The following foods have been found to be health-promoting. This is not an exhaustive list, nor are these the only foods you should eat. It is important to maintain balanced eating that includes the three main nutrients we require everyday — carbohydrate, protein and fat. This list is meant to be used as a guideline for choosing foods that can contribute to physical and emotional health. As you plan out meals, these are excellent choices and ingredients to include:

FRUITS

Blackberries Cantaloupe
Raspberries Mango
Blueberries Oranges
Currants Peaches
Gooseberries Strawberries
Apricots Grapefruit
Kiwi Pineapple
Mandarin Oranges Dried Fruits
Plums Red Grapes
Prunes Apples
Bananas Pears
Cranberries

VEGETABLES

Collard Greens Mustard Greens
Carrots Kale
Potatoes Avocadoes
Spinach Peppers – all colors
Tomatoes Sweet Potatoes
Broccoli Winter Squash
Collard Greens Mustard Greens
Onion Pumpkin
Peas Zucchini
Brussels Sprouts Beets
Red Cabbage Green Cabbage
Cauliflower Arugula (lettuce)
Dandelion Greens Mesclun (lettuce)
Romaine lettuce Watercress

PROTEIN: MEAT/NUTS/FISH

Chicken Tofu Products
Lean Red Meat Turkey
Lean Pork Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds Flaxseed
Walnuts Peanuts
Almonds Anchovies
Atlantic Herring Atlantic Salmon
Whitefish Tuna
Capelin Dogfish
Mackerel Sardines
Sturgeon Shad
Bluefish

GRAINS

Whole Wheat Bread Whole Wheat Bagels
Whole Wheat Pita Wheat Germ
Breakfast Cereals Brown Rice
Barley Bulgur
Couscous Millet
Oats Polenta
Quinoa Oatmeal
Rice Bran Oat Bran
Wheat Bran Cracked Wheat
Wheat Berries Wild Rice
Hominy Grits Buckwheat Groats
Whole Wheat Pasta Whole Grain foods

LEGUMES

Lentils (cooked) Chickpeas (Garbanzo)
Soybeans Navy Beans
Hummus Red Beans
Red Kidney Beans Pinto Beans
Black-eyed Peas Lima Beans
Black Beans Great Northern Beans
Split Peas (yellow and green)

FATS

Olive Oil Peanut Oil
Canola Oil Flax Oil
Safflower Oil Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil Corn Oil
Soybean Oil

HERBS

Chives Basil
Parsley Garlic

OTHER

Grape Juice Tea – hot or cold
Salsa Orange Juice
Yogurt Milk
Soy Milk Cranberry Juice

Three important tips to remember when preparing your grocery list:

1. Foods that have deep, dark colors are shown to have many health-promoting benefits;
2. Fresh foods have more nutritional value than processed foods. (Note: Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are close in nutritional value to fresh); and
3. Prepare foods from scratch whenever possible to minimize the use of processed foods.

Remember that balance is important and that too much of any food is not healthy. All foods have nutritional value and nutritional deficiencies, so a well-balanced diet is necessary. While no one will probably like all the foods listed here, there is plenty to choose from on a regular basis that can promote good health.

Note: Some foods interact with medications so be sure to talk with your physician if you are making major changes to your eating habits or experiencing new symptoms.