Healthy food
WHOLE-GRAIN FOODS
Whole foods have many benefits over processed foods. Processed foods are often loaded with artificial additives, sugar, and salt. Additionally, processing tends to strip them of many of the vitamins and minerals essential for good health.
Avoid: white paste
Choose: brown pasta, whole wheat pasta, wheat-free pasta, gluten-free pasta.
Avoid: white flour and bread.
Choose: whole wheat flour and bread, oatcakes, rice cakes, pumpernickel.
Avoid: white rice
Choose: brown rice, millet, buckwheat, bulgur, couscous, oatmeal.
Avoid: sugar candies, cakes, cookies.
Choose: Fruit, either natural or dried.
All processed foods should be avoided. Instead, cook meals with fresh natural ingredients (organic when possible).
DAIRY PRODUCTS
Eating dairy is positively involved in weight loss. Additionally, dairy has been shown to help remove fat from your digestive system. However, many dairy products are also high in fat; therefore, the key is to choose low-fat dairy products. Good options include skim milk (fat-free), low-fat cheese, live organic yogurt, tofu, and tofu. Also watch out for the high sugar levels in most brand name yogurts.
MEAT AND FISH
A high consumption of red meat is known to have been linked to various diseases, and many cuts are also high in saturated fat. Therefore, it is important to limit your intake of red meat. However, fresh fish contains high levels of essential fatty acids, which have been shown to protect against many diseases, including heart disease. You should integrate white meat and fish, especially herring, mackerel, salmon, and sardines into your diet to the best of your ability.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Fresh fruits and vegetables are low in calories and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and water, so they should make up a large part of your diet. Additionally, raw foods have been shown to improve energy, vitality, and well-being.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
These are required by the body for optimal health. They are found in cold-pressed oils (safflower, walnut, olive, and sunflower), nuts, seeds, avocados, and fish oils. It is recommended to avoid processed oils and margarine, especially hydrogenated oils.
See my article on “Good Fats and Bad Fats” for more information.
DRINKS
Maintaining a good level of hydration is vital. The best option is water, mineral water, herbal teas, and diluted fruit juices. Popular beverages like tea, coffee, and soda contain additives like sugar and caffeine and are best used in moderation.
