3469: The Daily Dozen: 12 Foods I Eat (Almost) Every Day by Danielle Omar of Food Confidence on Healthy Eating Habits

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[00:00:30] This is Optimal Health Daily, The Daily Dozen, 12 Foods I Eat Almost Every Day by Danielle Omar of FoodConfidence.com. And I'm Dr. Neal, your very own host and narrator. Hey there, welcome back to Optimal Health Daily, where I read to you from some of the most popular health and fitness blogs out there, with permission from the websites, and always with a bit of my commentary at the end.

[00:00:53] Alright, and with that, let's keep this intro nice and short so we can get right to today's post as we optimize your life. The Daily Dozen, 12 Foods I Eat Almost Every Day by Danielle Omar of FoodConfidence.com. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by nutrition advice. Surprisingly, most of my clients' concerns are about nutrients and not food.

[00:01:22] They don't know if they're getting what they need from their diet and they're confused about what foods are actually good for them. Surprised to hear that? Well, it doesn't help that the popular media puts out ridiculous articles about fruit making them fat, or vegetables making them sick. Anti-nutrients? Really? If an article starts with the words, never, or must, please, take it with a grain of salt.

[00:01:46] Here's the thing, a nutrient-rich diet is definitely what you're striving for, but that doesn't mean you have to track every single nutrient you eat. Eating foods that nourish your body is important, but getting the nutrients you need every day shouldn't be overwhelming. I like to say that healthy habits add up to a healthy lifestyle, so I try to focus on what I can do on a daily basis to nourish myself. And that's where my Daily Dozen list comes into play.

[00:02:15] Inspired by Dr. Greger, author of the book How Not to Die, My Daily Dozen is a list of foods I try to get in every day in order to nourish my body and enjoy my meals. These are my staples, and they make up the foundation of what I eat on a consistent basis. If I know I'm eating these foods almost every day, I'm getting in what I need for optimal health. I encourage you to come up with your own Daily Dozen list too. Here are mine. 1. Beans

[00:02:45] Beans are packed with fiber and protein, and they're loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are a key component of all of the healthiest diets in the world. I get my daily bean fix by draining canned beans and using them in salads, wraps, pasta dishes, and more. I also eat soy foods like tempeh and tofu, and by dipping veggies in hummus, or by eating fresh shelled edamame as a snack. 2. Olive oil

[00:03:13] Olive oil is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and is a key component of the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease by lowering LDL or bad cholesterol and reducing inflammation. I opt for extra virgin olive oil, the unprocessed oil released from the first press of olives, to help reap all of the nutritious benefits, and use it on salads, stir-fries, roasted veggies, and more each day.

[00:03:42] I pretty much use olive oil for everything. 3. Omega-3s Omega-3 fatty acids are well known for their anti-inflammatory and heart health benefits, so I try to eat foods that include them daily. Although I've certainly done it, eating salmon every day gets monotonous and expensive, so I aim for a variety of omega-3 rich foods like tuna, flax seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds, and I rotate them every day.

[00:04:11] When salmon isn't on my dinner menu, chia seed pudding is. I also make sure to include flax or hemp seeds in my morning smoothie or as a topper for oatmeal or yogurt. 4. Avocado Avocados are an everyday staple in my diet. They're high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, brain-boosting lutein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They're filling, nutritious, and super tasty, not to mention versatile.

[00:04:39] Avocados are great mashed onto toast, sliced onto a salad, pureed into a sauce or dressing, or blended into a smoothie. 5. Eggs Eggs are a great source of protein in the morning. I never skip the yolk. It's packed with fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E, minerals, and brain-boosting lutein. One of my favorite breakfasts from my nourish program is a big bowl of greens with mashed avocado and soft-boiled eggs on top.

[00:05:07] It's so satisfying and includes three of my daily dozen ingredients in one meal. 6. Bread That's right, I eat bread every day because I love bread and I truly enjoy eating it. If I'm not toasting up some pita on my stove, I've got sprouted bread in the pantry. Sprouted bread is whole grain and flourless but packed with fiber, so it's one of my favorite healthy carbs.

[00:05:32] I've yet to find a more tasty breakfast than avocado toast with a fried egg or topped with smoked salmon. And when I'm in the mood for really good crusty sourdough, it makes the perfect accompaniment to a big salad or a bowl of soup. 7. Fermented Foods Fermented foods contain the healthy bacteria that help support your immune system and gut health.

