The best diet to eat
There’s only one diet I recommend.
A real food diet.
Sounds obvious and simple but thanks to the food industry and the invention of lentil crisps and sweet potato flatbreads, it’s becoming increasingly hard to know what real food really is.
What is real food?
Real food eating involves eating a diet based on food that’s been around for thousands of years.
As hunter gatherers, before supermarkets, cafes, canteens, takeaways and food factories existed we only ate food that could be found naturally on the planet.
This is referred to as real food because it doesn’t contain added sugars, chemicals or other man made, artificial ingredients.
As soon as the food industry set up it began:
Turning butter into margarine
Turning potatoes into crisps
Turning wheat, oats and corn into biscuits, bars, crackers, cereals and highly refined bread
Turning fruit into juice
Basically making products that consist entirely of crap
These are now known as ultra processed foods and have become a predominant feature in our modern-day human diet.
It’s not working out so well for us either 👇
What about healthy bread, cereal, fruit juice and snack bars?
Unfortunately, many of these now fall under the definition of an Ultra Processed Foods (UPF’s).
You can spot UPF’s because they have:
More than 5 ingredients
A long shelf life
Numerous synthetic ingredients like additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours and flavours.
These foods are all linked to illness, being overweight and disease.
This includes diabetes, heart disease, cancer and dying early.
The more you eat the bigger the risk, especially with cancer.
Why real food rocks
To optimise your body you need to support the health of your cells.
Your cells can only function if they have adequate protein, omega 3:6 fats, saturated fats, glucose, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Real food naturally contains these nutrients so your body runs brilliantly on it.
And you get:
Consistent energy levels
Optimal concentration and memory
A strong immune system
Greater muscle strength and mass
Enhanced exercise performance: strength, speed and stamina
Strong bones
Healthy skin, hair and nails
Balanced mood health
How to identify real food
Alongside some label reading here’s a simple rhyme you can recite when wondering if something is healthy:
“If it’s grown in the ground or on a tree,
If it runs, swims, flies or can see,
If it wasn’t made in a factory,
It’s likely real food and good for me ”
Is all processed food bad?
That said most food requires some degree of preparation and processing like blending, fermenting or preserving.
For example, milk, cheese and olive oil are manmade but contain lots of nutrients and healthy ingredients.
Whereas margarine, colourful, sweetened yoghurts and cheese strings are highly processed and contain lots of chemical ingredient.
It’s important to understand what type of processed foods are still healthy.
Here’s a quick guide:
1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (real food)
These are grown in the ground, or on a tree or farmed or fished from the sea.
Examples: meat, fish, poultry, fruit, vegetables, pulses, wholegrains, eggs, nuts and seeds in their natural state with no added ingredients.
2. Processed foods
These can be made from real foods but are changed into a different product. They can still be healthy as they contain some vitamins and minerals
Examples: milk, cheese, pickles, tinned food, homemade bread, olive oil, nut butter, fermented foods
3. Ultra-processed foods
These typically have five or more ingredients and a long shelf life.
They include many chemicals not found in your kitchen cupboards including additives preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours and flavours.
Examples: crisps, biscuits, ice cream, milk shake, breakfast cereals, crackers, wraps, fruit juice, fizzy drinks, ready meals, pot noodles
Here’s a more precise definition of Ultra Processed Foods.
The best balance
Ideally make the basis of your diet real food and complement with some processed foods that offer nutritional benefits.
Good examples are dairy products, honey, healthy oils, traditionally made sourdough bread, dark chocolate, alcohol, tea and coffee.
Limit or remove ultra processed foods depending on your health status.
Day in the life of a real food nutrition
In terms of how this looks practically, here’s some examples of healthy meals that follow these principles:
Breakfast options
Porridge topped with Greek yogurt and nuts
Vegetable omelette
Traditional rye/sourdough bread toasted with eggs and mashed avocado
Greek yogurt with berries
Lunch options
Homemade or supermarket fresh soup (with wholefood ingredients)
Salad topped with protein (chicken, fish, tofu, beef) lentils and
Baked potato with cottage cheese, hummus, tuna and yoghurt
Sandwich made with traditional rye/sourdough bread topped with protein (meat, fish, poultry or tofu) and salad
Dinner options
Baked fish or chicken thighs with oven roasted vegetables
Homemade burgers (veggie, meat, fish, poultry or tofu) with root vegetable mash and sauteed greens
Meat, fish, poultry or tofu stir fry
Homemade curry with meat, fish, poultry or tofu stir fry and vegetables
Spaghetti Bolognese with vegetable spaghetti
Bean chilli with brown rice
Scrambled eggs with sauteed vegetables
Snacks
Boiled eggs with sea salt
Sliced pear and peanut butter
Natural yoghurt and fruit
Cubes of cheese and handful olives
You can also check out lots of tasty recipes over at Fitter Food.
