Back to the Basics of Food
A healthy diet is the foundation of wellness. Food has the power to cure illness, give us energy, and be incredibly enjoyable contemporaneously. Approximately 70% of our immune system is located in the gut. To have a healthy gut, we must feed it well with good bacteria. Nature provides everything we need to nourish our gut with a balanced diet. However, the debate is ongoing about what constitutes a balanced diet. With social media producing more and more self-proclaimed health professionals, it is becoming impossible to distinguish truth from misinformation. At Simply, we believe feeling good shouldn’t be complicated, so we are taking food back to the basics.
What Is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet starts with whole unprocessed foods; This means food that naturally occurs in nature such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, raw milk, raw cheese, meat, etc. Beyond this, there are several other factors of a balanced diet that include nutrition density, high-quality fats, protein, and healthy carbohydrates. All these components serve a purpose whether it's nutrition, energy, or assisting your body to function optimally.
What Are High-Quality Fats?
High-quality fats are essential for cell-membrane function. The process of cell function dictates the majority of processes in our body and ultimately is the foundation of health in the brain, heart, and hormones.
Sources of High-Quality Fats:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Fish
Grass-fed meat
Nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.
What Are Nutrient-Dense Foods?
Nutrient-dense foods are classified by their contents of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are things our body needs to remain in good health. Foods with high antioxidants protect our cells from damage and free radicals, while vitamins and minerals are the building blocks of hormone health, immunity, energy, and development.
Nutrient-Dense Foods:
Leafy Greens such as spinach, arugula, kale, etc: Calcium, antioxidants, vitamins A and k, iron, calcium, magnesium
Chia seeds: Selenium, Manganese, copper
Raw Milk: Omega 3, Zinc, Calcium, vitamins a,d, and k
Avocados: Healthy fats, fiber, B vitamins, potassium
Why Do I Need Protein?
Proteins are the building blocks of our growth and repair system. Protein has a plethora of functions including healthy hormone production, energy production, muscle growth and recovery, and appetite maintenance. Protein is a key element of healthy portion control because it takes longer to digest and releases hormones that let your brain know you are full.
Check out our blog on “The Importance of Eating High-Quality Protein”
Sources of High-Quality Protein:
Grass-fed meat
Fish
Beans and Lentils
Eggs
Dairy products such as raw milk, organic yogurt, organic cottage cheese, and pasture-raised eggs
Why Grass-Fed Meat?
Buying grass-fed meat ensures you are getting peak nutrients and nourishment from the meat you are eating. Meat that is not marked grass-fed is produced by farms that likely feed their livestock corn and grains, which are high in omega-6. When consumed disproportionately with omega-3, omega-6 causes inflammation in the body. Additionally, grass-fed meat has an all-around higher nutrition profile, making it the better choice.
Note: Ideally, you want to look for grass-finished meat. This ensures the animal has eaten grass for most of their life, as opposed to a part-grass, part-grain diet.
Healthy Carbs:
Healthy carbs should be consumed in moderation, but are a wonderful source of energy and help stabilize the heart, brain, kidneys, and nervous system.
Sources of Healthy Carbs:
Sweet potatoes
Fruit
Oats
Rice and Quinoa
Corn
Why Organic?
We hear the word organic thrown around a lot, but what does this really entail and why is it so important? Well, when you buy something organic that means there were no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers used in the farming process. For organic animal products, this means animals are raised in humane conditions and have access to things like fresh air, sunlight, and outdoor roaming space. Organic also guarantees no genetic modification was made to the product (also known as non-GMO). Lastly, certified organic products prioritize the quality of soil, water, and environment involved in the farming process.
Things to Avoid?
With long ingredient lists and mystery flavorings being so normalized in our grocery stores, it is hard to discern what is safe and what should be avoided. Ingredients that are so common can actually be the ones you should eliminate from your diet. Here are some ingredients and foods to try your best to eliminate from your diet.
Check out our blog on “Navigating the Grocery Store”
1. Seed Oils
This includes oils such as canola, soybean, palm, peanut, sunflower, rapeseed, safflower, corn, etc. Instead, look for avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil!
2. Added Sugar
When reading food labels look for 0 grams of total added/included sugar. This means they are not adding any sugar other than what is naturally occurring in the product. For instance, a peach has about 13 grams of natural sugar, but none of that is added sugar. One type of added sugar to avoid at all costs is high fructose corn syrup. It wreaks havoc on your liver and causes weight gain, heart disease, and high cholesterol.
3. Artificial Anything
Artificial flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives sneak their way into most processed foods. These ingredients have a potential link to cancer and recent data shows they can be linked to glucose spikes.
Sweeteners:
Aspartame
Sucralose
Xylitol
Sorbitol
Flavors:
Diacetyl
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Octyl Acetate
Preservatives:
Nitrites
Sodium Benzoate
Sorbic Acid
butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
4. Processed/Refined Grains
Grain is processed in order to extend the shelf-life, alter the texture, etc. However, through this process, the grain is stripped of key vitamins and minerals that make it nutritious. This leaves the product starchy, high in simple carbs, and a cause of glucose spikes. Repetitive consumption of such grains can lead to notable inflammation in the body.
Examples of Processed Grains:
White bread
Tortillas
Pasta
Most Cereals
Bagels
Honorable Mention: The Elimination Diet
If you are experiencing any adverse effects such as bloating, headaches, rash, etc. you may have a food sensitivity. The elimination diet is a method where you eliminate one food group at a time to test if it alleviates your symptoms. If it doesn’t, you reintroduce it and move on to the next elimination. If you follow the balanced diet laid out here and still have issues, an elimination diet could help you pinpoint your problem.
Your diet should work with your lifestyle and propel you towards your health and wellness goals. We hope to have cleared your mind of any confusion and frustration surrounding what a healthy diet looks like, and hope you implement some of these foods and tips to support your body in all that it does for you!
