Deciphering Food Labels for Clear Skin

Did you go through your kitchen cupboards last month? Did you have a look at any of the labels on your food? Do you ever stop to decipher what these mean? I’m sure you found a few out of date items but did you look at the list of ingredients on your packages? It’s really helpful to know how to navigate the ingredients in our food. You know I’m a big believer in whole foods and as unprocessed as possible, but why? It helps my skin along with my SkinB5 products, keeps me in a great mood and helps with my digestion (yep – processed foods don’t help to poop!) Great digestion helps my energy levels and again keeps my skin clear and acne free.

Q - So what should we be looking for on these food labels?

A – As little as possible Yes, that’s right, the less that is on the ingredient list, the better that food will be for us. An apple picked from a tree doesn’t have to have an ingredients list as it is just 100% an apple. That apple won’t have any other ingredients listed if all you are buying from the supermarket are fresh apples. But if that apple is made into Apple Pie and bought from the supermarket I can guarantee the ingredients on the box will be extensive. This is the list of ingredients from an apple pie in question: Apples, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, shortening , sugar, high fructose corn syrup, contains 2% or less of the following: food starch-modified, sorbitol, dextrose, brown sugar, sodium alginate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, yeast, salt, dehydrated apple powder, natural (plant source) and artificial flavors, nutmeg, preservatives (may contain one of more of the following: ascorbic acid, citric acid, erythorbic acid), enzymes, hydroxylated soy lecithin, L-cysteine (dough conditioner), annatto and turmeric (color), caramel color, Topping: , ** Many of these ingredients are to increase a product's shelf life and even to improve the taste as the food is not fresh, but what’s the point? Wouldn’t it be more satisfying to have something that tastes amazing because it is fresh? …And wouldn’t you rather eat something that was going to minimize inflammation and toxic build up in your body rather than add to it? So have another look through your cupboards, see how many ingredients items have. If it’s 100% rice, or 100% Quinoa it’ great, but if it’s got 1000 different things in that you haven’t got a clue about – for the sake of your skin – say no and next time buy the fresh version. Read more here about which Organic Produce could help you achieve Clear Skin, without all the nasties. ** Fooducate 2013 Product Available at http://www.fooducate.com/ Venessa Nickless Head Shot

Venessa is a down to earth Health & Lifestyle Coach, specializing in helping clear your stress and problem skin through holistic simplicity. Her passion for healthy living, whole foods, and beauty from the inside out, is a result of years of acne, adrenal exhaustion and digestion issues that affected not only her body but also her confidence. Venessa wants to share with you how Yoga & Meditation along with a natural, unprocessed diet and SkinB5 products can build flawless skin, amazing confidence, and a massive smile, as it has done for her. Follow her blog at www.venessanickless.com