As a team, the IQS crew are a pretty healthy bunch.
And while we love checking out our local farmers markets when we can, we still head to the supermarket to stock up on staples.
But…there are definitely a few products (and aisles!) we steer clear of. These are the foods we avoid at all costs!
Instant noodles.
Maddy, office manager – “I have nightmares walking by the instant noodle section! If you’ve ever checked out the ingredients panel on these products, you’ll understand why. With a list of ingredients a mile long – including vegetable oils, mineral salts (508, 451, 501, 500), vegetable gum (412), flavour enhancers and colours – these frankenfoods are not foods! Put simply, this processed crap is so far from real food it’s not funny.”
Ready salted mixed nuts.
Liv, nutritionist and IQS recipe developer – “These generally have added vegetable oils, strange preservatives and a ridiculous amount of added salt…don’t even get me started on the flavoured varieties! Why would you take something so healthy and add vegetable oil? Go for regular old raw nuts, activated if possible for better digestion, and flavour them yourself! Sea salt, cinnamon, cumin, rosemary – the options are endless”
Flavoured milk.
Ashley, senior writer and editor – “As a kid, I used to love helping Mum with the groceries, as every now and then, she’d let me and my brother sneak a flavoured milk into the trolley as a treat. But now, I know to steer clear! While there’s nothing wrong with plain full-fat milk, flavoured varieties are packed with sugar. In fact, some brands contain as much as 27 grams of sugar…per serve. Yikes!”
Peanut butter.
Jorge, general manager – “It’s no secret that at IQS we love our peanut butter! But beware, not all these jars of deliciousness are created equal. I always take the time to read the label on peanut butter jars as the sugar content on each varies so much that it’s easy to be lured in by the label. Now, I only eat the brands that boast 99 per cent peanuts with just the tiniest dash of salt. The right peanut butter should only have 3 teaspoons of sugar, PER JAR – a win in our books!”
Salad dressing.
Phoebe, writer – “My big no-go is pre-made salad dressings. Especially anything labelled as “light” or “low-fat” which are sneakily packed with sugar. Besides, olive oil, lemon and a little salt and pepper tastes way better anyway.”
Soft drinks.
Becky, customer support team lead – “Steer clear of the soft drinks aisle! Besides the terrible sugary soft drinks, the aisle is jam-packed with fruit juice and bottled water (more things I don’t need!). Supermarkets intentionally make this aisle so pretty and alluring – the bottles are all stacked neatly, the different labels create a colourful rainbow along the shelves and there are always unbelievable discounts and incentives to buy more than one bottle! No thanks, I can do without the stress.”
Packet marinades and sauces.
Georgia, nutritionist and IQS food and recipes manager – “People don’t often associate savoury sauces and marinades with sugar, but the not-so-sweet truth is that unfortunately, they are loaded with them. I remember picking up a San Choy Bau packet sauce in the supermarket to show a friend of mine and she couldn’t believe there was a staggering 12 grams of sugar, per serve. My advice? Make your own sauces from scratch. It’s just as easy and twice as delicious! I use fresh ginger, garlic, chilli, lime, fish sauce and tamari for my Bau as the flavours pair perfectly with pork mince.”
What products do you make sure never land in your trolley?
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