The term "green foods" generally refers to plant-based foods, such as vegetables and fruits, or environmentally sound foods, such as organic foods. Depending upon your nutritional needs and preferences, you may be drawn to a vegetarian, raw foods or organic foods diet. For specified guidance, discuss your dietary goals with a qualified dietary professional who can help ensure that your nutritional needs and preferences are met.
Vegetarian Diets
Though numerous forms of vegetarian diets exist, most of them contain primarily green, or plant-derived, foods. Lacto-vegetarian diets contain vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheeses. Vegan diets contain similar foods, minus dairy products and all other foods and products that derive from or harm animals. Semi-vegetarians, also called flexi-tarians, consume limited amounts of fish, poultry, dairy products and/or eggs in addition to plant-derived foods. According to the American Heart Association, vegetarian diets tend to contain less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than non-vegetarian diets. To reap the most nutritional benefits, the American Heart Association suggests primarily natural, whole foods and lesser amounts of vegetarian processed foods, such as chips, cookies and candy.
Raw Food Diet
A raw foods diet consists of raw or minimally heated foods, all derived from plants. Advocates of raw food diets believe that eating strictly raw foods is the optimum way of reaping vital nutrients. Raw food diets generally consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts, unprocessed grains and seeds. According to natural-health expert Andrew Weil, a raw food lifestyle can provide plenty of nutrients, healthy fats and dietary fiber, without the potential harms associated with saturated fats and processed foods. in addition, raw food diets tend to reduce your exposure to contaminants associated with meat, fish and poultry. A raw foods diet can be difficult to follow, particularly when dining socially or sharing meals with non-raw food-ist friends and family. According to Weil, certain nutrients--such as lycopene in tomatoes and cartenoids in carrots--require cooking for full benefits to be reaped; thus, raw food diets can minimize certain foods' nutritional benefits.
Organic Diet
When a food carries the label "organic," it means it has been produced using environmentally sound farming techniques, such as manure rather than chemical-based fertilizer, and without use of chemical-containing pesticides. According to a March 2010 article in the Los Angeles Times, organic meats and dairy products provide more omega-3 fatty acids--healthy fats the body must obtain from food--than non-organic equivalents. Organic produce and non-organic foods provide comparable nutritional benefits. Organic foods are more expensive than non-organic foods; however, they do support the environment more so than non-organic foods and support local farmers as well. In some cases, organic farmers prioritize kind treatment of farm animals as well. Organic diets may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, as organic meats, poultry, dairy products and eggs are available. To ensure that a food is organic, look for the "certified organic" label on food packaging or stickers.
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