Dietitian's Favorites: Purchased Butter, Plus 7 Other Unprocessed Food Items Endorsed
Get Your Non-Ultra Processed Munchies On!
When it comes to eating healthy, Tara Collingwood, a certified sports dietitian, suggests avoiding ultra-processed foods and feasting on these 8 non-ultra-processed goodies instead.
Whipped Salted Butter
Butter might not be your go-to for health benefits, but it ain't ultra-processed, either. Tara enjoys the ease of using whipped salted butter, as it spreads like a dream, reducing the amount she uses compared to a stick of butter. Plus, the salt adds a punch of flavor without going overboard on her sodium intake for the day[2].
Veggie Power
Veggies—spinach, broccoli, carrots, peppers, kale, and cauliflower—are essential additions to your plate. Not only are they fiber-rich and chock-full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, but they're vital for keeping your gut happy and warding off diseases[3].
Nature's Candy: Whole Fruits
Fruits, like apples, grapes, berries, bananas, and oranges, are wallet-friendly and packed with natural sugars, fiber, vitamins, and polyphenols[4]. You'll stay energized and get a healthy dose of antioxidants to fend off those pesky free radicals.
Nuts and Seeds for the Win
Walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and sunflower seeds offer a nutritious boost in your diet. These powerhouses are loaded with healthy fats, plant protein, and essential micronutrients that promote heart health and keep you feeling satisfied[5].
Get Crackin' with Eggs
Eggs are nature's perfect protein package – all the essential amino acids you need in one neat little package[6]. They're also rich in choline, a nutrient crucial for brain and liver health.
Complex Carbs, AKA Good Carbs
Don't fear all carbs; complex carbohydrates like whole-grain rice, quinoa, oats, and barley are fiber-rich and full of B vitamins, providing sustained energy and supporting digestive health[7].
Plain Dairy for the Win
Plain Greek yogurt, milk, and cottage cheese make excellent additions to your plate. These dairy products are brimming with calcium, protein, and probiotics (especially if they're fermented), helping keep your bones strong and your gut healthy[8].
Legumes: A Protein Powerhouse
Legumes, such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, and black beans, deliver fiber, protein, and nutrients in ONE Package. These versatile players are filling, blood sugar-friendly, and a marvelous plant-based protein source[9].
Good Eats Ahead!
Take the leap from ultra-processed to non-ultra and reap the rewards of a healthier diet that's rich in whole, minimally processed foods[1]. Happy munching!
- Fun Fact: Chia seeds have been used as a food source for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations.
- Expert Tip: Opt for grass-fed butter for even more healthy fats[10].
- Tara Collingwood, a certified sports dietitian, recommends including nature's candy, whole fruits, in your diet for their natural sugars, fiber, vitamins, and polyphenols.
- Nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and sunflower seeds offer a nutritious boost to your diet, providing healthy fats, plant protein, and essential micronutrients.
- When it comes to cooking, adopting a plant-based lifestyle can be beneficial as legumes, such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, and black beans, are filling, blood sugar-friendly, and a fantastic plant-based protein source.
- For those who enjoy baking and cooking, incorporating whole grains like whole-grain rice, quinoa, oats, and barley into your recipes can provide sustained energy and support digestive health.
- Science supports the consumption of healthy fats to improve heart health, and nuts like walnuts and seeds like chia seeds can help meet this need.
- To maintain a healthy lifestyle, one should focus on a balanced diet rich in nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, found in foods like veggies (spinach, broccoli, carrots, peppers, kale, and cauliflower) and fruits.
