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The following foods have been found to be health-promoting. This is not an exhaustive list, nor are these the only foods you should eat. It is important to maintain balanced eating that includes the three main nutrients we require everyday -- carbohydrate, protein and fat. This list is meant to be used as a guideline for choosing foods that can contribute to physical and emotional health. As you plan out meals, these are excellent choices and ingredients to include: FRUITS Blackberries Cantaloupe Raspberries Mango Blueberries Oranges Currants Peaches Gooseberries Strawberries Apricots Grapefruit Kiwi Pineapple Mandarin Oranges Dried Fruits Plums Red Grapes Prunes Apples Bananas Pears Cranberries VEGETABLES Collard Greens Mustard Greens Carrots Kale Potatoes Avocadoes Spinach Peppers - all colors Tomatoes Sweet Potatoes Broccoli Winter Squash Collard Greens Mustard Greens Onion Pumpkin Peas Zucchini Brussels Sprouts Beets Red Cabbage Green Cabbage Cauliflower Arugula Dandelion Greens Mesclun Romaine lettuce Watercress PROTEIN: MEAT/NUTS/FISH Chicken Tofu Products Lean Red Meat Turkey Lean Pork Sunflower Seeds Pumpkin Seeds Flaxseed Walnuts Peanuts Almonds Anchovies Atlantic Herring Atlantic Salmon Whitefish Tuna Capelin Dogfish Mackerel Sardines Sturgeon Shad Bluefish GRAINS Whole Wheat Bread Whole Wheat Bagels Whole Wheat Pita Wheat Germ Breakfast Cereals Brown Rice Barley Bulgur Couscous Millet Oats Polenta Quinoa Oatmeal Rice Bran Oat Bran Wheat Bran Cracked Wheat Wheat Berries Wild Rice Hominy Grits Buckwheat Groats Whole Wheat Pasta Whole Grain foods LEGUMES Lentils (cooked) Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) Soybeans Navy Beans Hummus Red Beans Red Kidney Beans Pinto Beans Black-eyed Peas Lima Beans Black Beans Great Northern Beans Split Peas (yellow and green) FATS Olive Oil Peanut Oil Canola Oil Flax Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil Corn Oil Soybean Oil HERBS Chives Basil Parsley Garlic OTHER Grape Juice Tea - hot or cold Salsa Orange Juice Yogurt Milk Soy Milk Cranberry Juice Three important tips to remember when preparing your grocery list: 1. Foods that have deep, dark colors are shown to have many health-promoting benefits; 2. Fresh foods have more nutritional value than processed foods. (Note: Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are close in nutritional value to fresh); and 3. Prepare foods from scratch whenever possible to minimize the use of processed foods. Remember that balance is important and that too much of any food or food group is not healthy. All foods have nutritional value and nutritional deficiencies, so a well-balanced diet is necessary. While no one will probably like all the foods listed here, there is plenty to choose from on a regular basis that can promote good health. Note: Some foods interact with medications so be sure to talk with your physician if you are making major changes to your eating habits or experiencing new symptoms.
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