I have been getting SO MANY questions lately on foods that I'm eating and loving, so I decided to draw up a little list here (who doesn't love lists?!) to share my top TEN faves with you all so that you can go try them too! (Or continue eating them if you do already).
*These are some of my favourite spices to add to anything and everything. From left to right: curry, cinnamon, parsley, chilli powder*
Food stuff is a funny topic.
There are SO many different modalities out there telling you what to eat, when to eat, how to eat, etc. A person could go crazy trying to figure out which "diet" is best suited for them.
At the end of the day you need to find a style of eating that makes you FEEL and FUNCTION at your optimum level. That's the secret.
And can we ditch the whole "I'm starting my diet on Monday" BS?? That's so last year. We're complex beings with needs for complex nutrition, and depleting anything from your diet is only going to lead to you binging eventually anyways. Stop the yo-yo madness and let's ENJOY the foods we're eating WHILE nourishing ourselves.
What a novel idea, hey?
For example:
Sometimes I really enjoy eating local meats like bacon, chicken, steak, bison, moose, etc. But I'm not Keto or Paleo or Meatatarian (yes, that's a thing, look it up)
Sometimes I really enjoy eating plant-based meals like chickpea curries, mushroom sweet potato burgers, eggplant parmesan, etc. But I'm not vegan or vegetarian.
At the end of the day there are SO many different styles of eating, that it really doesn't matter what "category" you define yourself by. You know YOU best. That's all that matters. Figure out what foods make you feel amazing and eat them! (you know you're lying to yourself if you just thought about eating mac and cheese every day forever... )
I always like to tell people "I have a diet, I'm not on a diet." Because it's true!
Sure, I have celiac disease and am allergic to dairy, preservatives and a few other things, but eating gluten free and dairy free doesn't limit me much to be honest and I try my best not to DEFINE myself by it!
It's all about finding the FOODS that make you feel amazing and nourished and eating more of those.
And knowing the FOODS that make you feel tired and craptastic and choosing not to eat as many of those.
Simple as pie.
Alright enough rambling from me. Without further adieu, here is a list of my top TEN favourite foods that you might not already be eating, but should try out (and no, I am not being paid to suggest these - yet!)
1) MCT OIL
Brand: Alpha
Found at: Most local health food stores
Why I love it:
Medium Chain Triglycerides (aka good fats from coconuts) are an easily digested form of healthy fat that don't need to be converted to energy by the liver. MCTs are burned in the body as fuel instead of stored as fat, so I like to have it first thing in the morning! I drink one tsp blended in my organic coffee (with a splash of almond milk) and top it with cinnamon. The oil molecules combined with the caffeine molecules mean I get longer lasting energy all morning long! Happy brain and happy tummy from this stuff!
2) COCONUT YOGURT
Brand: Silk
Found at: Superstore, Sobeys, Safeway
Why I love it:
Having a dairy allergy can be tough, especially when trying to find replacement foods that you can still enjoy (remember rice milk? GROSS.) I started eating coconut yogurt a couple years ago when I read up on gut health and probiotics. I personally HATE taking pills, and would rather supplement the foods I need to get the nutrients I need, so coconut yogurt was a nice addition to my diet! Some people opt to purchase probiotics in pill/liquid form (most are grown in dairy cultures, so beware), and others (like myself) opt to get probiotics from food!
My personal faves that I try to get in at least 1/2 cup of each day are: coconut yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha! I also drink shakeology , which has pre AND probiotics in it for optimal gut health. I buy plain coconut yogurt and add 1-2 drops vanilla stevia for sweetness!
3) ROASTED SEA WEED
Brand: Sea Snacks
Found at: Costco + Health food stores/aisles
Why I love it:
In the 50s, people used iodized table salt to add to their foods. As the food industry started adding more and more salt to their products, we started getting diseases caused by high sodium levels and people stopped doing this. If you're like me and are mindful of the processed foods you eat aka eat a predominantly "earth to table" diet, then you may not be getting in enough minerals like iodine, iron, calcium and copper in your diet. Seaweed is CHOCK FULL of awesomeness, including soluble fiber, protein and vitamins, but is low in fat and caloric value. I buy these sea snack packs (even though the amount of plastic used kind of makes me sad) and enjoy them on the run or in between meals, when I crave something salty! The wasabi kind is good too if you're looking to "spice" things up!
4) MEDJOOL DATES
Brand: Natural Delights
Found at: Health food stores/aisles
Why I love them:
I try to limit my sugar intake big time. My gut and skin really get inflamed when I consume sugar, so replacing regular sugar with things like honey, maple syrup and dates has been really impactful for me! Medjool dates are NATURALLY sweet and FULL of vitamins and minerals, but they still are higher on the sugar containment scale. You only need to eat a couple in order to feel satiated, so don't go buck nasty and eat 15 in a sitting. I like to cut them in half and top crunchy all natural peanut butter on these as a mid day snack or while I'm cooking supper! Dates are also an AWESOME addition to any baking you're doing! Chop them up and use in muffins, breads, overnight oats, etc.
