Healthy Foods

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Nov 04

2009

Healthy foods should be easy to come by, but this is not always the case. Our ancestors had no choice but to pick, gather, milk, fish, and hunt for their food, which was very real and very healthy.

It is easier for most people nowadays to find their food, but it seems to have gotten harder to figure out what constitutes real (healthy) food.

Here are examples of what I consider to be healthy foods:

Dairy- milk, butter, and cheese that are minimally processed and preferably raw if possible. Yogurt should be organic and unsweetened. Dairy products such as these are very good sources of nutrients and should be a part of your healthy diet, but if you can’t find these types of dairy, it’s probably best to get these nutrients from other foods as most commercial dairy foods aren’t actually good for you. In addition, some people are actually sensitive to dairy and do much better when they don’t eat it.

Fish- high in protein and beneficial essential fatty acids. Wild fish is much better than farmed as it is truly natural and has a much better nutritional profile. Be wary that some fish populations have been reduced due to overfishing and that many types of fish contain dangerously high levels of mercury. See healthiest fish for more information about choosing the healthiest fish to eat.

Meat should be free-range/pastured/grass-fed because free-range meats are far superior nutritionally to commercially raised and grain-fed varieties. Farmers who use these methods also treat their animals much more humanely than do those who use factory-farming methods. For more information about pastured meat and poultry, see Eat Wild, and be sure to check out an awesome movie that addresses factory farming: The Meatrix.

Fruit and vegetables- should make up a large part of the diet. For the sake of your health and for the green lifestyle, fruits and vegetables should be purchased locally and in season.
Avoid fruits and vegetables that have been heavily sprayed with pesticides- buy organic if possible.

Whole grains- should be another of the organic foods that you eat, and they are best when they are locally grown. Nuts and seeds are generally best when purchase raw, and these should also be among the organic foods that you buy, if possible.

Fats are an important consideration in any healthy eating plan- it is important to understand which fats to eat and which are the best healthy cooking oils. Traditional unprocessed fats including organic coconut oil, organic butter, olive oil, avocado, and fats from pastured animals are best. Learn more about this topic at healthiest fats.

Soy is a good vegetarian protein source, but it should not be consumed in excess and it is best when eaten in its fermented forms, such as tempeh and miso.

Healthy food is high in nutrients, tastes great, and satisfies you on all levels- body, mind, and spirit. If you strive to eat the whole real foods listed above and stay away from things that come in a box and have chemicals added, you’re on the right track.

November 4, 2009