Lifestyle: 7 Items I always have in my Grocery Cart

I am a picky eater and grocery store shopper. On the weekends you can find me in the market with my list in hand, glasses on, head down, and reading the back of food labels. When looking at the food labels, I am searching for short ingredient lists with little to no preservatives, and checking the sugar and sodium contents per serving. Though this routine can take me about an hour or so, there are 7 items that I don't think twice about.

1. Egg-Land's Best Large Eggs- I love these eggs! They were suggested to me by my grandma and were the only eggs that my grandfather bought. For the past few years, I have purchased them for myself and like them because the hens are vegetarian- fed, the eggs are tasty and fresh, and they are affordable at $3.99 a dozen.

2. Grass-Fed Beef- I rarely eat beef but once a month I crave a hamburger. When giving in to my cravings in the past I would normally order a burger from outdoors, but after eating it my stomach would hurt. I believe it was the quality of the meat. I gave "Grass-fed ground beef" a try after reading good things and made my own burgers at home. I am so glad that I did because it tastes fresher, and my stomach doesn’t hurt after. I also read in a blog on humnutrition.com that Grass-fed beef is a great food to implement in a woman’s diet during her period. It is rich in iron. For more information, see here.

3. Nuts- I love a crunch and though I love chips, nuts make me feel better when considering a snack choice. They also curb my appetite. I prefer unsalted nuts but will go with a lower sodium option if that is all that is available. Almonds and cashews are my go- to. I add them to oatmeal, Yogurt, or have them alone as a snack.

4. Greek Yogurt- This is my all-time favorite on the list (well this and eggs). Why? because of its health benefits. Greek Yogurt has literally saved my gut which has saved my life. It has live cultures which are healthy bacteria (also known as probiotics), that help with digestion and replace the bad bacteria in the stomach with good bacteria. When searching for a Greek yogurt with probiotics, I always look for the bacteria type "Lactobacillus acidophilus​" on the label, as not all Greek yogurts have live cultures. There are other bacterium types to look for and you can learn more about this and the benefits at Livestrong.com. 

5. Greens-When I think of greens, I think of the song “Beans, Beans, good for your heart, the more you eat, the more you,” Well, you know the rest. Greens can help with this too (If you don't know the song look it up). Whenever I go shopping, I buy two types of greens which include romaine hearts, kale, arugula, or spinach. I make salads for lunch or omelets for breakfast.

6. Sparkling Mineral Water- Oh, how I love this water. I don't drink soda, so sparkling water is my alternative when I want something with bubbles. It’s tasty, good for you, and refreshing. My favorite brands are Pellegrino, Perrier, and Gerolsteinr. I normally have two in my basket at a time and like to have the water chilled over a glass of ice. Paired with a greasy snack or a grass-fed burger, it's the best.  

7. Sourdough Bread- I started eating Sourdough bread on a daily basis after watching one of my favorite YouTube wellness vloggers, Meg of Fitness have it for breakfast. She would always have it toasted with scrambled eggs in her “What I eat in a day” videos. It has almost been a year since I started eating it and I have noticed that I am less bloated and feel better compared to the multigrain bread I was eating before. I also learned that like Greek yogurt, sourdough bread has probiotics due to its fermentation process and also helps to promote a healthy gut.

Be Encouraged,

Noelani