5) ADAPTOGENIC HERBS / VEGAN PROTEIN / SUPERFOODS
Brand: Shakeology
Found at: Go here to try it for yourself
Why I love it:
I used to spend HUNDREDS of dollars on herbs and vitamins and supplements from the health store. Growing up with health issues, I came to appreciate supplementing alongside a healthy, balanced diet. But the issue with this? It's friggin expensive!! Dropping $200 at one time was not uncommon for me, as I tried to get ingredients like cacao nibs, ashwaganda (stress herb), rhodiola (another stress herb), maca, matcha (green tea antioxidant), gingko and more in my diet. Not to mention trying to source a healthy, QUALITY vegan protein powder for my daily smoothies. Ugh, was that ever a battle. You really get what you pay for, so be wary of anything that costs less than $80 for a bag. And then I found Shakeology. Saved my damn gut. You can read all about that HERE. But take it from someone who's struggled for YEARS with IBS, Celiac Disease, crappy immune system etc. and who's been drinking this stuff for 3 years straight? It is WORTH every penny! LIFE CHANGER.
6) VEGAN MAYO
Brand: Vegenaise
Found at: Health food stores/aisles
Why I love it:
Again with the dairy allergy, finding GOOD replacement products to use when all you want is a delicious sammy is tough! Bring in Vegenaise, better than mayo (it doesn't have old, nasty eggs in it) and uses only Non-GMO, heart healthy oils like flax and olive. Am I saying go dunk your head in the stuff? No. But using vegenaise instead of mayo has been so enjoyable for me, has significantly reduced my intake of yucky oils AND I STILL GET TO HAVE THE SANDWICH!!
7) APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Brand: Bragg
Found at: Health food stores/aisles
Why I love it:
As someone who often deals with gut upset, inflammation from leaky gut, blood sugar imbalances, etc. learning about something as beneficial as apple cider vinegar, or ACV, was miraculous. Not only does it help stabilize blood sugar levels, improve gut health, aid in weight loss and alkalinize the body, but if you drink it first thing in the morning as a tea, it also helps with digestion and getting your metabolism started! I mix 1 tsp ACV with 1/2 tsp manuka honey, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp turmeric, splash lemon juice and 12 oz. hot water first thing in the morning before I have my coffee! It's sweet, a little acidic, and leaves me feeling awesome when I do it consistently!
8) MANUKA HONEY
Brand: Manuka Health (100% New Zealand Manuka Honey)
Found at: Most health food stores
Why I love it:
If you were looking for a miracle food, this is it. Manuka honey can be used for EVERYTHING. Literally. You can eat it (I put it in my ACV tea in the morning or in baking or salad dressings), you can use it topically (I do a manuka honey facemask with cinnamon 2x a week) and you can treat wounds, burns, scars and infections (like MRSA!!) with it. Manuka honey is truly an incredible food. The higher the pollen count, the better on this one. A small jar goes for roughly $34 CAD, and it's worth EVERY penny.
9) GF NUT BARS WITHOUT ADDED CRAP
Brand: Lara Bars
Found at: Most grocery stores!
Why I love them:
In a pinch, a Lara Bar is the perfect snack. There are a bunch of different flavours, they have 5 or less ingredients and the combination of nuts, dates, coconut, etc. is excellent for a quick hit of healthy energy. I personally LOVE the coconut cream bars as well as the lemon ones. Lara bars are an easy, portable snack that you can feel excited about and won't leave you with a sugar spike and crash like most "granola" bars will!
10) CHIA SEEDS
Brand: Any, so long as it's 100% chia seeds
Found at: Most grocery stores in the health aisle
Why I love them:
Most people think we have a "protein" deficiency problem, when really most of us are dealing with a fibre deficiency problem. Chia seeds are LOADED with healthy fibre, protein, omega-3s, iron, calcium and antioxidants. Seriously. Epic seed!!! My only caution: do not overdo it with chia seeds since they soak up up to 12x their body weight in water and can dehydrate you and hurt your gut lining if you over consume. I use 1/2 tsp in smoothies, muffins or even use it as an egg replacer when I'm out of organic eggs by mixing 1 Tbsp chia seeds with 2 Tbsp water in a bowl until gel forms. These have been a staple in my diet for many years now and I LOVE mixing them with flax meal and hemp hearts in a glass jar to add to my smoothies!
There you have it! 10 of my TOP fave foods that you might not already be eating and should try!
I could honestly make a list of 30 foods that I really love and eat often, but that'll wait for another day.
If you struggle with knowing what kinds and how much food to consume so that you FEEL and LOOK amazing, reach out! I'm always looking to connect with new clients and help you figure out a path that's right for you with regards to your health and wellness.
Until next time, Happy Tuesday, ya'll!!
xo Marie