With so much information (and misinformation) out there about what’s “bad” and what’s “good” for you, you might be extremely confused as to what to eat. This blog post is meant to simplify that thinking process for you. These are the things you should focus on eating:
Meat
When most people think of healthy eating, beef isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. We’ve been told that meat is bad for us, especially red meat. Modern science is disproving that that theory, which makes sense since our ancestors have eaten meat since we evolved. What we do know is that where you source your meat makes a huge difference. When buying red meats, look for grass-fed or grass-finished. When buying chicken, look for pasture-raised. Don’t feel bad about buying red meat, because it’s incredibly nutritious. For bonus points, eat organ meats! These are the most nutritious part of the animal! They are also excellent for anti-aging 😉
Eggs
Eggs are an great source of healthy fats and nutrients. Eat the yolks!!! They are the most nutritious part of the egg. Like meat, sourcing matters. Look for pasture-raised eggs at your local health food store. I try to buy local when possible, but if not I buy Vital Farms eggs at Whole Foods.
Wild-caught fish
Fish is another excellent protein source. You’ll want to buy wild-caught instead of farm-raised, again because you are what you eat, but you also are what you eat, eats. The farm-raised fish is often fed a grain-based diet in addition to nasty antibiotics. I buy wild-caught salmon in the frozen section at Trader Joe’s as well as wild-caught smoked salmon in the refrigerated section.
Veggies
Fill your plate with veggies! Try to include lots of raw veggies in your diet, since the cooking process lessens the nutrient content of food. Buy organic when possible. If money is tight, I gotchu. Check out the dirty dozen and clean fifteen list by ewg.com to see what produce you should buy organic vs. what is okay to buy conventional.
Fruits
Fruits, especially organic, are a great source of vitamins! Fruits have gotten a bad rep lately because some people in the health space are saying that they contain too much sugar. As a general guideline, 2-3 servings of fruit per day is totally fine for most people. I can’t say that for everyone, because there are certain people, like type II diabetics for example, who might do better with less or no fruit. For the average person reading this blog post, don’t fear fruit! The way you eat fruit does matter, though. Check out my post on balancing blood sugar for more info.
Oils
For cooking in high temperatures, I use coconut oil, ghee, grass-fed butter or avocado oil. When sautéing on the stove I use the aforementioned in addition to olive oil. For salad dressing, I love extra virgin olive oil. These are all incredible sources of healthy fat, which fuels our cells and keeps our bodies in good health. They are high in calories but that is because they help to satiate us for long periods of time. Don’t fear the oils!
What to avoid: canola/corn/vegetable oil and margarine. These hydrogenated fats were developed to stay liquid at room temperature. To form them, a hydrogen atom is moved to the other side of the fatty acid. Unfortunately, when we consume them, our cells do not recognize that there is a difference in their structure compared to a natural fat, like grass-fed butter, and they wreak havoc on our cellular metabolism. Hydrogenated fats prevent cells from doing specific functions that can only occur when cells are in specific arrangements. They have been linked to heart disease and other degenerative diseases. Get them out of your diet, asap!
Grains
If you don’t have a sensitivity to grains, they can be a great part of a well balanced diet. Look for whole grains that are either soured or fermented, as these processes create B vitamins. Grains should be soaked in warm water for optimal digestion. All grains with the exception of brown rice, buckwheat and millet, need to be soaked for 12-24 hours. Buckwheat, brown rice and millet have low levels of phytic acid and only require 7 hours soaking time.
Legumes
Legumes, a.k.a, beans, can also be a great part of a healthy diet if you can digest them. If they typically leave you bloated, it might be because you didn’t prepared them properly. Legumes should also be soaked (and rinsed) before cooking to aid in digestion.
Nuts & Seeds
These are great as snacks or on top of a salad. If you have stomach troubles after eating these, try the soaking method! Keep in mind that roasting nuts and seeds will lessen the nutrient content so including raw nuts and seeds is always a good idea.
There you have it, hunnies. If you focus on filling your grocery cart up with these items, you will be off to a great start. Please let me know if you have any questions. Love ya’ll.