Americans weren’t always as unhealthy as we are today. How do we eat differently now then we ate 50 years
ago? We consume way more fast food, refined
sugar and grains, oil and salt, lots more meat and dairy. We also eat very few fruits
and vegetables compared to our grandparents. We are also eating some genetically modified foods with very different proteins.
Of the many thousands of edible plants on our planet, only
about 150 of them are actively cultivated, either directly for human food or as
feed for the animals we eat. Today, 90%
of the plants we consume come from only 20 species. If you eat a lot of processed food
and fast food, corn will be the main vegetable in your diet, and perhaps the
only vegetable for some people. Most of that corn will
be genetically modified. All high
fructose corn syrup is from genetically modified plants. How can we turn it around? We must become
more concerned with the variety of our diet.
What is the science of nutritional variety? In one study researchers from the University
of Colorado divided 106 women into two groups and placed them on different
diets. Both groups consumed 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, but
one group ate 18 different varieties of fruits and vegetables during the week, while the other
ate only five varieties. Blood tests taken after two weeks revealed that while
both groups showed a reduction in lipid peroxidation (due to increased
antioxidant intake), only the wide-variety group exhibited a reduction of DNA
damage caused by free radicals. That means that these women had less of a
chance of developing cancer during this time period.
Another study, published in the prestigious Journal
of the American Medical Association, showed a 30% lower death rate over
five and a half years within a population of 42,000 women among those whose
healthy food variety in the diet was higher.
A balanced, healthful diet increases the likelihood that
you'll get enough carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. For instance,
people who eat a variety of foods are more likely to get enough vitamin C in
their diets, according to a 1997 study published in the "Journal of the
American Dietetic Association." Fruit and vegetable consumption is
especially important for frail, elderly people, according to a 2002 study
published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association."
Fruits and vegetables are especially rich in fiber, folate, potassium, vitamin
A and vitamin C, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A 1987 study in the Dietetic Association journal found that
eating more kinds of foods is linked to decreased consumption of salt, sugar
and saturated fat. Excess salt, sugar and saturated fat are risk factors for
cardiovascular disease. A history of cancer, especially gastrointenstinal
cancer, is associated with limited diets, according to the 2002 study in the
Dietetic Association journal.
In the USA in the past 40 years, many vegetables and fruits
have disappeared from our diets and the trend is going on all over the
world. More and more people, will be fed
by fewer and fewer varieties of plants. Half of our food comes from only four
plant species: rice, maize (corn), wheat, and potatoes.
Recently I sat down and made a list of all the plant foods
that I eat. I’m sure that I have left a
few off of the list, but I was delighted to see that I have eaten well over a hundred
different kinds of plants. Physicians
can identify some eating disorders by how many plants a person consumes. Less than 20 plants can be considered an
eating disorder. I interviewed some of
my most finicky grandchildren and found that even they eat more than 20 plant
foods. I’ve decided to post my list
(with a few addends that are on my list to try) and let you decide how healthy
you eat. Remember that we should be
eating 5-7 vegetables, and 3-5 fruits a day.
They should always include dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables,
mushrooms, beans, berries, onions, and whole grains. According to many scientists and nutritional
specialists, eating a variety of foods helps us to cover all the bases
nutritionally. If you love feeling healthy and living a full life, then you must include a wide variety of
plants on a weekly basis to get the range of phytonutrients and vitamins and
minerals that you need for a healthy body. Don't forget to find foods that are locally and organically grown as often as you can.
Count
up your food diversity: How many of these foods have you eaten?
Grains:
wheat, rice, millet, barley, quinoa, oatmeal, rye, sorghum, amaranth,
tapioca, buckwheat.
Nuts
and seeds: hazel nuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios,
peanuts, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, anise seeds,
sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds or pepitas, apricot seeds, filberts, walnuts.
Greens:
spinach, all varieties of lettuce, watercress, arugula, bok choy,
parsley, seaweed, cilantro, kale, chard, spinach, beet greens, chicory, endive,
radicchio, summer, purslane, mizuna greens, komatsuna greens, oriental mustard,
kohlrabi.
Beans
and lentils: Green beans, kidney beans, black beans, navy
beans, pinto beans, pink-eye beans, lima beans, adzuki beans, green lentils, red lentils,
edamame or soy beans.
Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, beets, bell
peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, green and red cabbage, cardoons,
cauliflower, celeriac, chili peppers, chinese cabbage, corn, cucumbers, celery,
eggplant, fennel, jicama, leeks, mushrooms, onions, shallots, peas, parsnips,
pumpkin, radishes, cauliflower, rhubarb, tomatoes, tomatillos, zucchini,
zucchini flowers, crookneck squash, butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti
squash, summer squash, winter squash, waterchestnuts, bamboo shoots, sugarcane
(for sugar).
Fruit:
apples, bananas, pears, dates, figs, grapefruit, guanabana, Kiwi,
lemons, oranges, mangoes, limes, pineapple, pomegranates, avocados, mulberries,
apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, mandarins, watermelon, cantaloupe,
casaba melon, honeydew, plums, coconut, olives.
Berries
and vine fruits:
blueberries, raspberries, loganberries, blackberries, strawberries, boysenberries,
tayberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, cranberries.
Roots
and Tubers: carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes,
radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, ginger, garlic,
horseradish.
Herbs
and spices: peppercorns, cumin seeds, cloves, paprika,
rosemary, basil, thyme, savory, sage, dill, chives, oregano, tarragon, mint,
marjoram, sorrel, sweet violet, parsley, chervil, borage, angelica, marigold,
turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom.