Are there any healthy places to eat out these days?
My family and I do not eat out much for a few reasons:
- You never know what you are eating. You have little control over your food.
- The quality of food is generally not great unless you go to an Organic Restaurant and then you still don’t really know.
- The food is generally over-cooked, dead-food cooked fast to get you in and out, without regard to enzyme degradation and nutritional value.
- I generally eat more than I should.
- It is difficult to go out with a 3 and 5 year old and enjoy a good dinner 🙂
- The expense is by far greater.
Yesterday I learned that Chipotle agreed to label all their Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) as can be seen here: Ingredients
Initially, I was excited to view their ingredients because I thought they were offering “healthy” food.
“Healthy” doesn’t mean anything anymore as it all depends on your perspective.
Healthy can be defined as low sugar, low fat, gluten free, grain free, paleo free, detox friendly, zone perfect, high protein, vegan, vegetarian and many more.
HEALTHY Means Nothing in Today’s World.
If you take a look at the Ingredients from Chipotle, there are very few things a person can eat if they want to be “healthy” by my guidelines.
Here are your approved foods:
- Black Beans
- Carnitas
- Lettuce
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Barbocoa/Steak has a GMO in their ingredients. It is cooked in Soybean Oil.
- Pinto beans have nitrates.
- The cheese and sour cream are from pasture-raised sources but it is pasteurized so hard to digest.
- Chicken has a GMO in their ingredients. It is cooked in Soybean Oil.
- Vinaigrette dressing has a GMO in their ingredients. It has Soybean Oil.
- Fajita veggie has a GMO in their ingredients. It is cooked in Soybean Oil.
- Rice has a GMO in their ingredients. It is cooked in Soybean Oil.
- Tortillas and Tortilla chips have a GMO in their ingredients. It is cooked in Soybean Oil.
In summary, if you go to Chipotle have a carnitas salad with black beans, salsa and guac.
I have eaten at Chipotle many times and I have never thought about looking at the ingredients because they are very transparent about their quality of animal products.
I figured they would use high quality cooking oils and corn based products. I should know better.
Unfortunately, Chipotle is a step above the rest. If I was to look at the ingredients in every other fast food place the ingredients would be even worse.
Check out this 2013 study on the active ingredient in Roundup: GMO’s Are TOXIC and Damager Your DNA
Common sources of GMO’s are sugar, corn, wheat and soy. Even if these foods are organic they should be avoided as much as possible because they are certainly not “health” foods.
Some still believe soy is a “health” food. Check out this article on soy: Dangers of Soy
There is a new fast food Mexican Restaurant competing with Chipotle for market share that also says they are “healthy”…Free!Bird. I will investigate and compare their ingredients for you next time.
Even though I am recommending that you avoid most of the food at Chipotle, I applaud them for letting us know what is in their food.
If you would like to know what you are eating demand that all of the foods you eat be labeled very clearly so you understand what you are putting into your body. With this information, you will be able to make an educated choice for yourself and your family.
Take action for a Fair Food and Farm Bill here: GMO Labeling
Your friend & coach,
Brien
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