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10 Reasons to Stay Away From Conventional Grocery Stores

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Conventional supermarkets bring in $480 billion a year, but their profits have reached a standstill.

Meanwhile, specialty grocers like Whole Foods have experienced sales growth averages of over 11 percent annually for the past five years, and the organic industry, a $15-billion industry, has grown at least 20 percent a year for the last 15 years.

SmartMoney.com has featured 10 reasons why many consumers may be turning away from their conventional grocery stores in favor of more upscale options, including:

  • Grocery stores can make you sick via roaches, rats and other pests in the stores.
  • Employee practices are likely the number one cause of cross-contamination in supermarkets.
  • The freshness of vegetables and meats sold in grocery stores is highly debatable.
  • Many automated scanners used at checkout lines don't work properly, overcharging often for items on sale.
  • Weekly coupons and sales trick you into paying for more expensive products.

In response, supermarkets are bringing in more organic and natural products and arranging their stores to appeal to shoppers who would otherwise choose Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Wild Oats Markets or other specialty stores.

Safeway grocery chain, for instance, has opened close to 500 Lifestyle stores, including one in Boulder, Colorado that has 600 organic items, a sushi bar, a hot-roasted-nut bar and an open hearth to watch fresh bread being baked. Even Wal-Mart has plans to expand its organic selection across the nation.


 

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

With prices the way they are you would certainly benefit by bringing your calculator to the grocery store to confirm that buying in bulk is really less expensive for you, as it may actually be a deceptive ploy.

This and the other techniques are solid information that will help you stretch your grocery budget further. With the savings you can start using it to purchase healthier organic food.

I would strongly encourage you to read Dr. Colleen Huber's article on How Your Family Could be Eating Organic Food for the Same Price or Less, as it is loaded with information that will help you affordably integrate healthier food into your diet.

Fortunately, organic food is becoming more widely available, as the first article clearly documents. I am happy to see this happen.

This reminds me of the gradual acceptance of whole-grain breads. Thirty years ago, the only place you could find them was in the health food store. Now they are available in nearly every grocery store, including many gas stations.

If you carefully examine them, however, you will find that the bulk of them are deceptively packaged. Most are only darkly colored highly processed breads made to look like whole grains, but not provide the benefits of whole-grain nutrition.

One of the easiest ways you can distinguish healthier breads is to pick up the loaf and feel how heavy it is. The better breads are far denser and much heavier.

Please do not accept this as an endorsement to go out and purchase whole-grain breads. I still believe very strongly that at least 75 percent of the population would be best served by avoiding grains until they normalized their insulin dysfunction.

However, there are clearly some people who not only enjoy whole-grain breads, but whose health actually thrives with them. It is just that they are a very small fraction of the population.

 


* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

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