Wondering What to Eat?

What to eat actually isn’t as challenging as it sounds. There are a few simple, tried and true guidelines that if followed will lend themselves to better nutritional health and wellness.

Guideline #1:

The farther away you get from a food’s natural state, the farther away you get from true nutritional value. For example, an apple, whole and unprocessed, is in its original state. It is at its best and healthiest. Cooking that apple into applesauce breaks down some of the enzymes, cooks out some of the nutrients, so while still good for you, it’s not quite as good for you. Drinking it in pasteurized juice form is basically the same as drinking sugar water, almost all of the ‘good’ stuff has been processed out. Eating that apple after it has been commercially processed and used as an ingredient in a cake or cookie? That’s right, minimal nutritional value, which is why synthetic nutrients are added back into foods after they have been processed. So, the next time you are confused about whether to eat the apple flavored granola bar or a real apple… Eat the real apple.

Guideline #2:

Herbs and Spices increase your palate’s sense of satisfaction as well as add micronutrients and other great health benefits. Your palate does more than just decide if something tastes good or not. While you might believe that your palate is located mostly in your mouth and on your tongue in the form of taste buds, that isn’t entirely true. Simplistically speaking your tongue is divided up into ‘taste’ regions. Each of these regions has a control center in your brain. When the taste regions are satisfied a signal of satiation is sent out and your body can feel satisfied that it has had its needs met. In Ayurvedic tradition food is the first line of defense for health. There are six flavors or tastes that should be included in your daily meal plan for a balanced and health body.  

An example of some of the flavors are: (this list is not an exhaustive or complete list)

An example of a simple meal that has all the flavors (and one of my favorite breakfast meals) is: Swiss Chard (bitter/astringent), sautéed lightly with a little garlic and onion (pungent), served on a piece of sprouted grain toast (sweet) that has a light spread of Miso paste (sour/salty), topped with an egg (either poached or fried) dash of fresh ground black pepper to taste (pungent). This simple meal is low in calorie, high in energy density, and meets all the flavor needs. It will leave your palate feeling well satisfied.

With herbs and spices a little bit goes a long way… try experimenting with various flavors.

Guideline # 3:

If you are going to eat processed foods (processed foods are anything you can’t pick up in nature) look at the list of ingredients. If the ingredient list is short and easy to understand then that food item is going to be a better choice for you.  It really only takes about four or five ingredients to make a good cracker and all of those ingredients should be available in your own cupboard at home. If the ingredient list is long and contains words that you don’t recognize, that item is probably not your healthiest choice.

Guideline #4:

At least 60% of your daily food intake should be fresh fruits and vegetables. Think of your plate as a pie chart and allot the biggest section to vegetables at mealtime. You can even replace starchy items like potatoes, pastas and white rice with veggies under sauces.

Tip: I love Indian food, which is always accompanied by a white rice of some sort, typically Basmati. To decrease the starchy/carbohydrate issue and increase the fiber and nutrient density of my meal, I order a side salad without dressing and use that in place of the most of the rice. If I’m eating at home I use other vegetables such as, fresh minced kale, diced carrots, and peas. In addition to making your meal more satisfying and a little healthier it also provides a great palate cleansing so I can fully enjoy all the flavors of the dishes that I am eating. Try it out the next time you are eating sauce based foods that require a starchy accompaniment.

The bottom line about deciding what to eat is this: 

·         We very much are what we eat. The more vibrant and alive your food choices are the more vibrant and alive you will feel and look.

·         Food is information. Everything you eat is part of an intricate communication process for your body to maintain health and balance. If you are eating food products that are overly processed and have no real nutritional value then your body is unable to communicate effectively within itself and breakdown will occur.

·         All calories are not created equally. A medium sized bowl of popcorn and an apple may have the same amount of calories but one is a poor choice if you are trying to have a high density, nutrient rich food choice. Have a little bit of fat with the apple, perhaps a slice of cheese or a couple of almonds or almond butter and you’ve just increased your palate satisfaction and your body will be happier for a longer amount of time.

·         Your body needs all kinds of nutrients; fats, proteins, carbohydrates in their most natural state. Whole grains, beans, lentils, fresh fruits and vegetables, a good source of protein and some good healthy fats are essential to health and wellness. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates become unhealthy when they have been overly processed and altered.

·         Your body also needs natural sources of fiber. Choosing whole and unprocessed foods ensures that you are getting the best possible source of natural fiber and your intestines and colon will be very thankful to you. Choosing processed foods with added fiber is not such a good choice and typically will result in intestinal discomfort and/or distention and gas.