Eating a varied diet is fundamentally important for optimal health and weight.
We cannot know what vitamin is in this food, what mineral is in that one, which fibre will feed this bacteria, which phytonutrient will solve this complex issue, which antioxidant will give my immune system a boost….
BUT we can make sure we eat a varied diet full of colour. Just the simple act of swapping in a salad leaf you normally buy for one that is more unusual is a great way to do this. It sounds so simple but we are all creatures of habit and tend to buy the same things every week!
@tim.spector is promoting 30 different plant based foods a week as a great baseline for variety.
So when you next go shopping:
👏Open your eyes and look at all the different salads they have, and other vegetables you may walk past…
👏Buy something you don’t normally get.
👏Be open to new things
👏Push yourself to try something you aren’t sure about
The curly endive in the salad I ate today is a good example of something you may not normally go for but is utterly delicious and has great health benefits:
👉In particular chicory is a source of bitter foods meaning it contains liver boosting nutrients, such as sulphur, necessary for the body to be able to produce bile, required for optimal digestion. Bile emulsifies fats and makes fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K) more readily available.
👉As we get older our liver needs all the support we can give it, and bitter foods challenge the liver and make it work, helping it to remain healthy: it is important to exercise our liver, like we exercise muscles. A liver that is frequently challenged by bitter foods is more adept at processing some sweet foods.
👉Great source of vitamin K, vital for bone health
👉Rich in antioxidants such as quercetin which support the immune system
👉High in potassium and folate, great for heart health
☎️If you aren’t sure where to start but would love to improve your health, lower your cholesterol, reduce weight, have support on your journey, need weekly accountability to get motivated, get in touch for a free discovery call and find out how I can help