Invest In Your Health
Finding the right foods when shopping is an crucial skill as a consumer. It is important to be mindful how each item costs, to your wallet and the environment (which includes you). Many consumers will also make their food choices based on taste, price, convenience, appearance and shelf life. However, our innate desire to eat is ultimately driven to obtain nutrients. Given this, it is important to be aware of the various factors that affect nutrients in food, and its relation to health.
Factors Affecting the Nutrients in Food & the Relationship to Health
What to purchase
Produce*
Leafy Greens
Cilantro
Lettuce (romaine or red leaf)
Rainbow chard
Spinach
Apiaceacous Vegetables
Carrot
Celery
Parsley
Cruciferous Vegetables
Bok choy
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collard green
Kale
Root vegetables
Beet
Garlic
Ginger
Leek
Onion (green and red)
Shallot
Sweet potato (garnet or jewel)
Turmeric
Fruit vegetables
Bell pepper
Cucumber
Jalapeño
Squash (summer or winter)
Tomato
Zucchini
Misc. vegetables
Asparagus
Mushrooms**
(technically not vegetables)
Crimini
Shiitake
White
Citrus fruit
Lemon
Lime
Orange
Misc. Fruit
Apple
Avocado
Banana
Kiwi
Peach
Pear
Plum
Pomegranate
Watermelon
Berries**
Blueberry
Blackberry
Raspberry
Strawberry
Bulk*
Spices
Black peppercorn
Cayenne
Chili powder
Chipotle
Cinnamon
Cumin
Curry powder
Garlic powder
Himalayan salt
Lavender
Mustard seed
Onion powder
Oregano
Paprika
Red crush pepper
Sage
Thyme
Turmeric
Beans
Adzuki
Black
Chick pea
Garbanzo
Great northern
Green
Lentil
Pinto
Whole grains
Buckwheat groat (raw)
Rolled oat***
Quinoa (tricolor)
Quinoa flour
Nuts
Almond
Nut butter (almond or cashew)
Brazil nut
Cashew
Walnut
Seeds
Broccoli (sprouting)
Chia
Flax
Hemp
Poppy
Pumpkin
Sesame
Sunflower
Oil
Coconut oil (cold-pressed, unrefined, and virgin)
Olive oil (extra virgin)
Misc. bulk
Apple cider vinegar
Beet powder
Green tea
Matcha
Spirulina
Animal products*
Chicken breast (skinless and boneless)
Egg (pasture raised)
Honey (LOCAL and raw)
Kefir (plain, unsweetened and unpasteurized)
Water
Reverse osmosis
Processed foods*
Almond milk (unsweetened and vanilla)
Bread (Alvarado's; sprouted multigrain)
Cracker (Mary's gone crackers; original)
Hot sauce (O' brother, that's hot; chipotle)
Ice cream (Vixen's kitchen; vanilla)
Kombucha (GT's; Synergy)
Tempeh (Lightlife; original)
Supplements
Diatomaceous earth
Krill oil
Probiotics
Vitamin D3
Whey protein powder (grass fed)*
* Organic, ** Seasonal, *** Gluten-Free, Local when possible
Leafy Greens
Cilantro
Lettuce (romaine or red leaf)
Rainbow chard
Spinach
Apiaceacous Vegetables
Carrot
Celery
Parsley
Cruciferous Vegetables
Bok choy
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Collard green
Kale
Root vegetables
Beet
Garlic
Ginger
Leek
Onion (green and red)
Shallot
Sweet potato (garnet or jewel)
Turmeric
Fruit vegetables
Bell pepper
Cucumber
Jalapeño
Squash (summer or winter)
Tomato
Zucchini
Misc. vegetables
Asparagus
Mushrooms**
(technically not vegetables)
Crimini
Shiitake
White
Citrus fruit
Lemon
Lime
Orange
Misc. Fruit
Apple
Avocado
Banana
Kiwi
Peach
Pear
Plum
Pomegranate
Watermelon
Berries**
Blueberry
Blackberry
Raspberry
Strawberry
Bulk*
Spices
Black peppercorn
Cayenne
Chili powder
Chipotle
Cinnamon
Cumin
Curry powder
Garlic powder
Himalayan salt
Lavender
Mustard seed
Onion powder
Oregano
Paprika
Red crush pepper
Sage
Thyme
Turmeric
Beans
Adzuki
Black
Chick pea
Garbanzo
Great northern
Green
Lentil
Pinto
Whole grains
Buckwheat groat (raw)
Rolled oat***
Quinoa (tricolor)
Quinoa flour
Nuts
Almond
Nut butter (almond or cashew)
Brazil nut
Cashew
Walnut
Seeds
Broccoli (sprouting)
Chia
Flax
Hemp
Poppy
Pumpkin
Sesame
Sunflower
Oil
Coconut oil (cold-pressed, unrefined, and virgin)
Olive oil (extra virgin)
Misc. bulk
Apple cider vinegar
Beet powder
Green tea
Matcha
Spirulina
Animal products*
Chicken breast (skinless and boneless)
Egg (pasture raised)
Honey (LOCAL and raw)
Kefir (plain, unsweetened and unpasteurized)
Water
Reverse osmosis
Processed foods*
Almond milk (unsweetened and vanilla)
Bread (Alvarado's; sprouted multigrain)
Cracker (Mary's gone crackers; original)
Hot sauce (O' brother, that's hot; chipotle)
Ice cream (Vixen's kitchen; vanilla)
Kombucha (GT's; Synergy)
Tempeh (Lightlife; original)
Supplements
Diatomaceous earth
Krill oil
Probiotics
Vitamin D3
Whey protein powder (grass fed)*
* Organic, ** Seasonal, *** Gluten-Free, Local when possible
| Grocery List |
Processed Foods
Ideally, all nutrients should be obtained from whole foods. When shopping for processed foods, in general, the option with the least ingredients is best. Watch for and avoid products with added sugar and additives.