[00:05:56] When your gut microbiota is out of balance, it can lead to things like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and, for women, yeast infections. Most of us get our live cultures from yogurt, but other fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, and miso are also great sources. I usually blend yogurt into smoothies, top sandwiches, and egg dishes with kimchi or sauerkraut, or cook with tempeh for dinner to get my probiotics in daily.

[00:06:24] 8. Berries and Fruit Berries are some of the most antioxidant-rich fruits out there, thanks to anti-inflammatory compounds like polyphenols and anthocyanins. Berries have been found to help control blood sugar, improve heart health, and support cognitive health. But they're not the only type of fruit that's worth including in your daily dozen. Fruit, in general, is full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And they're associated with healthy weight in women.

[00:06:53] I buy berries and other fruits fresh when they're in season. Or, frozen year-round to blend into smoothies, top yogurt and oatmeal, or eat as a snack. 9. Salad Salads are a great way to load up on veggies and incorporate other healthy ingredients, like beans, avocado, olive oil, and more, into a filling meal.

[00:07:14] I like to top my salads with roasted veggies, cheese, nuts and seeds, hearts of palm, beets, shredded carrots, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, black beans, lentils, salmon, avocado, or eggs. Just to keep it interesting. When it comes to my base, I usually toss in a few different greens and rotate my favorites, including arugula, endive, and butter lettuce. 10. Dark chocolate

[00:07:42] I couldn't go a day without a little dark chocolate. Eating a square of 60-70% dark chocolate every night is part of my sugar strategy, so I've chosen wisely to incorporate sweet things that I really enjoy. Creating a sugar strategy is my number one tip for ending your battle with sugar cravings, and it's a key step in my Nourish program. Plus, one could argue that dark chocolate is a health food in its own right.

[00:08:07] A recent study found that eating 70% cacao dark chocolate had positive effects on stress, inflammation, mood, memory, and immunity. I'll take it. 11. Cruciferous vegetables Cruciferous vegetables contain phytonutrients that can help lower inflammation and prevent cancer. Most cruciferous vegetables are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamins like folate, vitamin K, and vitamin C.

[00:08:35] And they're all-around nutritional powerhouses. They get special mention on my list because I try really hard to eat a serving or two of these superfoods every day. I love to roast brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower as an easy side dish or base for a power bowl at lunch. They always make their way into my day, one way or another. And 12. Hydrating beverages Hydration is an important part of staying healthy. But here's the thing.

[00:09:04] I'm not the best at drinking water. I like my beverages to have a little flavor to them, so plain water hardly ever does the trick for quenching my thirst. That's why I make sure to keep plenty of kombucha and iced hibiscus tea in my fridge or a glass of chia fresca. Having options on hand that are hydrating and flavorful helps ensure that I stay hydrated while I avoid my water bottle all day long. You just listened to the post titled,

[00:09:34] The Daily Dozen, 12 Foods I Eat Almost Every Day, by Danielle Omar of foodconfidence.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. One thing I love about summer is how easy everything feels. The days are a little more relaxed, and I find myself reaching for the same comfortable go-anywhere pieces again and again. And Quince has exactly that. Quince's 100% European linen pants and shirts are lightweight, breathable, and easy to just throw on, starting at just $34.

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[00:11:56] The other day I was playing a game with my friends where we'd ask each other things like, if you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be? And what's your go-to movie to watch when you're sick at home? Someone then asked, if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? My first thought was pizza, since I love pizza. But then I remembered how I feel after eating four slices of my favorite pizza. Not great,

[00:12:24] and I usually don't crave pizza for at least a couple of weeks. Then I thought about what I tend to eat most days of the week in some way. And it's one of the foods today's author, Danielle, mentioned. Can you guess what my answer was? It's salad. I know, I know, big surprise. Dr. Neil picked salad as one of the foods he could eat every day. And by the way, that was the same reaction my friends had. But think about it. You can get so creative when making a salad. And in fact, in today's article,

[00:12:54] Danielle talked about all the different toppings she includes on her salad depending on the day. I mean, you can make the traditional salad with your regular old romaine lettuce, of course. But then there are bean salads, pasta salads, Asian-inspired salads, barbecue chicken salads, pizza-themed salads. You get the idea. In fact, I was able to convince my friends that eating salad every day wasn't such a bad response to this hypothetical. Now the question is, have I convinced you?

[00:13:23] All right, that'll do it for today. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for being a follower or subscriber of the show. I hope you have a great rest of your day. And of course, I'll see you back here tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.