In short, yes they are.

Just so we’re clear, I’m talking about foods. But you knew that… right?

In our society, where there is so much conflicting information coming from all angles, it is so very easy to become overwhelmed and confused about what’s healthy and what we should be eating. My goal today (and every other day, really) is to get you to realize that it doesn’t have to be hard. Or confusing. And certainly not overwhelming.

It all comes back to the basics. So basic, in fact, that you may laugh at the simplicity. I’m talking real food here, friends. All you have to ask yourself when deciding what to buy or consume is, “Is this real food? Was it grown in nature, or was it made or processed in a lab?” That’s it.

Now, I do admit that there are some other factors too, and I give you the example of wheat. You might think, well, wheat was grown in nature and therefore is real… and alas, you are partly correct. However, the wheat of today is very different from that of decades past, and it has different actions in our body because of this. And, many people cannot digest it very well.

So yes, I get it. It’s not all sunshine and blueberries when it comes to choosing which foods to eat, but in the grand scheme of things (and I do like myself a grand scheme), it really is all about going back to the basics. That means whole, unprocessed, real food that comes from nature.

Here are some examples (the foods on the left are the better options):

• Butter vs. margarine
• Extra-virgin olive oil vs. soybean oil
• Honey vs. aspartame (or any artificial sweetener, for that matter)
• Grass-fed beef vs. cold cuts
• Brown rice vs. brown rice pasta
• Whole fruit vs. dried fruit snacks or juice
• Sweet potatoes vs. potato chips
• Whole eggs vs. boxed egg whites
• Almonds vs. store-bought trail mix

These are just some examples of many, but I hope you get the idea.

So when in doubt, always choose the most nourishing, real option you can. After all, our bodies are built with, and fuelled by, nutrients… and those just don’t come from a box. We tend to underestimate the true power of nature and all that it can do for us, and when we get back to that way of thinking, the benefits will be amazing.