Travel nursing professionals know that they should stay away from fast and processed foods, but sometimes you just don't have the time to cook a homemade meal. Problem is, those types of meals aren't doing you any good when it comes to staying healthy on the road.
Reasons to stay away
Looking for some reasons to kick the habit? Consider these facts about processed foods and you might find it easier to drive past the drive thru and avoid the frozen foods aisles at the grocery store:
- High-fructose corn syrup is found in most options, which may lead to obesity.
- Many options contain genetically modified ingredients.
- Genetically modified organisms may cause cancer, neurological disorders and other health issues.
- These options are more expensive than whole foods.
However, in this day and age it's difficult to completely cut processed foods out of your diet. So how do you know what to eat?
Processed levels
Some foods are only minimally processed for consumption, making these choices less devastating to your well-being. These can include greens in bags, prepared vegetables and roasted nuts. Some foods are even processed to capture their best nutritional value, like canned beans and tuna. Now, onto the heavily-processed foods:
- Foods with added ingredients like sweetener, oil and preservatives should be avoided. These can include cake mixes and jarred sauces.
- Any box that can be opened and eaten is something you want to stay away from whenever possible. So ditch the granola bars in the morning and avoid deli meats on your lunchtime sandwich.
- To top everything off, pre-made meals found in the frozen foods section are the most heavily processed. Yes, that even includes your favorite frozen pizzas.
Not all bad
Without the use of processed foods there are some important aspects of your diet that you would have difficulty finding elsewhere. Just as these food choices add unwanted ingredients, some include good stuff:
- There are beverages available that are fortified with vitamin D and calcium.
- You can easily locate items that have a boost of fiber to add to your diet.
- If fresh fruit isn't available, canned fruit that is packaged with water or its own juice provides a great alternative.
- The convenience of bagged lettuces and prepared vegetables makes it easier for a busy travel nurse to incorporate these important items into his or her diet.
When it comes down to it, you can't know what you're getting with foods unless you read the ingredients label. Some of the most important things to keep an eye out for include sugars, sodium and fats, all which tend to be hidden ingredients.