Have you ever really stopped to read the ingredient list on a packet of instant soup?

I use to live off this stuff. It was a low-calorie, cheap and instant lunch option that involved no work on my behalf except for boiling the water. Even then, that was the kettle’s job. 

I’ve come a long way.

Mum would be so proud.

On closer inspection, you may come to find that those ingredients are indeed, anything BUT food. They certainly don’t resemble the kind of ingredients you’ll find in my meals these days. I prefer to name these as ‘wanna-be soups’; a long list of sneaky ingredients that are attempting to disguise themselves as food. Take a look at this certain example:

 

It doesn’t sound so appetizing after all when you put it like that. 

 

When did we become so busy in life that cooking our own food lost priority to other such ‘important’ tasks like checking email, updating tweets and watching the latest episode of The Bachelor that we’ve opted for conveniently packaged meals in a box or a plastic wrapper that are far from nutritious and potentially, even damaging to our health?

 

Take a look at these suspects I’m shining the spotlight on from the ingredient label above.

 

Gluten

Did you notice the sneaky wheat additives? Gluten isn’t just problematic for those with diagnosed Celiac Disease, it has many different shades and ramifications for even the ‘healthiest’ of us. This is possibly the sneakiest of all ingredients. It loves to find its way into everything and anything.

 

Maltodextrin

This is simply a treated grain starch (usually corn), which has had enzymes added to break it down which makes it a more easily processed carbohydrate for the body to assimilate. It has a high glycemic load which you know, raises insulin and is more likely to be stored as fat. As with most grain products, its also more than likely sourced from genetically modified crops. Not something I want in my soup.

 

Vegetable Oil (Sunflower and Soybean)

Not only are vegetables oils high in omega 6 fatty acids; those, that when consumed in large amount are highly inflammatory to the body, they are highly processed and exposed to oxidation. This is the kind of thing that instigates free radicals to go crazy in the body and is a high contributor and precursor to the growth of cancerous cells. I avoid vegetable oils to the best of my ability. Forgoing the packaged junk like these instant soups is an easy way to do so.

 

Flavour Enhancers

I honestly don’t get the logic in this. Why not just use real vegetables, herbs, spices and dare I say, real sea salt, that are either naturally jam-packed with flavour or enhance the natural flavour of the other foods in the recipe. That way, no fake additives are needed. Who knows what these really are half the time anyway?

 

To be frank, the only ingredients in this soup not in question are the vegetables listed at the start. They make up such an insignificant amount of the ‘soup’ that they hardly warrant a mention. So I won’t waste my time.

 

What it comes down to is asking yourself this questions:

 

When did we become so busy in life that we no longer had the time to care for our health?

 

I’m sorry, but we’ve been sadly deceived and misled into believing that convenience is simply the modern way of life. We need a wake up call. No food preparation should be instant in this sense unless you pick it straight from the garden and eat as is. We’ve been led to believe that food comes from the pantry and is neatly packaged and sealed. News flash! Real food doesn’t need an ingredient label, a calorie count or even a nutritional break down.

 

With a little preparation and practice, you will find that cooking real food meals do not need to involve 50 step recipes with a boat load of ingredients that make your brain hurt. The best part, it means you have control over the ingredients. YOU decide what goes onto your plate and into your mouth. There’s no room for sneaky additives and artificial flavorings to find their way into your meals that could jeopardize your health. Do you really want to be eating synthetic chemicals and additives? Or would you rather consume nutrient packed food that nourishes and feeds every cell in your body?

 

So I’ve got your attention now but you’re still a little but confused as to where to start?

 

If you’re keen to ditch these cheap, highly processed and nutritionally devoid packet ‘soups’ and start eating REAL FOOD, then brace yourself.

 

 

I’ve been working for the last couple months with a bunch of other awesome other natural living and food bloggers to create this amazing Winter Soups Ebook with over 50 recipes using only natural, real food ingredients. It’s on sale for only $3.97 (USD) until the 4th February. Therein after, it will continue to sell for $9.97. You can read more about it by clicking here.

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