EP306: Wake Up and Read the Labels with Jen Smiley

In a startling revelation over 90% of Americans struggle to accurately read and interpret food labels. 

Understanding what goes into our bodies is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. 

And food labels are more than just a list; they're a roadmap to better health, revealing the nutrients, ingredients, and potential allergens in our food that can heal or harm us. 

By not comprehending these labels, we risk exposing our bodies to harmful additives, excessive sugars, and unhealthy fats that can derail our health goals.

Which is why in this week’s podcast with Jen Smiley, the founder and food expert of Wake Up and Read the Labels, we take a deep dive into why and (more importantly) how to read food labels. Here are some of the fun facts you’ll learn…

• The top 3 ingredients to avoid in processed foods
• The most surprising *healthy* ingredients you may want to avoid 
• The oils that you’ll want to avoid
• The problem with natural flavors (and why some may be ok!)
• Why you often see vitamins on processed food labels
• The vegan food you’ll want to avoid on labels
• Why artificial flavors can be problematic 
• Her least and most favorite bread brands
• How citric acid is made 
• Her favorite clean brands 
• Her go-to breakfast
• Her favorite clean condiments and pasta
• Our favorite morning drinks
• How to get kids to embrace clean foods 
• And so much more!

Becoming a label-savvy consumer is imperative for vibrant health, so please tune in and share this important conversation with everyone you love.
 

 

Valuable Resources:

Paleovalley Beef Sticks
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Jen Smiley - Clean Eating Academy
>>> Learn how to transform your relationship with food + focus on the things that will truly make a difference HERE!

 

Bio:

Jen Smiley suffered from asthma, stubborn weight, and inflammation for most of her life. Specialists kept testing and prescribing medications with no real answer as to why this is happening. Nothing changed until Jen decided to read the back of a seemingly healthy food product and noticed she was consuming ingredients she couldn't even pronounce. This sent her on a Wake UP! Mission to find foods made with real ingredients she could recognize and pronounce. After years of research, she found every clean swap making her menu expand instead of the usual restriction and her health took a complete turn for the better. She started coaching family and friends – all of which saw better bloodwork results, physical and mental changes and word of mouth spread creating Jen to be a food coach.
In 2019, Jen launched Wake Up and Read The Labels, a company dedicated to helping consumers understand what's actually inside of their food and revolutionize their grocery shopping. But it didn’t stop there - Jen launched an immersive online course, Clean Eating Academy, that includes recipes, product swaps, dining out tips, makeup, supplement and skincare that is made with real ingredients embodying a true anti-inflammatory way of life that can help people feel their best.

 

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share or a question you'd like to ask? Email us at [email protected]!

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