Americans love lists, especially when we’re trying to get healthy. The best types of exercise, the best exercise equipment, the best ways to stay on track, the best foods to eat. Lists give us that structure we crave. Sometimes, though, the lists can be overwhelming, particularly if they direct us to stuff that’s hard to find or overly expensive.
Never fear! The NY Times has our back on this one. They asked Dr. Johnny Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth“. Here’s his list of of 11 best foods we can easily pick up at the grocery store. The article provides details as to why these are nutritional stars and even gives suggestions on how to prepare them.
- Beets
- Cabbage
- Swiss Chard
- Cinnamon
- Pomegranate Juice
- Dried Plums
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sardines
- Turmeric
- Frozen Blueberries
- Canned Pumpkin
Regrettably, most of these are not in my shopping cart. But, a couple are.
I almost always have canned pumpkin on hand because I use it to make Yum Yum Brownie Muffins, one of my BF’s faves. I also have blueberries in the freezer in a mixed berry blend. And, I have cinnamon, although not by itself. It’s an ingredient in the Pumpkin Pie Spice I keep in the pantry. I do, however, add cinnamon to my skinny latte at Starbucks.
I have heard great things from Dr. Weill about Turmeric, who suggests drinking it in a tea, but I’ve never used it. Pomegranate has gotten lots of terrific press recently, and I’ve just stared getting some in my diet through the Greens To Go powdered packets.
Looks like I need to make sure these items become regulars on my grocery list.
July 3, 2008
One of the things I’ve been exploring recently is the concept of Clean Eating. Clean Eating is consistently eating high quality foods that are basically free of all unnatural additives. Clean foods are those without man-made sugars, hydrogenated fats, trans-fats and other unnecessary ingredients.
Robert Kennedy Publications, creator of Oxygen Magazine, has recently come out with Clean Eating Magazine after the success of Oxygen columnist Tosca Reno’s Eat-Clean Diet and Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook.
Weight Watchers teaches in general how to eat more healthfully. Because the Points system incorporates calories, fat and fiber, foods lower in fat and higher in fiber – usually healthier foods – have fewer points, so you can eat more of them. But, in reality, if you wanted to create your own All Twinkie Diet using the Weight Watchers system, you could, and you’d still lose weight. You probably wouldn’t be too healthy, but you’d drop pounds!
As I’ve grasped the concept of portion control, I’ve focused more and more – little by little – on making my diet as nutrient-rich as possible.
Questions I ask myself every day (and you can, too!)
- Am I eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day?
- If so, am I eating a variety – a colorful range - of fruits and vegetables?
- How much fiber have I gotten today?
- How much protein have I gotten today?
- Has most of the food I’ve eaten been in its natural state?
I actually keep track of many of these items in my food journal. If you haven’t started keeping a food journal yet, I highly recommend it. It’s been another one of the keys to my success. If keeping a daily record of your diet is not doable for you right now, at least keep these questions in mind as you prepare your meals and make your food choices throughout the day.
January 7, 2008
