By Kat Osorio
It can be overwhelming deciding what to eat. We receive countless messages from all different directions on a daily basis- messages telling us which foods are “super,” what diet you should follow if you want to live forever, and exactly how many grams of protein you should eat for a trim physique, among other things. I tend to listen to these messages with a grain of salt, because everyone is different so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. Instead, I recommend putting a meal together using components from different categories, almost like a salad bar. Choose from the following categories to create your next breakfast, lunch, or dinner:
Powerful Protein (choose 1 serving):
- Meat (beef, chicken, pork, turkey, bison, boar, venison)
- Fish* and shellfish
- Organic Greek yogurt and Skyr
- Beans and lentils
- Tofu and tempeh
- Hemp seeds
Fundamental Fat (choose 1-2 servings):
- Oils (extra virgin olive oil, avocado, sesame, flaxseed)
- Coconut oil, milk, and flesh
- Avocados
- Nuts (cashews, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios) and nut butters
- Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, hemp, flax)
- Olives
- Fish* and shellfish
Verdant Veggies and Fresh Fruits (aim to include at least 2 different colors):
- Red: cabbage, bell peppers, radishes, onions, strawberries, raspberries, apples, cherries, tomatoes, pomegranates
- Orange: bell peppers, butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, nectarines
- Yellow: bell peppers, spaghetti squash, yellow squash, lemons
- Green: kale, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, chard, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, celery, cucumbers, sprouts, green beans and peas, avocado
- Blue and Purple: cabbage, eggplant, purple potatoes, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, plums
Complex Carb (choose 1 serving):
- Sweet potatoes and yams
- Whole grains (brown rice, oats, farro, barley, buckwheat) and whole grain or sourdough bread
- Quinoa
Fabulous Flavor (choose a variety to suit your taste):
- Salt (sea or Himalayan pink)
- Garlic
- Fresh and dried herbs (parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary, cilantro, dill, thyme, sage, etc.)
- Spices (turmeric, black/white pepper, cumin, cayenne, chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, curry powders, etc.)
- Tamari or coconut aminos
- Coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey (just a dash!)
*Avoid high-mercury fish like swordfish, marlin, shark, orange roughy, king mackerel, ahi and bigeye tuna, and tilefish
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash