed foods out of my diet.
For instance, I have found that I love grainy and seedy breads. Other than the occasional baguette, I much prefer breads made of whole grains than white breads. As noted above, I love seed crackers. Smoothies for breakfast, chock full of frozen berries with some almond butter and local yogurt are delicious. Beans are a huge part of my diet - only 5% of Americans get enough fiber every day and beans a huge bang for your buck when it comes to fiber (one cup of pinto beans has 15g of fiber - about half your daily intake!). I love to buy dried beans (local if I can find them) and just put them in the InstantPot with some onion, garlic, cumin, salt, paprika, and cayenne. I cook for 45-50 minutes with a 3:1 ratio of water to beans, and boom - I have beans to eat for the week with my breakfast or lunch. Sometimes I’ll puree them to make “refried” beans, or just leave them whole.
We occasionally have tinned fish with bread and pickled vegetables for dinner (just try to make sure the fish is good quality, preferably wild and line-caught). You might be surprised at how much you like different types of fish - I’ve found I love tinned mackerel on a piece of bread with a little butter and some pickled veggies. A good bottle of white wine pairs nicely.
Find fun new vegetables at the farmers market! Even in the winter, root vegetables are usually abundant and can be delicious roasted in the oven with a little salt and olive oil. I also love to pickle/ferment radishes and turnips, and it’s so easy to do. This post gives a good overview of the process, and you really don’t even have to add anything other than salt for them to be delicious. Fermented veggies are a staple in my diet - we will even just take the stems from the turnips, kale, collard greens and ferment those for a delicious salad or meal topping.
I realize some of these things look like they take a long time to make, but it’s all “hands-off” time for the most part, something you can do and walk away while you get other things done. You can make things in big batches so you have them for the week, and even freeze extra things like chicken stock or beans, and pull them out when you need them. It does take a little planning, but I find doing things like chopping vegetables to ferment relaxing on a Sunday afternoon, and I can enjoy the results for weeks to come.
I challenge you to try something new this week and find a period of time to cut out ultra-processed foods and pay attention to how you feel after you eat. Cravings eventually go away, though it is admittedly tough at the beginning and getting through the first week or so isn’t always easy. Even when I do indulge (like the Skyline dip I had last weekend for the Bengals game), I know that if I overindulge I won’t feel great the next day and try to follow it up with something that fuels my body well and makes me feel good.