The Typical American Diet: A Limited Nutrient Profile
Repetitive Choices: The average American diet often revolves around a limited selection of proteins, fruits, and vegetables (e.g., chicken, spinach, carrots, apples, bananas).
Nutrient Variety: Each food item offers a unique nutrient profile. By consuming the same foods every day or week, you may only receive a fraction of the nutrients available from nature.
Impact on Digestion: When digestion is compromised, eating the same foods repeatedly can lead to inflammation and food sensitivities.
Introducing more variety into your diet is a good way to ensure that you are getting proper nutrition, and it keeps your meals interesting. One of the best ways to introduce variety is to eat seasonally. Shop at the farmers market and buy ingredients that are fresh, seasonal and local. Here are some ideas for you to incorporate more variety into your diet:
Poultry and Meat
● Chicken
● Turkey
● Duck
● Goose
● Goat
● Lamb
● Rabbit
● Bison
● Venison
● Pork
● Organ meat: Liver,
Kidney, Oxtail, Tongue, etc.
Seafood
● Salmon
● Trout
● Shrimp
● Mussels
● Clams
● Oysters
● Bass
● Local crab
● Lobster
● Haddock
● Scallops
● Mackerel
● Canned fish:
Sardines,
Anchovies
● Caviar/Roe
Plant Proteins
● Beans/Legumes: Black, Kidney, Black eyed peas, Navy, Lentils, Adzuki, Cannellini, Garbanzo, Split Peas, Mung, Pinto
● Tempeh
● Sprouted, organic tofu
● Nuts and seeds:
Almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, chestnut
● Nut milks and meat and cheese substitutes
Leafy Greens
● Spinach
● Chard
● Kale
● Herbs:
Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Mint
● Watercress
● Mustard
Greens
● Nettles
● Cabbage
● Brussel Sprouts
● Bok Choi
● Rapini
● Chicory
● Raddichio
● Arugula
Nightshades
● Tomato
● Tomatillo
● Eggplant
● Goji berry
● Pepino
● Gooseberry
● Huckleberry
● Potatoes
● Hot peppers
● Bell peppers
