Naturopath Doctor Explains Eight Basic Foods

These healthy foods can be considered essential in the kitchen or pantry of any health conscious person.

1. Water additives

Everyone knows the importance of water - without it, the body simply cannot function properly. At the same time, I personally do not drink so much just water. I try to make it "more interesting". How exactly? With water additives , both at home and on the golf course. My two favorite products:

• Supplements with real lemon and fruit. They are sold in bags. There are three flavors for making lemonade: regular lemonade, strawberry and lemon. Fruit supplements are available in a variety of flavors. I like these drinking mixes for the following reasons. First, they taste great! This is the real taste of fresh lemon juice or other fruits. At the same time, such supplements are natural and really useful! In addition, there is no limit on the volume of the mixture you drink. This is important to me, because on the golf course I can drink six to ten half-liter bottles of water.
• Electrolyte supplements . There are many great options to choose from. Personally, I prefer mixtures that are low in sodium and high in potassium. These drinking mixes are also sold in a variety of flavors, in jars and sachet boxes. They give plain water a great taste. These blends are easy to mix and provide plenty of potassium , and I recommend low sodium foods. There are no calories, only natural flavors, and no added sugar or artificial ingredients.

2. Low Sodium Sea Salt

If we talk about salt, then a large amount of sodium chloride (salt) is harmful to the body, and it does not matter what kind of salt it is: sea, pink Himalayan or Celtic. The problem is too much sodium. The body requires only about 200 mg of sodium per day, which is about 10-30 times less than the average intake. And if the amount of sodium in the diet is extremely high, then the average intake of potassium is less than 2500 mg per day, which is about half of the 4700 mg recommended for adults by many medical organizations. Many of us need to limit our sodium intake and increase our dietary potassium levels, and there is an easy way to do this. Just use sea salt high in potassium and low in sodium. The ratio of potassium to sodium is approximately 2:1, it tastes like regular salt without a metallic aftertaste.

3. Low Calorie Natural Sweeteners

Many people love sweets, and I am no exception. But I always avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners. Here are the most popular natural sweeteners (at the end of the list is my favorite):

• Stevia is a natural sweetener that comes from the Stevia rebaudiana plant . Some stevia compounds are 300 times sweeter than sugar. In addition, it has an excellent safety record. The disadvantage of stevia is that it has some aftertaste...
• Monkey fruit (monkey fruit extract) is not as popular as stevia, but it can even be slightly sweeter without having a bitter aftertaste.
• Sugar alcohols (polyol sweeteners): erythritol , xylitol , sorbitol, mannitol, and maltitol are exceptionally safe at moderate doses. However, at high doses (more than 10 grams per day), they are poorly absorbed and can cause gastrointestinal symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe diarrhea, especially in children (because they have less body weight). From this list, I like erythritol and xylitol the most.
• Allulose - natural sugar, which can become the "Holy Grail" in the world of sweeteners. It has 80% of the sweetness of sugar and at the same time has 10 times less calories than sucrose or fructose. Allulose is digested in the gastrointestinal tract and therefore does not cause gas and bloating, as is the case with sugar alcohols. At the same time, although allulose is absorbed, it is not used by the body as an energy source. About 70% of the consumed allulose is excreted from the body in the urine. What I like most about allulose is that it improves blood sugar regulation and can help with fat loss through liver support. That is why it is my favorite sweetener. A sweetener that promotes weight loss and is healthy at the same time is a real breakthrough in nutrition. Allulose is obtained using a natural enzymatic reaction or gene technology. Of course, I recommend choosing a non-GMO product.

4. Organic herbs and spices

Using a wide variety of herbs and spices is a great way to successfully fight aging through nutrition, as well as diversify your diet. These products have a lot of useful properties. So, they fight inflammation and support detoxification. At the same time, I must make an IMPORTANT reservation. Be sure to use only organic herbs and spices .

The fact is that inorganic products are often stuffed with pesticides, harmful anti-caking agents and other additives (for example, monosodium glutamate). In addition, non-organic products are often sterilized by one of two methods before being marketed: chemical fumigation or radiation. In contrast, for organic products, only safe sterilization methods are used, such as steaming.

‌‌‌‌5. Raw nuts and seeds

In my opinion, not enough attention is paid to the beneficial properties of unprocessed nuts and seeds . They just need to be included in the diet. However, they are so nutritious that it is worth using them thoughtfully. They may have similar nutritional and health benefits. Therefore, it is important to take turns eating different types of nuts and seeds. I always have the following stock in my kitchen (in order of my personal preference): walnuts , whole and ground flaxseeds (keep refrigerated for freshness), almonds , pistachios , pumpkin seeds , pecans , chia seeds , sunflower seeds , cashews, brazil nuts , pine nuts and hemp seed kernels .

‌‌6. Healthy oils

If you care about health, then healthy oils for cooking and salad dressing are indispensable in the kitchen. When baking, frying or sautéing, it is best to use monounsaturated oils: olive , macadamia nut and avocado . Coconut oil would also be a good choice, but I personally tend to choose only monounsaturated oils. Coconut oil can be used as a spread or added to hot drinks (coffee or cocoa) or even warm coconut milk to enhance the flavor.

I also like linseed oil . It contains essential fatty acids and lignans (cancer-suppressing compounds). However, you should not cook with flaxseed oil - it is very unstable and quickly deteriorates under the influence of heat and light. Use it to dress salads, dip bread in it, add it to hot or cold cereal, drizzle over popcorn. Here is a simple flaxseed oil salad dressing recipe:

Easy linseed oil salad dressing

• Place all ingredients in a salad bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. This is a quick and delicious recipe!
• four tablespoons of organic flaxseed oil ;
• 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice ;
• 1 medium garlic clove, crushed
• a pinch of sea salt or seasoning without salt ;
• fresh ground pepper to taste .

Use this recipe as a base and add your favorite herbs and spices to it.

‌‌‌‌7. Protein powder

Protein powder isn't just for bodybuilders and athletes. With it, many of us can be guaranteed to get enough quality protein in our meals. Whey protein has the highest biological value and is most commonly used in protein powder supplements. It mixes well and tastes good, especially when used as a smoothie base. Vegan Protein Sources Gaining Popularity : Pumpkin , Pea , Hemp , Rice and Soy Powders. I recommend looking for products made from pure foods with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Constantly try new products until you find one that suits you perfectly. Also, experiment with smoothie recipes to expand your diet.

8. Nutrition bars

I am a big fan of bars and usually eat one or two nutrition bars a day. I have my favorite foods, but again, it's important to keep variety. Therefore, I always keep a stock of various bars. I recommend trying different options to select a few favorites and alternate between them. The main thing is to choose bars with a sugar content of less than 10 grams. I generally try to eat bars with less than two grams of sugar and 15-20 grams of protein. There are many low-sugar, high-protein foods on the market that also taste great.

conclusions

There are many good and bad foods. I've been a health freak for over 40 years now and I assure you it's easier than ever to find healthy staples for your diet. Take advantage of all these excellent natural products and transform your approach to cooking.