Foods benefit our health by supplying us with nutrients our bodies can use as biological constituents or for biological processes. Foods that supply a wide range of important nutrients, or alternatively, a large amount of a nutrient that’s harder to get, quantitatively improve health, for example, by reducing risk of chronic disease.
The foundation of a Nutrivore diet is whole and minimally-processed foods. By looking at both the average nutrient density as well as the unique nutrients offered by each vegetable and fruit family, it’s easy to see how all vegetables and fruits are great choices, yet another rationale for a vegetable (and fruit and legume)-forward approach to the overall diet. And, the complementary nutrition available within each vegetable and fruit family, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, as well as meat, poultry, eggs, organ meat, fish and shellfish makes a compelling argument for viewing each of these as their own distinct food group, rather than lumping nutritionally distinct foods together based on a single nutrient (like combining legumes, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, fish and shellfish together based on their protein content) or farming practices (like combining vegetables and fruits into one giant food group based on how their grown).
Here are the categories!
- Vegetables, Fruits & Mushrooms
- Meat, Seafood, Eggs & Dairy
- Healthy Fats & Oils
- Fermented Foods
- Nuts & Seeds
- Legumes, Whole Grains &Pseudograins
- Beverages
- Herbs & Spices
