Wake Up Your Taste Buds

One thing I’ve noticed about people is that they seem to have incredibly little variety in their diet.  In fact, most people’s daily intake consists of very few foods repeated over and over again.

Unfortunately, when these same people go about trying to eat healthier selections they cut from; instead of add to, their already limited list of food options.  Instead of creating a flavour party of variety and colour on their plates they limit themselves to the Spartan dietary staples lettuce, grilled chicken, and canned tuna.  Yum yum.  No wonder people don’t last long on most nutrition plans.  They’re downright boring!

Below is a list of foods that I like to give my clients to get them started.  This is not to say that this list is inclusive of all healthy foods, but this is only a starting point.

PROTEIN – Anything that has a face (or came from something that has a face)

Steak
Extra Lean Ground Beef
Beef Jerky
Veal
Ground Veal
Chicken
Ground Chicken
Turkey
Ground Turkey
Turkey Bacon
Lean Turkey Sausage
Turkey Jerky
Turkey Pepperettes
Tuna
Salmon
Tilapia
Shrimp
Lobster
Catfish
Sole
Herring
Haddock
Eggs
Egg Whites
Protein Shakes
Protein Puddings

CARBOHYDRATES

~ Vegetables ~

Cabbage
Brussel Sprouts
Celery
Spinach
Lettuce
Radicchio
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Onion
Green Onion
Garlic
Zucchini
Tomato (technically a fruit)
Red Pepper (technically a fruit)
Green Pepper (technically a fruit)
Eggplant (technically a fruit)
Jalapeno
Carrots
Green Beans
Snow Peas
Watercress
Bean Sprouts
Water Chestnut
Radish
Kale
Swiss Chard

~ Fruit ~

Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Apple
Pear
Banana
Pineapple
Dragon Fruit
Oranges
Cherries
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Kiwi Fruit
Lemons
Limes
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Nectarines
Plums
Pomegranates
Rhubarb (technically a vegetable)

~ Starch ~

Legumes (lentils, kidney beans, etc)
Corn / Baby Corn (technically considered a grain)
Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Bread
Whole Wheat Wraps
Whole Wheat Pasta
Yams
Sweet Potatoes
All Bran Cereal
Fiber 1 Cereal
Oatmeal (not the little flavoured packets)
Quinoa

Sidebar: The Glycemic Index

All carbohydrates can be rated on something popularly known as the glycemic index.  Basically, this is a measure of what the carbohydrate does to our blood sugar levels.  Foods placed highest on the glycemic index rapidly increase our blood sugar and are most likely to lead to fat storage.  Items at the bottom of the list cause a slower rise in blood sugar and are least likely to lead to fat storage.

Below is a sampling of the many foods on the glycemic index.

Glucose (Sugar)   100
White Bread   95
Baked Potato   95
Rice Cakes   80
Honey    75
Corn    75
Shredded Wheat    70
White Rice   70
Pasta    65
Banana    60
Brown Rice   55
Popcorn    55
Special K Cereal  55
Whole Grain Pasta  45
Apple    40
Chick Peas   35
Nuts    15-30
Tomatoes   15
Green Leafy Vegetables  0-15

As a general rule, whole grains tend to appear lower on the list than refined foods and vegetables are always at the bottom.  The lesson here?  Choose your carbohydrates wisely.

HEALTHY FATS

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For cooking at medium temperatures)
Coconut Oil (For cooking at high temperatures)
Butter (Preferably organic – also better than olive oil for high temperatures)
Almonds
Pecans
Walnuts
Peanuts
Cashews
Avocado
Natural Peanut or Almond Butter
Cheese (Depending on circumstance)
 
Next time you go shopping, don’t be such a dud.  Aim to try something new each week.  Some weeks you’ll find something you absolutely have to have again.  Other weeks you’ll not be so fortunate.  However, in the end you’ll end up with a much less boring diet and a set of much happier taste buds.

Posted: March 22nd, 2007 at 12:30pm By: mark