Deciding to pay more attention to your health can make you happier, more energetic, and consequently more productive. However, just like any successful project it requires the right tools, and a crucial tool is eating the right food. Thankfully, this is not something that you have to go at completely blind. There are several stores both online and in chain outlets devoted to food that is natural, delicious, and nothing but good for you. Here are the top 5 health food stores that can help you get and stay on the right track:
Green n Brown
GreenNBrown.com is an environmentally safe health food store. They allow for an enjoyable shopping experience. Their products range from beverages, candy and chocolate, canned and jarred food, cooking and baking, pasta and grains, packaged and prepared food, spices and seasonings, breakfast foods, and other snacks. They also have products for men, women, juniors, fashion items, beauty, household supplies, and even gifts. All products are considered eco-friendly. healthy or natural or organic.
365 Everyday Value Whole Foods Market
As one of the biggest organic supermarket chains in America, Whole Foods aims to provide the public with good food at a high quality standard. From meats and cheeses to seafood and baked goods, all kinds of good organic food are at your disposal. To further ensure quality, Whole Foods holds certification by CCOF, which is a USDA accredited certifier (third party.) CCOF’s The Organic Certification Program makes sure that they follow USDA guidelines when it comes to handling the organic goods. Whole Foods also abides by the Whole Trade Guarantee, an initiative started in 2007 to ensure ethics and social responsibility concerning products brought over from the developing world. This covers fair prices for crops, environmentally sound practices, adequate wages and labor conditions for foreign workers, and the condition that 1% of income from Whole Trade certified products go to the Whole Planet Foundation to aid micro-loan programs in developing countries.
Natural Grocers
Spurred on by their own struggle to afford good food, Margaret and Philip Isley began what would eventually become the Natural Grocers empire with $200 and the conviction that everyone should be able to afford a healthy lifestyle. Since then, they have striven to stay committed to their five founding principles: nutrition education, highest quality products, affordable pricing, commitment to their community, and commitment to their employees. Aside from quality and affordable meat, dairy products, and organic produce, they offer over 500 pre-packaged bulk foods including herbs and spices, as well as a host of quality frozen products and grab & go meals. Their passion for healthy and natural living transcends well beyond food. Each store offers dietary supplements, natural household and body care products, organic pet food, and even a 300 plus book selection to help ensure customers are provided with an in-depth understanding of nutritional maintenance. Their website also helps you stay on track by providing a nutrition library covering multiple spheres of healthy living, recipes and meal planning ideas, and even access to an actual nutritionist. Natural Grocers has thirty two chain stores across the USA and an online store
True Foods Market
True Foods Market is a prime choice if you don’t have a lot of spare time for browsing the aisles of a grocery store or simply are unable to leave the house. Founded in 2001 by Richard Webb and now proudly owned by ambitious entrepreneur Chikako Candra, True Foods currently offers over 5,500 products and boasts over 100,000 customers spanning the entire nation. Their website is extremely easy to use, with everything from breads to cereals all the way down to garden and pet supplies listed alphabetically and right on their home page. They also offer a section titled “Organic Food 101”, which provides a detailed definition of organic foods, organic food labels, the difference between organic and natural foods, reasons to choose an organic lifestyle, and the top 3 organic food myths. Their informative and interesting blog helps you learn new and innovative things about what you eat, and an FAQ section is there for whatever questions you may have.
Organic Kingdom
Organic Kingdom is another online store with a very similar layout to True Foods. Although located in Burlington Vermont, they sell and deliver over 6000 products to customers all across the USA and internationally. If your health priorities extend to your children, their website includes a unique infant and childcare section that offers organic baby food, bath products, and even educational music. They also have a “non-food items” section that hosts everything from quart canning jars to yogurt making supplies, and a treatment and remedies section containing natural skin treatments, herbal drops, essential oils, and various other healing focused products. Their online newsletter is available for you to receive weekly organic recipes, healthy living tips, and coupons and other special deals.
shopOrganic
shopOrganic is yet another online store run by three Arizona based women devoted to healthy food. Along with simply organic products, their website includes gluten-free, kosher, paleo/primal, vegan, and even a raw foods section to support numerous variations of a healthy diet. In a similar fashion to True Foods, shopOrganic has an “Organic 101” section providing a thorough overview of an organic lifestyle and a very informative blog. Their “What’s New” section is extremely beneficial as it will keep you updated on new products and health information so you don’t miss a beat. A comprehensive customer service guide also helps you get the most of their store by covering everything from creating and using an account to hours of operation.
With so many health food stores making it their mission to provide only the very best, you have the option of eating only what’s good for you while still knowing that you will be able to sit down to or snack on something filling and delicious. By sampling or living by any of the products of the above businesses, committing to a healthy diet will most likely be an experience that is ultimately enjoyable and hassle free.