My 25 Tried & Tested Healthy Food Tips
Guided by science and my taste buds.
Welcome to a fortnightly newsletter for those who aim to face the challenges ageing brings with resilience and humour. I explore the ideas and experiences of living in the second half of life. For the last 30 years, I’ve been following the science of living healthily, mentally and physically, and putting it into practice. I continue to learn and share this knowledge in posts, podcasts, and videos. Subscribe to my newsletter for access to them. A paid subscription gives you access to the whole archive plus videos and sometimes extra posts just for you.
25 Healthy Food Tips
In my forties, I became a vegetarian and took up yoga. This began a health kick I continue today, thirty years later. Recent articles about health research are always a draw for me and I use the results to guide my own way of living. I’m setting out below a list of some pointers regarding diet I’ve researched and put into practice over the years.
We know that keeping moving and eating healthily is the best way to enter our older years fit and well. I continue to eat a healthy, balanced diet, guided by science (and my taste buds), and I move like a person younger than my years. A favourite activity is climbing the hills surrounding the town where I live.
I’ve added fish to my mainly plant-based, Mediterranean-style, food choices. These tips and pointers about food are the results of my findings regarding my own practice of what I eat and I hope they will interest you. I hope, too, that the recipe will appeal to you. It’s simple and so useful for snacks, I love it.
Bread. Rye or wholegrain sourdough bread is best because it only has three ingredients: flour, water, and salt. Supermarkets sell it but it won’t be genuine sourdough and there will be additives, even sugar. I buy mine from a local baker who slices it, I then take out what I need from the loaf and freeze the rest: a couple of slices in several freezer bags for later use.
The healthiest food is the least processed. Ultra-processed meats, such as ham, bacon, sausages, luncheon meat, etc., are harmful and to be avoided. Cooking from scratch when possible is healthier than ready-cooked. There are many ultra-processed plant-based alternatives and they should not be included in a healthy diet. They contain additives and preservatives that science tells us don’t positively affect our health.
Porridge oats are best when they are least processed, as in steel cut or whole oats, not flaked. I eat them as part of my daily diet.
Olive oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil created from one source is arguably the best quality and most flavoursome. It’s made from the first pressing of the olives without heat or chemicals so the minimal processing preserves the flavours and nutrients in the olives. A dark glass bottle is the best container and should be stored out of the light.
Avocados are a source of healthy fat packed with other health benefits. Eating too many in a short space of time might lead to weight gain. I eat around two a week. I stopped eating them for a while when I saw a YouTube video with two scientists discussing a research study where older women in the study who consumed avocados were found to develop breast cancer - The Moss Report. This goes against all that science has found about the health benefits of the fruit. I do like them, though, and I hope the benefits outweigh the risks.
Beetroot is good for lowering blood pressure. You can liquidise it in a blender and put it in smoothies or eat it pickled in vinegar.
Berries are nutritious and wholesome, especially blueberries but all berries are good for you.
Spinach drizzled with olive oil to accompany dishes is especially nutritious.
Spinach and kale are both good for your eyes as they contain lutein. I have them in smoothies. I became concerned about the amount I had in smoothies when it was brought to my attention that both greens contain oxalates, which can be harmful to the kidneys and may create kidney stones. However, Kale is kinder to the kidneys as it has far fewer. I have both, but Kale more often than Spinach for that reason.
Yogurt. Greek yogurt has consistently been found to be the best. The name refers to the method of making the yogurt, not the country. It’s made by straining regular yogurt to remove extra liquid and whey, making it thicker and denser with twice the amount of protein and less sugar than traditional yogurt. It’s full of probiotics and other essential nutrients. I have a dessert spoonful on my morning porridge.
Gut Health: Sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir are good for stomach bacteria. Eat a diverse range of rainbow-coloured plants to benefit from all the nutrients they contain. This will help your gut microbiome, which will bolster your immune system. I love sauerkraut and eat it often but I’m considering a probiotic supplement as the vinegar makes my teeth sensitive afterwards, even after swishing around with water to clear it. I used to make kefir regularly and am considering starting again.
