Choosing foods wisely

It doesn’t seem like it should be so hard to eat healthy. But it can be. Some foods and practices that are recommended as healthy aren’t, in fact, healthy for everyone. But there are some very simple guidelines to eating foods that support our health.

Michael Pollan got it right when he said “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” It truly is that simple, and it can be applied to the way we and our families eat.

First: EAT FOOD

This means eating food that is in its most natural state. Fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, meat, fish, and nuts are all examples of “real” food. On the other end of the spectrum, we have ultraprocessed food, which are food-like substances that have been heavily processed, usually in order to increase their shelf life. Trying to increase a food’s shelf life is an understandable goal, but the toll these additives, preservatives, colors, flavors, and heavily processed fats have taken on our health is enormous. Many studies have found that a higher intake of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and an overall increased mortality rate. Pretty sobering. And it’s also sobering to think that the reason all those flavors, colors, and, yes, even fragrances are necessary is because these ultraprocessed foods are basically inedible without the chemicals food scientists add in order to make them palatable.

All this to say, UPFs are not good for you and, without all the chemicals added to them — don’t even taste food-like, much less good. So what should we eat instead?

Real food!

It’s tempting to turn to UPFs for convenience, but there are many, many other convenient and nutritious foods that kids can enjoy. And these nutritious foods have health benefits instead of huge health costs.

My favorite approach to food choices is the Anti-inflammatory way of eating. For families, I love Dr. Hilary McClafferty’s Anti-inflammatory food table. The idea is that the largest table (on the bottom) is the food we should eat the MOST of. And what is that table? You got it — plants! Vegetables and fruits (of various colors) are the foods we should choose the most often and should take up the most space on our plate. They are NOT interchangeable, so having a fruit salad is not the same as having a green salad — but they are both healthy and necessary for a nutritious, balanced way to approach food.

Second: NOT TOO MUCH

Moderation is a part of so many practices for a reason. In Ayurveda, there is a recommendation to have your stomach 1/3 full of food, 1/3 full of liquid, and 1/3 full of air. The guidance is to eat until you are no longer hungry vs. until you are FULL.

This moderation also applies to our food choices, in that we want to eat a moderate amount of a lot of different kinds of food instead of a lot of just one kind. When we combine a lot of different, nourishing foods, we are able to get a lot of different nutrients that we would not be able to acquire if we just ate one type of food.

There are also synergistic combinations, like spinach and lemon (the iron in spinach is more readily absorbed due to the Vitamin C in lemon) and turmeric and black pepper (the curcumin in turmeric is more readily absorbed due to the piperine in black pepper). Perhaps unsurprisingly, these combinations are frequently found in traditional preparations of food.

Third: MOSTLY PLANTS

We’ve returned to plants again, and with good reason — since they are an absolute wealth of nutrition. Though some people choose not to eat animal products, many people incorporate meat and other animal protein into their eating in ways that are very nutritious. The key is to choose animal products wisely (grass fed cattle, reputable sources, etc) and to make the plants the star of the show, instead of the meat. Or, more simply, have a little bit of meat or other animal protein and have the rest of your plate be filled with a LOT of plants.

And there are SO many wonderful plants to choose from! Some of my favorite grains are absolutely kid friendly: quinoa, oat groats, wheatberries, and barley are all kid-approved. And starches like sweet potatoes and the everpopular potato are also full of nutrients. Kids love fun colors, so purple cauliflower, white asparagus, blood oranges can all be a huge hit with them. The key is to choose real foods in their most natural, least processed state that are delicious and yes, even fun!

If you are already eating a lot of UPFs, the first step is to cut back. The simplest way is often to just stop buying it for your home. You and your family can still enjoy them when you go out, but they are no longer household dietary staples. Reducing the amount you eat out (especially fast food) is also a powerful way to cut down on UPFs.

And start buying fun and delicious real foods — there are so many! Even if you have become accustomed to the added sugars and chemical flavors in UPFs (and yes, they’re addictive, too), you may be wonderfully surprised at how much you and your family truly begin to enjoy the taste of real food — and how much better you feel after eating a bowl of berries vs. something ultraprocessed.

Food is truly a joy of life. There’s a reason we have a sense (taste) devoted to it entirely. Connecting with real food, flavors, cooking, and the company we keep when we enjoy real food together is a huge part of building a healthier tomorrow for ourselves and for our families.