Healthy Foods You Should be Eating Regularly

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/06/09 - Updated: 2024/03/27
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Nutrition and Healthy Food - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: A good healthy food list is a must for people seeking to improve their eating habits and start on a diet of good nutrition. Choose foods that provide a rich source of many of the essential nutrients needed for optimal health. Include the fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lean meats, fish, olive oil, herbs and spices that you enjoy and are familiar to you and your family.

Introduction

So what are the healthy foods that you should be eating? Sometimes with all the information available it is hard to figure out what is the best food for yourself and your family. Putting together a healthy food list for yourself is a part of starting to live a healthier life.

Main Item

A good healthy food list is a must for people seeking to improve their eating habits and start on a diet of good nutrition.

Most of us are either overwhelmed by the volume of data available on what healthy foods are or lack the time to get organized before we go shopping. That is why coming up with a healthy food list is a must.

Therefore, what we really need is a good and simple healthy food list to get us going in the right direction. It is true that many of the foods we already buy contain various nutrients needed by our bodies; however, so we do not deviate from our goal and to facilitate our shopping, we should concentrate on the following criteria when making our healthy food list:

Whenever possible purchase organically grown foods, they promote your health and the health of our planet.

Choose foods that provide a rich source of many of the essential nutrients needed for optimal health. Include the fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lean meats, fish, olive oil, herbs and spices that you enjoy and are familiar to you and your family. An occasional exotic food may be a new experience, but if you or your family will not eat it, why include it in your list? When it comes to vegetables, try picking from the rainbow of colors available to maximize variety. Buy non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans.

Select those foods that are chock full of rich natural nutrients, are not highly processed and do not contain artificial ingredients and toxic substances. Remember, read labels carefully. If you can't pronounce it, it probably is not good for your health.

Choose whole grain foods instead of processed grain products. Try brown rice and whole-wheat spaghetti or spinach pasta. Include dried beans (like kidney or pinto beans) and lentils. Choose whole grain breads this means breads that say 12 grain not just whole wheat.

Include chicken and turkey in your list and fish at least 2-3 times per week and don't forget to remove the skin from chicken and turkey before cooking. If you are going to include meat in your list, try to choose lean meats like pork loin and sirloin.

Choose healthy spices and herbs to spice up your food diet. Many of us are not aware of the healing powers and nutritional value of spices. Both herbs and spices are excellent antioxidants.

Your healthy food list should contain spices and herbs. Here are a variety of spices and herbs that you can consider including in your healthy food list:

• Cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce - Known to increase metabolism and fat-burning ability.
• Ginger - Speeds your metabolic rate and is effective in cases of nausea and vomiting.
• Mustard - A stimulant that is known to be helpful in cases of respiratory complaints.
• Cinnamon - Can be used in cases of diarrhea and stomach upset and will also boost your metabolism.
• Allspice - A stimulant that helps to relieve indigestion and gas.
• Peppermint - Used to treat gastric and digestive disorders and helps with insomnia.
• Horseradish - Related to the mustard family, acts as a digestive stimulant.
• Garlic - Known to decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Helpful with digestion and prevents flatulence.
• Turmeric - An antioxidant that helps control free radicals and therefore protects against cancer.
• Cumin - Aids the digestion and helps flush toxins out of the body
• Fennel - Good for digestion.
• Oregano - A wonderful spice that has been used to relieve respiratory problems and relieves digestive upset and yeast infections.
• Chili Powder - A blend of spices including chili peppers, plus cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, and garlic powder. The health benefits of chili powder are derived mostly from the capsaicin in the red pepper which is used in skin creams to reduce pain, including that of osteoarthritis. It also has antioxidant and blood- thinning qualities.
• Curry powder - A blend of spices including turmeric, cardamom, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. The blend of spices helps the body detoxify, helps with nausea, stimulate circulation, helps digestion and allergies.
• Paprika - Made by grinding dried mild to slightly hot red peppers, acts as an antioxidant and may help reduce blood-platelet stickiness.

In Addition:

• Select non-fat dairy such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese.
• Choose liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats that can be high in saturated and trans fats. Olive oil is always a good choice.
• Choose water, natural fruit and vegetable juices instead of sodas and empty calorie drinks. Avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners.
• Avoid buying snack foods and desserts like chips, cookies, cakes, and full-fat ice cream.
• Buy healthy foods that are available in your area and that are affordable. Your budget is important and there is no need to add stress to your life by buying foods you can't really afford. There are plenty of nutritious foods available to fit every budget.
  
• Buy foods that you and your family will enjoy, that taste good and that you can use in many recipes. There are dozens of ways to cook the same foods to make them attractive and different. Do you know how many recipes there are just for chicken alone?

My personal healthy food list is relatively short. I have a tendency to eat a lot of the same foods which is not always the best thing to do, but it is important to add as much variety as possible. Some of my limitations are due to food allergies which are necessary to observe.

I try to buy most of my fruits and vegetables organic or locally grown. The closer they are grown to your home the less anti-fungal agents they use on the product and then of course the less toxins you consume. I have a tendency to eat a lot of chicken so I always buy organic free range chicken. Actually all of the meats I buy are organic. I also do the same with the eggs, butter and sour cream.

Healthy Food List:

Vegetables:

• spinach
• a salad mix of baby spinach and spring salad mix/field greens
• red, yellow and orange peppers
• purple cabbage
• baby carrots
• cauliflower
• broccoli
• yellow squash
• zucchini
• onions
• celery
• tomatoes
• occasionally green beans, red potatoes, corn and peas.

Fruits:

• granny smith apples
• bananas
• watermelon
• blueberries
• grapes
• pineapple
• occasionally plums, nectarines, strawberries and peaches
• limes and lemons for cooking

Whole grains, beans, nuts/seeds and pasta:

• brown rice
• black beans
• spinach pasta
• 15 grain bread
• high fiber organic cereals
• walnuts
• soy nuts
• almonds
• sesame seeds

Dairy:

• low fat sour cream
• extra sharp cheddar cheese
• rice milk

Meats/Protein:

• organic chicken
• Tilapia
• ground turkey
• occasionally lean red meat

Spices:

• turmeric
• cumin
• Cayenne pepper
• Garlic
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Curry
• Basil
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Beverages:

• organic fruit juice specifically a blend of blueberry and cranberry juice
• water

Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.