Top 10 Healthiest Food Groups

This is a list of what I have learned over the years as the healthiest foods. To me a healthy food has to contain a lot of minerals and vitamins, antioxidants and help to build the immune system. Also the foods have to be friendly for your digestive system. A healthy digestive system is really the key to good health.

Healthiest Greens, this can include spinach and collards, cabbage and other dark green leafy vegetables. Greens are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron and calcium. They are also a good source of fiber, which is necessary for a healthy digestive system. Some of the compounds found in greens are thought to fight some cancers as well.

Note: Greens are high in vitamin K, so anyone taking a blood thinning drug should ask their doctor about eating too many foods with vitamin K in them.

Blueberries are one of the best fruits because they are grown with the least amount of pesticides. They are high in anti-oxidants and are high in vitamins A, C and E. They have a good amount of potassium. Strawberries are also very good and high in potassium. Organic is best though since strawberries can be higher in pesticide residue.

Healthiest Beans are a good source of non animal protein and high in fiber. More studies are finding that beans have what’s called a protease inhibitor; these inhibitors make it hard for cancer cells to get into the tissues. Lentils are also considered beans, as are lima beans.

Note: If you have trouble digesting beans, the product Beano really does work.

Soy is also a bean, but I include it separately. There are many vegetarian and non-vegetarian products made with soy anymore. I think the healthiest soy foods would be miso and edamame. Edamame is very good as a snack or in salads. I have been drinking a cup of miso every day for many years and I really think it keeps away colds and the flu. Some studies have shown that eating too much soy might not be that good, and with so many soy products added to food anymore, I try and keep it to the purest form of soy such as miso, edamame or tofu.

Healthiest Seeds and nuts are very high in magnesium, which is important for a healthy heart. Seeds are also high in the healthy Omega fats. Pumpkin seeds are very good as are sunflower. The best nuts are Brazil, almonds, cashews, pecans and macadamia.

Leeks, garlic and onions are all part of Alliums vegetables. These vegetables are anti-oxidants and some studies have shown garlic to have antibiotic properties as well. They also can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Note: These vegetables could be somewhat anti-coagulants, check with your doctor if you’re taking any kind of blood thinking drugs about the effects of eating too many of these foods.

All types and colors of the healthiest vegetables. Photo by Eric Hunt.

Spices are very healthy, as more and more studies are showing certain spices to be very healthy and healing. The healthiest spices include turmeric, cayenne, chili peppers, ginger, garlic and cinnamon.

Turmeric is fast becoming known in this country, for centuries it has been used in other parts of the world as a powerful anti-inflammatory food. Turmeric is helpful with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohns disease and colitis.

It also has powerful antioxidants which neutralizes free radicals throughout the body, and inhibits cancer cell growth. The list of healthy benefits of Turmeric is very long.

Cayenne is used to treat poor circulation, poor digestion, chronic pain, headaches and some heart disease. It stimulates circulation and digestion.

Ginger is mostly known for helping with nausea. It is good for circulation and digestion, and for cleansing of the body.

Green tea, in many studies in Japan it is shown to drastically reduce the risk of esophageal cancer. Green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Green tea has been shown to be helpful in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol, heart disease, infections and the immune system. Green tea also has bacteria fighting abilities. Green tea is thought to increase the metabolism and promote weight loss.

Sweet potato is high in vitamin A (beta-carotene) and vitamin C, which you need for healthy skin and good eye health. High in fiber helps the digestive system and possibly a cure for stomach ulcers and inflamed colons. Good for diabetics since it stabilizes blood sugar levels. Make sweet potato french fries, just use a small amount of salt before baking.

I also include in this category all of the winter squashes, such as Butternut, Acorn and Pumpkin.

Healthiest Fermented foods are probably the best foods for the digestive system. These foods include Miso (fermented soybeans), sauerkraut and yogurt. Fermented foods like these promote the healthy bacteria in the digestive system which in turn gets rid of the bad bacteria in the colon. Have you ever taken an antibiotic like Penicillin and noticed your stomach wasn’t right, that’s because the medicine killed the good bacteria along with the bad in the digestive tract, take some of these fermented foods to correct stomach problems and rebuild the good bacteria, also helpful with IBS and constipation. Whenever you read about probiotics, this is what they mean.

Healthiest Honorable mentions: Apples, brewers yeast, brown rice, cinnamon, wheat germ, bananas, flax seed, radish, daikon, salmon and other fish that contain Omega-3 fats.

You can combine some of these vegetables and make a healthy low-sodium vegetable soup. Eat a lot of vegetables and of all different colors, they contain phytochemicals and antioxidants that are health for us.

Sam Montana © 03 December 2008

On this web site you can enter in any food and get all the mineral and vitamin content:

USDA Food Nutrient Database