This part 7 of my video series, Switch Over to a Real Food Lifestyle in 10 Easy Steps. You can view the introduction video here, step 1 here, step 2 here, step 3 here, and step 4, and step 5, and step 6 here. Don’t forget that you can buy your own copy of How to Switch Over to a Real Food Lifestyle in 10 Easy Steps and follow along while we take this journey (it’s only $4.99).

Step 7 - Switch out Your Spices

*Note: You may realize that my kitchen looks different but it is in fact not my kitchen, it’s my best friend Jess’ (aka Scratch Mommy) kitchen. She was so kind to host her house to myself and 4 of my other favorite blogging ladies. You can check my instagram account for our fun photos of the trip. I was considered the sneaky photo bomber. 🙂

This step is often overlooked by some but it is the easiest thing to switch over when transitioning into a real food lifestyle. Many conventional spices (and foods) are irradiated which means they go through a process that kills all the bad and good bacteria.

This video talks more in depth about irradiation with spices, what to look out for when purchasing a good quality salt and which brand is my favorite (because of it’s affordability and pureness).

Not a video person? Scroll below the video to view the script.

Most conventional spices go through irradiation. It’s a process similar to pasteurization in which they put it through a process and it kills all the good and bad bacteria — which makes it sterile. While this doesn’t seem like too much of a problem, it is, because our society right now is so germophobic. We’re constantly staying away from germs but unfortunately we also stay away from good bacteria. Bacteria is essential to our health.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “all disease begins in the gut?” Our gut thrives with good bacteria. If we don’t have good bacteria from the foods that we eat then how are we supposed to replenish and how is our body supposed to fight the bad bacteria when we get it? So, it’s important to look for organic spices or spices that have not been irradiated.

Good news is, you don’t have buy all new spices and wipe out your whole spice cabinet. The best thing to do is once you run out of one, make sure the next one you buy (if you can) is organic. This way you can stay away from irradiation and all that nasty stuff.

Which spice do you start with? For me personally, I think the best place to start is with your salt. We use salt every day in our cooking and it’s something that is used more than a specialty spice. Because you are using it every day, you want to make sure that you’re getting something that is better for you versus the salt that has the anti-caking agents and bleaching. You want to go for an unrefined sea salt.

Remember, not all sea salt is created equal and the term you want to look for is unrefined. A brand I really, really love and trust is Real Salt. Their salt is super natural and what’s really cool is that it comes from the United States in Utah. It’s not imported so you keep that carbon footprint low and you stay within the United States which I know is important to most of us. And it’s affordable; that’s the best part! Sometimes when switching to organic or real food it can be daunting because it’s so expensive but real salt is really affordable and it’s multipurpose. You can use it in virtually everything.

Your challenge this week is to go to the store or online or wherever you do your shopping and buy yourself some Real Salt. If you already have Real Salt and use it in your kitchen, what I want you to do is buy a different spice that you haven’t switched yet. Say you have black pepper or ground cumin that isn’t organic or has been irradiated, I want you to go and buy a different alternative if you haven’t already switched your salt.

The Real Pantry - Your One Stop Shop for High-Quality Organic Spices, Herbs, Spice Blends, and More!

You can find organic, non-irradiated spices, herbs, and spice blends over at The Real Pantry. The Real Pantry is my business and I source from a company that produces high-quality herbs and spices that are full with flavor. All of my spices, herbs, and spice blends never contain any preservatives, sugar, GMOs, irradiation, artificial flavors or colors, and any other non-food ingredient. I also carry Real Salt that you can find here.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Redmond Trading Brand. However, the photos and opinions expressed are completely my own and always will be.