Spring Clean Your Kitchen: 5 Items to Ditch for a Healthier You

It’s the season for cleaning and we are here for it, especially when it comes to tidying up our diets and lifestyles. With the advent of spring comes new energy, more sunlight, and the reappearance of color in our landscape (hallelujah!). Use this season to make some healthy changes in your life by ditching some not-so-great stuff and replacing it with health-supportive swaps.

Let’s jump in!

1. Toxic Cleaners
   Many everyday cleaning supplies can be quite laden with chemicals and toxins that are connected to asthma, cancer, reproductive issues, and allergies. Unfortunately there is no FDA requirement regarding labeling cleaning supplies, so many harmful ingredients are not even listed on the bottle. Research your cleaners to learn what ingredients they contain and consider switching to healthy alternatives like baking soda and vinegar, mild soap, and essential oil cleaners.
   
   

2. Plastic Food Containers
   The average person ingests thousands of microplastic particles every week. One study found that globally the average person is ingesting 5 grams of plastic every week. That’s the equivalent of eating a credit card! Reduce your exposure to plastic by storing your food in glass or ceramic containers (especially if you are heating the container up in the microwave, as heat can cause chemicals to leach from the plastic into the food).
   
   

3. Refined Seed Oils
   Research continues to show that highly refined seed oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, peanut, corn, and grapeseed oil contribute to inflammation in the body and can be linked to the progression of chronic diseases. These oils are very prevalent in processed foods, so by eliminating packaged meals and snacks you’ll be a big step closer to a diet free of seed oils. If you use them in cooking, swap in healthier options like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and butter.
   
   

4. Non-Stick Cookware
   Every time you use scratched up Teflon pans to cook your food, toxic particles from the non-stick coating may be leaching into your food. These particles can contribute to inflammation, developmental delays, and cancer. Upgrade your cookware to healthier alternatives like stainless steel or cast-iron cookware and glass or ceramic baking dishes.
   
   

5. Tap Water
   Tap water can contain many toxins, from heavy metals to PFAS, better known as “forever chemicals” that never leave your body once they’ve entered. To research exactly what’s in your tap water, we recommend using the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database. Simply type in your zip code and find the latest reports on your local water. Invest in a home water filter to remove contaminants, or purchase filtered water for drinking and use in cooking.
   
   

Spring is the perfect time to take stock of your kitchen life and make some healthy changes. These areas are a great place to start. Remember, healthy living is a lifestyle. Small changes add up to big benefits in the long haul!