Moderation, variety and balance are three key words used to define healthy eating in "Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need," from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Moderation means eating neither too much nor too little of any one food or nutrient, and variety means consuming as wide a variety as one can afford from each of the five basic food groups, as well as within each of the groups. Balance refers to the balance of calories in versus calories out. Healthy food choices are endless and mixing and matching them is the way to go.
Meat
Wild salmon, turkey and grass-fed beef are among the healthiest choices of meats. It has been long known that wild salmon and turkey are good for you, but the jury had been out on beef. "Beef, in its natural grass-fed state, is a health food of the highest order," says Dr. Joseph Mercola, New York Times best-selling author and osteopathic physician. In addition, he states that grass-fed beef is naturally leaner than grain-fed beef, and Omega-3 levels in grass-fed beef are 7% of the total fat content, compared to only 1% in grain-fed beef. To keep it healthy, remember that a portion size is 3 oz.
Beans
All varieties of beans, from kidney beans to garbanzos, and even snow peas and green peas, are extraordinary additions to your diet. In addition to being a great source of protein, vitamin-rich, low-fat and inexpensive, they also have the power to "lower cholesterol, combat heart disease, stabilize blood sugar, reduce obesity, relieve constipation, diverticular disease, hypertension and type II diabetes, and lessen the risk for cancer," according to Dr. Mercola.
Vegetables
Every single vegetable is a healthy choice, so eating a wide variety and sampling all the different colors is the best way to eat them. A few of the powerhouses are broccoli, spinach, tomatoes and pumpkin. For the most health benefits and cancer protection, eat broccoli both raw and cooked. Processed tomatoes, spaghetti and pizza sauce and canned tomatoes in any form are more nutritious than raw tomatoes because processing breaks down the cell walls that contain lycopene, allowing the body to more easily absorb it. Canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) is as healthy as eating pumpkin seeds or making your own puree from raw pumpkin.
Omega-3 Oils
Our bodies need Omega-3 oils to protect cell membranes and help metabolize other fats in our diet, according to Dee McCaffrey, an organic chemist. They also raise the metabolism and lower triglycerides. Omega-3 oils are found in ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, fish oil, walnuts, leafy greens and certain eggs.
Grains
Oats top the list of healthy grains, having demonstrated their cholesterol-lowering power as well as beneficial effects on blood sugar. Beware of instant oatmeal and stick with the old-fashioned, slow-cooking version. Steel cut oats have been minimally processed and take a little longer to cook, but are one of the healthiest grains you can eat.
References
- Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1995
- Joseph Mercola, D.O. Grass-Fed Beef
- SuperFoods Rx, Steven Pratt, MD, 2004
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