THE WORLD'S HEALTHIEST FOODS

whole, natural, nutrient-rich and economical

131 foods that can serve as the basis of your Healthiest Way of Eating.

Of course, there are many other nutritious foods other than those included on the list that are wonderful, health-promoting foods; if there are other whole foods - such as fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, etc - that you like, by all means enjoy them. Just because a food is not on the list doesn't mean that it can’t be included in a diet geared towards the Healthiest Way of Eating as long as it is a whole, natural, nutrient-rich food.

Vegetables: Asparagus Avocados Beets Bell peppers Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Collard greens Cucumbers Eggplant Fennel Garlic Green beans Green peas Kale Leeks Mushrooms, crimini Mushrooms, shiitake Mustard greens Olives Onions Potatoes Romaine lettuce Sea vegetables Spinach Squash, summer Squash, winter Sweet potatoes Swiss chard Tofu and Tempeh Tomatoes Turnip greens Yams

Seafood: Cod Halibut Salmon Sardines Scallops Shrimp Tuna Fruits Apples Apricots Bananas Blueberries Cantaloupe Cranberries Figs Grapefruit Grapes Kiwifruit Lemon/Limes Oranges Papaya Pears Pineapple Plums Prunes Raisins Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon

Eggs & Low-Fat Dairy: Cheese, low-fat Eggs Milk, 2%, cow's Milk, goat Yogurt

Beans & Legumes: Black beans Dried peas Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) Kidney beans Lentils Lima beans Miso Navy beans Pinto beans Soybeans Tempeh Tofu

Poultry & Lean Meats: Beef, lean organic Calf's liver Chicken Lamb Turkey Venison

Nuts, Seeds & Oils: Almonds Cashews Flaxseeds Olive oil, extra virgin Peanuts Pumpkin seeds Sesame seeds Sunflower seeds Walnuts

Grains: Barley Brown rice Buckwheat Corn Millet Oats Quinoa Rye Spelt Whole wheat

Spices & Herbs: Basil Black pepper Cayenne pepper Chili pepper, dried Cilantro/Coriander seeds Cinnamon, ground Cloves Cumin seeds Dill Ginger Mustard seeds Oregano Parsley Peppermint Rosemary Sage Thyme Turmeric

Natural Sweeteners: Blackstrap molasses Cane juice Honey Maple syrup

Other: Green tea Soy sauce (tamari) Water

Criteria for The World's Healthiest Foods
Among the thousands of different foods our world provides, the majority contain at least several of the nutrients our bodies need but to be included as one of the World's Healthiest Foods they had to meet the criteria listed below. The criteria we used will also help you understand why some of your favorite (and also nutritious) foods may not be included on our list. For example, pomegranate, a very nutritious food, is not included. While pomegranates taste great and are rich in vitamins and flavonoid phytonutrients, they are still rather expensive which makes them not as widely available to many people.

1. The World's Healthiest Foods are the Most Nutrient Dense
The World's Healthiest Foods have been selected because they are among the richest sources of many of the essential nutrients needed for optimal health. A concept called nutrient density is used to determine which foods have the highest nutritional value. Nutrient density is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food contains in comparison to the number of calories. A food is more nutrient dense when the level of nutrients is high in relationship to the number of calories the food contains. By eating the World's Healthiest Foods, you'll get all the essential nutrients that you need for excellent health, including vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, fiber and more for the least number of calories.

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2. The World's Healthiest Foods are Whole Foods
The World's Healthiest Foods are also whole foods complete with all their rich natural endowment of nutrients. They have not been highly processed nor do they contain synthetic, artificial or irradiated ingredients. And whenever possible, The Healthier Way of Eating recommends purchasing "Organically Grown" foods, since they not only promote your health, but also the health of our planet.

3. The World's Healthiest Foods are Familiar Foods
The World's Healthiest Foods are common "everyday" foods. These include the fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, lean meats, fish, olive oil, herbs and spices that are familiar to most people.

4. The World's Healthiest Foods are Readily Available
Although there are many foods that are exceptionally nutritious, many of them are not readily available in different areas of the country. The World's Healthiest Foods are foods that the majority people can easily find at their local market.

5. The World's Healthiest Foods are Affordable
The foods selected are not only familiar and available, but also affordable, especially if purchased locally and in season. This is also the time when they are the freshest and of the best quality.

6. The World's Healthiest Foods Taste Good
The World's Healthiest Foods are also some of the world's best tasting foods.