Optimal Health Through a Whole Foods Diet: HELP Explained
Registered Dietitian Jane Connell discusses the importance of getting adequate nutrition from a whole foods diet.
Vitamin/mineral supplements have a place in achieving optimal health. However, it’s beneficial to get nutrients from our food as much as possible because the nutritional benefits are enhanced by the various components within the whole food. This phenomenon is known as nutrient synergy. Nature knows best, so to speak. This article will include practical tips for maximizing our nutrient intake through a whole foods diet.
Purchase single ingredient whole foods as much as possible, i.e. - chicken thighs instead of chicken nuggets. This is a journey. My grocery list has evolved over the years as I focus more on whole foods (food that has not had any of its natural features taken away or any artificial substances added).
Tips for narrowing down whether a food is a whole food:
- The food is whole if at some time it walked, swam, flew, or grew out of the ground. You wouldn’t see a Twinkie tree, would you?
- Become an ingredient list detective. Many whole foods don’t have an ingredient list, but if there is a list, ideally each ingredient is a whole food, and the shorter the list, the better. Can you pronounce each ingredient and could you have found it in your grandmother’s kitchen?
One DIY hack that I use to ensure a daily intake of the nuts and seeds that readily supply a variety of minerals (especially zinc, magnesium, and calcium) is to keep a mason jar containing a mixture of equal portions of 6 (organic) ingredients: pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seed, hemp hearts, sesame seeds, and walnuts. I add 2 tablespoons from the jar to my morning smoothie. You can also sprinkle as a salad topper or yogurt topper.
How do we get the important nutrients through a whole foods diet? Let’s go through those discussed in chapter 4 of HELP: The Health, Energy & Longevity Plan.
Iodine and Kelp
Think seaweed. Seaweed? Ewww! If you’re not familiar with the health benefits of seaweed nor accustomed to eating it, you are not alone. World-wide, seaweed is very common but not so much in the U.S. except perhaps for sushi.
The first time I tried the becoming-more-popular crispy/salty seaweed snack was about 10 years ago when our (then) middle schooler asked me to buy some seaweed snacks that a friend had brought to school. I bought some. At first, none of us were big fans. It’s just, well...very ”fishy”. Recently, I kept hearing about how seaweed snacks are such an excellent source of vitamins B and K, as well as iodine, iron, and antioxidants, so I tried seaweed again. It’s an acquired taste. I now may eat some as a snack or crumble as a salad topper.
I learned that some seaweed snacks are better quality than others. Be sure to read the ingredient list. My top choice is “gimme” brand of organic roasted seaweed sheets, particularly the one made with avocado oil. There are 3 ingredients: seaweed, avocado oil, and sea salt. It’s preferable to use the “fruit” oils (avocado, olive, coconut) over the “seed” oils (soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, canola, grapeseed, peanut, sesame, rice bran) as seed oils tend to promote inflammation.
An easy hack is to toss a strip of seaweed (like kelp or kombu) into any stocks, soups, or stews as they are cooking. It’s much like the size of a child’s 6 inch ruler and becomes pliable as it cooks. It lends flavor and nutrition. You could pop one into any of the soup or chili recipes on the HELPcare blog. I’m trying to stretch myself and experiment with various seaweed recipes.
Vitamin D
Spend time in sunlight. Foodwise: fatty fish & seafood, mushrooms, eggs (from pasture raised chickens) are excellent sources.
Magnesium Citrate and Magnesium Glycinate
Pumpkin seeds provide the most magnesium, with almonds, spinach, and cashews close behind.
Fish Oil
Nothing tops fatty fish as a food source of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating salmon twice a week is enough to cut your risk of heart attack, arrhythmia, stroke, high blood pressure, and high triglycerides. The best fish (in terms of omega-3’s and avoidance of mercury, PCB’s and toxins) can be remembered by the acronym SMASH - salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.
Vitamin K2
By far, the best food source of Vitamin K2 is natto, which is fermented soybeans. Natto is slimy and stringy. It pegs high on the “yuck” meter, but I became highly motivated to look into K2 sources and start consuming natto after a friend broke her shoulder in a skiing accident and learned from a DXA scan that she had osteoporosis.
Studies have shown that poor Vitamin K2 intake is linked to low bone mass, osteoporosis and fracture risk. I’ve become a master at disguising it by adding 1 tsp to my smoothie. I may also put a tsp of natto on top of my salad; other people prefer to consume it right from the spoon like medicine (avoid the sugar to help it go down!).
Other sources of K2 include: eel, cheese (especially Munster), beef liver, chicken, butter, sauerkraut, and egg yolk.
Zinc
Meat (particularly grass-fed since it’s higher in nutrition than grain-fed), seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, spinach, and avocado are all good whole food sources of zinc.
Turmeric
Has lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. You can use either the raw form (it looks similar to ginger root except has a bright orange color) or the spice powder. You can add it to scrambles and frittatas, try it with greens or use it in soups. My family’s favorite is tossing some cauliflower with avocado oil and a mixture of turmeric, cumin, pepper, and sea salt and roasting in the oven. (Turmeric is better absorbed by the presence of fat and black pepper.)
Foods Over Supplements
It’s preferable to get nutrients within food rather than as a supplement. Your ability to achieve optimal health through a whole foods diet may depend on various factors such as the time you have, the availability of ingredients/food, and your desire/ability to branch out from your usual habits. As always, take one step at a time.
Supplements do have their place. Keep in mind that for “supertasters” (those people who are particularly sensitive to certain textures, smells and flavors), some of these ideas may not be a palatable option at first. Supplements can be a handy alternative instead of food.
Lastly, there are times when food simply cannot supply the needed nutrients. For example, if someone's Vitamin D lab level is very low, Vitamin D supplements are needed to correct the deficiency; food alone may not be enough. You may want to work with your HELPcare provider to fully assess your lab values as they relate to your nutritional status to help determine if and what supplements may be beneficial for your circumstances.
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