If you have ever given up some processed foods to eat healthier, then found yourself thinking, "I miss my ranch, I miss my ketchup," or any other prepared food you're craving — it's worth pausing to ask:
Are you really missing the food? Or are you missing the feeling it gave you?
With many processed foods, you're not actually missing the taste. You're missing the hit.
These manufactured foods are designed to stimulate your brain. That "great" taste doesn't come from fresh, genuinely flavorful food. It comes from a carefully engineered blend of ingredients, including salt, sugar, and chemical additives —— ingredients built to be irresistible. Not unlike nicotine.
As Michael Moss explains in his book Hooked, sugar is 20 times more addictive than nicotine. Many processed products aren't made with natural flavor or nutrition in mind — they're made to be addictive.
So when you say, "I miss my ranch, or I miss my ketchup," what you're really saying is, I miss the way my brain used to react to that manufactured mix of triggers.
Once you start to see it that way, everything shifts. You begin to realize: the craving wasn't really about the flavor.
The sugar and chemical ingredients in ketchup train your brain and palate to expect — and appreciate — that sweet, artificial zing.
But if you want better flavor and nutrition, there are so many easy, satisfying options.
If you want to eat healthier without craving anything, the solution is simple. Eat real, and satisfying, flavorful food. Once your palate resets — and it will — you'll start to notice how succulent fresh ingredients truly taste. A good olive oil. A slice of ripe fruit after dinner. Butter! These things aren't addictive. They're naturally satisfying and delicious.
We all crave flavor and satisfaction, but instead of getting it from sugar and manufactured flavors, you can get it from real, wholesome food — butter, cream, garlic, and a little white wine go a long way in cooking. Add some fresh herbs to your pan-seared steak (one with marbling for even more flavor). Have some dessert! I'll never say take a delectable dessert off the menu, but that dessert is healthier when you're in control of the sugar — how much, what kind, and when you eat it.
Save the sugar for dessert. You don’t want it in your salads and sides.
Moving away from processed foods isn't giving up flavor. It's giving up the illusion of flavor. It's choosing taste over trigger.
It might take time to adjust. But little by little, your taste buds will come back to life. And when they do, you'll wonder how you ever mistook what was in a bottle for natural goodness.
The easiest way to start bringing fresh flavor back to your plate is to pick one processed ingredient to swap out. Condiments are a great place to start. They're often made with mediocre ingredients — dehydrated instead of fresh, and chemicals. But a homemade vinaigrette dressing is so easy to make with olive oil, fresh garlic, a splash of vinegar, a dash of Dijon, and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper — it's an easy, delicious swap!
The same goes for ketchup. Instead of nuggets and sauce to dip them in, choose a bit of butter, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper on a simple roast chicken. You’ll realize it’s all you need.
From here, the sky's the limit. You can make the most fabulous meals with just a few staple ingredients. In my book ( coming soon!), you'll find the basic foundation of French-Italian cooking with just eight simple ingredients.
You can sign up here to get notified when it's published. In the meantime, you might enjoy some of the following condiment and sauce swaps.
Tap on the picture to view the caption and, if available, the link to the recipe.
And of course, if you want to make a swap and need some ideas, write to me anytime.
