Nutrition Food Group Keys to Eating a Good Healthy Diet

According to Dr. Paavo Airola, world-renown nutritionist, the optimum diet for superior health should be made up primarily of three basic whole food groups. These foods are universally adaptable and will supply adequate amounts of all the nutrients required for the maintenance of optimum health, including high-quality proteins in sufficient amounts. It is important to eat healthy and create your daily menu from foods of these three key food groups that are indigenous to your area and grown locally (on organic farms whenever possible). Make sure that your diet is composed of a variety of fresh whole foods from these three food groups.

#1. Grains, Legumes, Beans, Seeds, and Nuts - This is the most important and potent health-building food group of all. The good nutrition of these foods is unsurpassed because they contain the secret of life itself - the germ! The germ is the reproductive power and spark of life in all seeds, and it is essential to life, health, and reproductive ability. This food group contains all of the essential nutrients for human growth and maintenance of health. Even though all grains and seeds are beneficial, it is best to predominantly eat those that your ancestors ate and those that are grown locally.

Contrary to what you may have heard, buckwheat, almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts all contain complete proteins, which are comparable in biological quality value to animal proteins. This food group is also the best natural source of essential unsaturated fatty acids, which are necessary to maintain health. The vitamin content (especially vitamin E and the B-complex vitamins) of this food group is unsurpassed. Grains, nuts, and seeds are also a treasure chest of minerals and trace elements. Minerals also help balance the body chemistry, especially regarding alkalinity and acidity. This group also contains pacifarins, which increase the body's natural resistance to physical ailments. And finally, whole grains, legumes, beans, and seeds provide the body with necessary fiber and roughage content. This is critical to avoiding all kinds of colon and intestinal tract problems that currently plague our nation as a result of refined and processed foods.

The best grains to eat are buckwheat, oats, millet, and brown rice. Most other grains are beneficial, but be careful with wheat because it is one of the most common allergens today. These grains can be eaten daily in the form of cereal, porridge, breads, pancakes, soups, etc. or sprouted. Cooking grains or sprouting them actually helps release the vital minerals by breaking down the mineral-phytin bond so that minerals can be assimilated in the intestinal tract. The best seeds are flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Beware of sunflower seeds because they are extremely vulnerable to rancidity. The best nuts are almonds and hazelnuts. Do NOT buy roasted nuts and seeds because the high heat renders them carcinogenic. Always and only eat fresh raw nuts and seeds, including raw almond butter and raw peanut butter.

#2. Vegetables - This is the next most important food group to incorporate into your daily diet. Vegetables are a rich source of minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Most green leafy vegetables also contain the highest quality complete proteins. Some vegetables, such as green beans, squash, yams, and potatoes, should be steamed or baked. However, most vegetables should be eaten RAW in the form of a daily salad. A few exceptions would be spinach and chard, which contain too much toxic oxalic acid, and asparagus. Cabbage-family vegetables should be either cooked or prepared in lactic-acid-fermented form. Garlic and onions are powerful health-promoting vegetables and should be part of your diet. Other excellent vegetables are Jerusalem artichokes, horse radish, black radish, celery root, and parsley. Be sure to also include root vegetables in your diet such as carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, parsnips, and yams. Potatoes are extremely nutritious and are best baked or steamed. Keep in mind that potatoes must be kept in dark storage because a highly toxic chemical, solanine, develops when they are exposed to light. Also, be sure to remove the "eyes" (sprouts) of the potatoe before cooking.

#3. Fruits - Fruits are a powerful source of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, as well as easily digestible fruit sugars. In addition, they are an excellent cleansing food for breakfast, and they can be eaten between meals, but not with meals. It is best to eat fruits RAW, fresh, and in season, because they lose their vitamin content quickly. It is also beneficial to eat sun-dried fruits, but they must be unsulfured and preferably organically grown. Avoid all dried fruits with sulfur preservatives. The best sun-dried fruits to eat are raisins, figs, apricots, and currants. Now, two cautions about eating fruit: eat fruit in moderation and eat fruit on an empty stomach, by itself. Eating too much fruit will put too much sugar into your blood stream, and eating fruit with other foods will cause them to putrefy in your system and lead to poor digestion.

Daily Quote: "There is a great deal of truth in the saying that man becomes what he eats. Healthy foods = healthy body. Unhealthy foods = unhealthy body." - Gandhi