1. Better Bread
Most of the breads on store shelves are usually made from refined wheat and often contain unnecessary additives. Ingredients you should avoid in many commercial breads include:High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sugar, dough conditioners, partially hydrogenated oil, potassium bromate, azodicarbonamide, monoglycerides and diglycerides, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), caramel colouring. See below for healthier more nutritious bread options.
Sprouted Grain Bread
Sprouted bread has some advantages over whole-grain breads. It’s lower in carbs, higher in protein and fiber and is easier to digest. Sprouted grain bread is also lower in gluten and anti-nutrients and has a lower glycemic index compared to regular breads. Sprouting, as in soaking the grains in water and allowing them to germinate, causes several biochemical reactions in the grain. Sprouting reduces anti-nutrient levels in grains. Anti-nutrients are substances that can prevent the absorption of nutrients.
Ezekiel bread is as healthy as a bread gets. It’s a type of sprouted bread, made from a variety of organic whole grains and legumes allowed to sprout before they are processed, mixed, and baked to produce the final product. Ezekiel bread is much richer in healthy nutrients and fiber than typical whole wheat bread.
Authentic Sourdough
Sourdough is a fermented bread made from the natural occurring yeast and bacteria in flour. In traditional sourdough recipes, you’ll find three ingredients: sourdough starter (which consists of flour and water), salt and flour. There is no yeast, no milk, no oils, and no sweeteners. It’s about as natural as you get when it comes to bread. The Lactobacillus helps feed your good gut bugs found in your digestive system. Sourdough is one of the oldest forms of grain fermentation. Sourdough bread contains higher levels of folate and antioxidants than other bread. It’s lower phytate levels allow your body to better absorb nutrients.
100% Whole Grain Rye
Rye bread has been linked to many potential health benefits, including weight loss, reduced inflammation, better blood sugar control, and improved heart and digestive health.
Rye is a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, and is high in fiber.
Romain Lettuce Boats
On a low carb diet or want to consume less calories? Take 2 or more whole pieces of Romaine lettuce and layer up to provide strength and create a stronger “boat”. Add toppings.
2. Consider swapping Mayo for Grass-Fed Butter or Avocado
Grass-fed butter is a good source of vitamin A and the antioxidant beta carotene. It also has a higher proportion of healthy, unsaturated fats and CLA than regular butter. What’s more, it provides vitamin K2, a form of vitamin K that plays an important role in your bone and heart health.
Avocados are high in fat, so they provide a great “moist” replacement to traditional condiments like mayonnaise. Just spread on bread like you would with mayo, and sprinkle with salt to pull out the flavours. Avocados are a great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids. Avocados are also high in fiber.
3. Try Spinach leaves instead of Lettuce
Spinach contains more fiber and minerals including magnesium, phosphorus and potassium than any of the four common lettuce types. Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, iron and vitamin B2.
4. Try Red Pepper instead of Tomato, and include Cucumber
Each half cup of raw red pepper provides you with 47% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A and 159% of vitamin C and is a great source of vitamin B6 and folate. They are also packed with antioxidants. The red bell pepper is a top-notch superfood. Just thinly slice and layer into a sandwich like you would tomato. Cucumbers have been shown to aid the liver in cleaning up the blood, helping with detoxification of the system. So, layer up with a variety of veggies!
5. Real Cheese with No Modified Milk Ingredients
The first ingredient in your cheddar cheese or any cheese should be either pasteurized milk or unpasteurized milk. Period. Avoid modified milk ingredients because they’re chemically tampered-with components of milk that have been taken out of their natural matrix. Manufacturers use modified milk ingredients to make cheese or ice cream products because they are more profitable and increase shelf life. Although there are no health risks associated with them, the taste and texture suffer.
6. “CLEAN” Meat
Deli meats are a household favorite for many of us because they are convenient, tasty and kids love them. And we all know that bacon is what makes the BLT! But deli meats are not created equal.
When shopping for deli meats like black forest ham, sliced turkey and bacon aim to avoid preservatives like sodium nitrite and celery extracts. Celery extracts have been added too many “natural” deli meats with the goal to remove sodium nitrite. However, celery extracts are bio-chemically identical to sodium nitrite. Many studies have proven that consuming nitrites in cooked meat is harmful to your health due to the formation of Nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic.
MCLEAN MEATS is proud to provide organic healthy deli meats that are truly preservative free. Offerings include nitrite free ham, turkey and beef sandwich meat and organic nitrite free bacons and sausages. We are committed to producing the healthiest deli meat for you and the ones you love. We list all ingredients on the product pages of our website. Feel free to contact us with any questions or visit our store locator to find a store near you.