6 Key Grocery Shopping Mistakes Nutritionists Want You To Stop Making

Many grocery shoppers stick to steadfast rules, such as buying seasonal produce, avoiding foods with too many preservatives and chemicals, and being aware of the sugar and fat content of products. However, several consumers continue to buy foods that unknowingly compromise their health. To help shoppers understand what to buy and what to avoid, nutritionist Maria Marlowe recently published a book called The Real Food Grocery Guide. In it, she shares six of the most common mistakes healthy people make when buying groceries.

Purchasing Skim Milk Instead Of Whole Milk

The Circulation Medical Journal analyzed the blood results of 3,333 adults over fifteen years and found that participants who ate more full-fat dairy byproducts had, on average, a forty-six percent lower chance of developing diabetes. The study concluded that there is no potential evidence that humans who consume low-fat dairy products are any healthier than those who consume full-fat dairy products. A different study published in the American Journal of Nutrition concluded that women who consume full-fat dairy products could reduce their risk of obesity by around eight percent. These studies show that it is wrong to assume that skim milk is healthier than whole milk. According to Marlowe, organic, full-fat milk is the best milk to buy.

Choosing Farmed Fish Over Wild Fish

Eating two or more servings of fish per week can have significant benefits, including lowering the risk of heart disease and increased cognitive function. It also provides the body with key nutrients, such as protein and fatty acids. Although the differences between wild and farmed fish are not as significant as some consumers believe, they do differ in nutritional value. For example, farmed fish typically have higher levels of mercury, which can be harmful to the body when it accumulates. They may also have lower levels of beneficial fatty acids. The best choices for wild fish are Alaskan or Pacific Northwest salmon, Pacific Ocean halibut, and Atlantic Ocean mackerel. If fresh, wild fish are not available at the local grocery store, omega-3 capsules or liquid supplements are a good substitute for some of the nutrients.