Lifestyle Choices

How do you get the essential nutrients into your diet? Here are some super foods to eat that help maintain great health, increase immunity and make you feel good. They are packed with essential nutrients and powerful natural antioxidants, they taste delicious and add variety to your diet. They are some of our favourite foods, and we buy them regularly.

Fruits and vegetables

The best way to eat fruits and vegetables is straight from the tree or garden, when they haven’t lost any of their vitamins and minerals. This means that the produce is in season and you are obtaining the best nutrient value. Growers’ outlets or markets also supply good seasonal produce

There are endless ways to serve up your veges. We love leaving them raw and cutting them into small pieces to dip in hummus. Kids love this, too! Try different or unusual vegetables once in a while to add variety. When cooking vegetables, steaming is usually better than boiling, as it preserves more nutrients. For sauteing, use a little butter or olive oil.

Phytochemicals

You may not realise it but you have been eating phytochemicals all your life. Phytonutrients, as they are sometimes referred to, give fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes their flavour colour and protection against disease. They help form the plants’ immune system and potent antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, carotenoids (fat-soluble pigments like beta-carotei and lycopene) and flavonoids (water-soluble pigments like catechins and reserveratro Studies are now showing that they have a protective effect against many ailments such high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. So, once again the key message is t make sure you eat your fruit and veges daily!

Sprouts

Sprouts, such as alfalfa and mung beans are a great source of nutrients. Sprinkle small amounts over salads and use them in sandwiches and stir-fries. You will notice that they add a depth of flavour and a variety of textures.

Herbs and spices

Fresh herbs, such as basil, rosemary, parsley, coriander and many others, add such flavour to a meal. Try growing your own in pots or create a garden, and always have dried herbs as a back-up. Experiment with adding spices to vegetables and meats. They are also essential for your home-baked goodies!

Whole grains and bread

Whole grains add essential vitamins and fibre to your diet. Try some different grains you might not have had before, such as millet, quinoa, buckwheat or barley, available at health- food shops and some supermarkets. Brown rice also belongs in this category: it is far superior to white rice and you will quickly acquire a taste for this yummy, nutty food. There is a huge variety of bread out there. We recommend going for bread in which you can see the whole grains. Check the labels, as some bread is high in sodium or fat, although it may look healthy.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are other great snacks loaded with nutrients, essential fats and protein. Add them into your cooking and sprinkle them over your vegetable dishes, breakfasts or yoghurt. Take good care to buy them fresh, as rancid nuts can be quite toxic. It is best to buy them from bulk bins where you can ’sniff’ for rancidity.

Meats

Meats are, of course, a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Choose low-fat cuts, organic and free-range if possible. Fresh whole cuts of meat are better than mince, sausages, meat spreads, processed loafs and bacon. Poultry and fresh fish, as well as shellfish, are another great way to get your essential nutrients.

Oils and vinegars

There is now a great range of oils available in most supermarkets, and even more so in specialty shops. Use them for your dressings and in your cooking and baking. Always choose cold-pressed and buy them in dark glass bottles or tins. Avoid overheating oils. Olive oil has a more stable structure to cook with as it does not overheat as quickly. Butter is also a good option for cooking, as its water content does not allow it to get hotter than 100°C without burning, so you can monitor the heat better. Our favourite oils are avocado, extra-virgin olive, flaxseed (do not cook with this oil) and almond.

Vinegars are essential to your dressings and also aid digestion: try balsamic or apple-cider.

Dairy

Milks, cheeses and yoghurt add variety and essential nutrients like calcium and protein to your diet. Rather than choosing highly processed cheeses, flavoured milk or yoghurts, buy good-quality cheeses and natural unsweetened yoghurts, or try making your own. Sweeten with fresh fruit or a little organic maple syrup or honey.

(Garlic is a fantastic natural antibiotic booster when your immunity is low or your body is fighting sickness. Try this tonic, we find it great: finely chop 2 cloves of fresh garlic and add to the fresh juice of half an orange, then drink. It makes your orange juice quite spicy, so use the other half of the orange to wash it down. Your body will love it. Do this once a day.)

(Feel like fruit juice? Then either juice it yourself or eat the whole fruit. Commercial fruit juices are often loaded with sugar and the fruit in them may have lost some nutrients in transport and processing. Nature provides the best balance in the whole fruit.)

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