a list of good and nutritious foods to eat.

The Most Nutritious Foods In The World

 

In looking for the most nutritious foods we need to know there are two types of nutrients needed by the human body:

Macro nutrients: Carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat and water. They also include macro minerals (calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, iron). Macro nutrients are needed by our body in large amounts.

Micro nutrients: Vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Micro nutrients are needed by our body in small amounts.

The modern diet relies on many processed foods that have little nutritional value. Some experts believe that up to 90% of Americans are deficient in some of the most crucial nutrients. These deficiencies can lead to chronic and even life threatening diseases like osteoporosis, anemia, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer etc.

This isn't always directly, because certain nutrients protect us from certain diseases. For example, Omega 3 fatty acids lower cholesterol, protects against heart disease, promotes healthy eyesight, healthy joints and even healthy brain function.

So how can we address this issue? It's easy to improve our diet by going back to basics. You know, the standards of 50 years ago that said a balanced meal consisted of meat and three vegetables. It's also a good idea to eat raw fruits and vegetables as much a possible since cooking destroys many nutrients.

Eat organic foods if you can afford to. Not only do they taste better and contain no toxic chemicals compared to tradition commercial varieties, but organic produce is ripened on the plant so it contains more nutrients.

So what are the most nutritious foods?

So we need to know what the most nutritious foods are. It's not just the so called 'super' foods. Some of the most nutritious foods are found in the fresh produce section of any grocery store. Foods like:

Fruit

Apple.

Avocado

Banana.

Berries: Especially blueberries, cranberries, black currants and Ojai berries.

Grapefruit.

Grapes.

Mango.

Melons.

Orange.

Pear.

Pineapple.

Vegetables

Asparagus.

Avocado.

Broccoli.

Carrots.

Celery.

Corn

Leafy green: Kale, spinach. romaine lettuce, Brussels sprouts.

Olives

Onion.

peppers and chili.

Pumpkin

sweet potatoes (yams): Low GI.

Herbs and spices

Basil.

Cilantro (coriander).

Garlic.

Ginger.

Marjoram.

Parsley.

Spearmint.

Thyme.

Nuts (Best eaten raw without salt)

Almonds.

Brazil.

Cashew.

Macadamia.

Walnuts.

Note: Nuts should be eaten sparingly as they are high in fats and therefore calories.

Seeds (Eat raw)

Chiba.

Ground Flax-seed.

Hemp.

Pine nuts.

Pumpkin (petit).

Sesame.

Sunflower.

Note: Flax-seed and china seeds are excellent sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. In fact, flax-seed oil contains an even higher concentration of Omega 3 than fish oil does. But flax-seed must be ground prior to consumption as our body is unable to break through the husk to get to the nutrients inside.

Whole Grains

Barley.

Corn.

Oats.

Millet.

Quinoa.

Spelt.

Whole wheat (not white flour which is NOT healthy).

Legumes

Broad (Ava) beans.

Black beans.

Black eyed beans.

Chick Peas

Dammed (baby soy beans).

Kidney beans

Lentils

Lima Beans

Peas.

Pinto beans.

Soybeans.

Fats

Hemp oil.

Flax seed oil.

Rice bran oil.

Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

Note: Olive oil is not very heat stable which means it corrupts when it gets heated. It is best not to use it for cooking but as a dressing or glaze etc. So it's only on this list of most nutritious foods when used cold. The best oil for cooking is rice bran oil because it is heat stable.

Meat and Dairy

Cottage cheese.

Free range eggs.

Goat cheese.

Kefir.

Sardines (wild)

Skinless chicken breasts.

Tuna (wild)

Wild salmon.

Yogurt.

Natural sweeteners

Stevie.

Miniaturized honey.

Cyclist.

Note: Recent research indicates that artificial sweeteners like nutrias (aspartame) actually cause sugar cravings and result in further weight gain rather than weight loss.

Summary: Avoid processed foods as they contain little nutritional value and are generally high in either sugar or fat. Both of which will create a calorie surplus in your diet that can lead to weight gain. Conversely, you should eat more raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds as they are high in nutrients and tend to be much lower in calories.

By introducing more of these foods into your diet, you will ensure that you receive the nutrients you need for a long and healthy life.