Matcha tea - a richer, perhaps more palatable version of green tea. I prefer it anyway.
Coffee. Research indicates the filter method of brewing coffee is the healthiest, as the filter removes the diterpenes in the coffee that raise cholesterol levels. A Norwegian study with over 500,000 participants found that drinking unfiltered coffee is associated with a higher mortality risk than filtered. I now have two cups of filtered decaffeinated most days, it was recommended to reduce caffeine for eye pressure health (I have pre-glaucoma). Adding Ceylon cinnamon to your cup of coffee to enhance the taste is recommended by various sources and is something I plan to try.
Seeds. Sunflower, chia, pumpkin, sesame, and flaxseeds can be blitzed in a blender to make them easier to digest, and sprinkled on porridge. They are a source of healthy fats, fibre, plant-based protein, vitamins and minerals.
Fish. Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel are particularly healthy.
Supplements. I take Vitamin D + K2, B complex, magnesium, zinc, and Omega 3 capsules. I used to take glucosamine for joint health but discovered that for people with glaucoma, it worsens the eye pressure, so now I take collagen instead. Inulin is a fibre supplement that helps get rid of the fat around our waistlines and I use it if my weight creeps up.
Garlic. I’m a long-time consumer of garlic, having been made aware of its health properties early on, and I like the taste. It lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and is a cure for colds. It contains vitamin C and B6, manganese and selenium, and a chemical called allicin, a type of antioxidant also found in onions.
Beans and legumes. Dried and/or tinned. Black beans, azuki beans, kidney beans, butter beans, cannellini beans, soybeans, chickpeas, and lentils can be used in salads, stews, curries, or on toast. You can also make a delicious spread with them. I found this recipe in a forum for plant-based eaters online and I love it.
Cannelli Butter
Place cannellini beans (or butterbeans) in a blender with a couple of garlic cloves and a drizzle of olive oil. This makes a delicious base for a spread. Add basil or sundried tomatoes to give even more flavour, spread it on sourdough toast or a corn cake or rice cake, and top with slices of cucumber, tomato or avocado.
Frozen vegetables are as good for you as fresh ones, maybe even better because they have been frozen as close to picking as possible, whereas vegetables bought in a shop have travelled some distance unless they are local.
Pasta. Wholewheat or other basic ingredients now used to make it, such as lentils, chickpeas, etc., are healthier than pasta made with white flour.
Avoid palm oil. It’s in everything so read the labels. It has carcinogenic properties and is also bad for the planet.
Dark chocolate is best but limit the amount as it has been found to contain heavy metals, which the digestive system can cope with in tiny portions but eat a lot and you are ingesting too much for your body, which can be harmful.
Nuts. A daily handful is beneficial to your health. I put mine on my morning porridge. Almonds and walnuts are my favourites, but any variety will do, or a mix.
Cheese. Cottage cheese, feta, goat’s cheese, ricotta, and mozzarella are all the least processed and are low in calories and saturated fat. I love them all. I love extra mature Cheddar, too, and “smelly” cheeses but limit them because of the risk of high cholesterol.
Salt. Excess sodium is one of the three causes of death and disease. It causes kidney disease and high blood pressure. I gave it up a long time ago, both table salt and adding it to my cooking. Just like giving up sugar, you get used to it eventually and it helps to know you’re doing your body a big favour. It’s in so many foods you buy you don’t need to add any more.
A disclaimer: I am not a medical expert. The research used for these tips has been carried out for my own use and I suggest you check with your medical advisor if you want to make major changes to your diet to try them for yourself.
A way to lend one-time support for my work, if you so wish - tip your server with a £4 hot chocolate: https://ko-fi.com/patriciacusack
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From the archive: Eat Well To Be Well
I love reading a beautiful list like this and can say I’m doing at least 80% of that. Couple of little things I add that you did t specifically mention…
Hemp seeds. Can add a crunch to salads
Brazil nuts. 2 a day in addition to an ounce of homemade roasted almonds and 3 or so raw walnuts.