The 8 foods you should eat EVERY DAY

by Rigel Celeste (Subscribe to Rigel Celeste's posts)
Aug 20th 2007 5:52PM

I think years ago, like way back in the old days, things must have been simpler when it came to eating healthy. Not only were there no processed foods but there wasn't nearly the selection we have now. Given, in a lot of ways having choices makes it easier (you can always find something you like) but it also makes it so much harder to fit in everything we're supposed to eat as far as nutrients go during the day. How many servings of fruit? Plus how many of vegetables? And then there's grains and protein....I'm getting a headache. And where does that blueberry muffin fit in exactly anyway?

But Best Life magazine has simplified things for us just a little by compiling a list of 8 foods you should eat every day:

Spinach
Yogurt
Tomatoes
Carrots
Blueberries
Black Beans
Walnuts
Oats

That seems easy enough, right? At least they kept it in the single digits! Plus read their full article for explanations on why you want to eat these every day and tips on how to make it happen.

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Comments (34)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Vivi 8-21-2007 @ 12:34PM

If you think it is easy to add everyone of those ingredients in your diet every single day, you are reading the wrong book.

Vivi 8-21-2007 @ 12:38PM

A person would be in the grocery store 23 hours a day. There wouldn't be time to eat any of the items.

Dawn 8-21-2007 @ 12:55PM

So...if I eat this stuff every day does it mean I can have chocolate, too? :)

stevekith 8-22-2007 @ 4:09PM

it isn't such a good idea to eat the same foods every day. that could be a problem for food allergies. should switch daily...

Caitlin 8-21-2007 @ 1:09PM

The number one item on the list, spinach, should NOT be on the "every day" list. It is relatively high in oxalic acid which interferes with calcium absorption. I'm a holistic nutritionist (graterhealth.com), and I advise my clients to not eat spinach more than 2 or 3 times a week. If you want a green to eat every day, kale is the one that should be on that list.

Audrey Booth 8-21-2007 @ 1:24PM

I would say that once or twice a week should be enough for these eight foods, and then add low fat milk, cheese, fish and whole grains, plus much needed protein like turkey, chicken and once or twice a week lean red meat. Don't forget that soups are excellant sources of veggies!

Cindy S. 8-21-2007 @ 1:25PM

How can ANYONE incorporate those eight foods into their diet EVERYDAY? That is beyond me. And wouldn't you get tired of eating eat everyday, I sure would!

JUHN HINES 8-21-2007 @ 1:54PM

NO ONE ESPECIALLY TYPE 1 & 2 DIABETICS SHOULD NEVER NEVER NEVER EAT POTATOES,CORN,BEETS & CARROTS. REASON THEY SPIKE YOUR COLESTEROL AND THAT SPIKES YOR INSULIN. ANY NUTRITION THAT SAWS EAT THESE IS GETTING PAID BY THAT PERTICULAR MARKETING GROUP. ASK ANY COMPENTENT DIABETIC NUTRIONALIST.

kevin 8-21-2007 @ 2:29PM

How's about it's a genetic crapshoot? All the males on my mom's side of the family had horrific diets, liked to drink their drinks, and smoked both cigarettes and cigars.....Average age sat around 100-101....Now exactly how much longer should a person live? To everyone with all their advice, I say "Feh." When it's your time to go, it's your time to go. Live a little.

Jeri 8-21-2007 @ 3:33PM

To #8 Juhn Hines,

I am a Type II diabetic. I take Metformin, try to get enough excercise, drink a lot of water and try to stay away from most sweets and lots of carbs.

To say that I should never eat a potato or carrot is lunacy. I am well versed in diabetes education and what you say is crap.

Why is it that health food fanatics always have to be so all or nothing when it comes to food? Eat sensibly, drink water, excercise, get enough rest and try not to be stressed constantly. If, like me, you end up with a family history that gives you this type of disease when you hit your fifties, do your best and take those meds. Don't let someone tell you a carrot will destroy you.

~`:-joanna 8-21-2007 @ 6:48PM

"I found some wonderful foods that I can eat on a daily basis, organic, whole grain, all natural and truley delicious.
It's taken the guess work out of the equation. My life is SO much easier now. Plus I lost 17 pounds. I went to http://manette.wholefoodfarmacy.com and I purchased the New You resolution kit I am eating the foods in the kit along w/fruits and veggies. It is very satisfying and filling, I also got rid of the cravings for junk. Check out the site and read the ingredients, No more processed, preservative, wanna be foods for me. The choices are now too easy to believe."

Selma Y 8-26-2007 @ 6:48AM

Variety is the spice of life! Mix it up - wonder why the majority of Americans are obese? They apparently try to follow all the various dieting suggestions about what to eat, and then get bored and revert to the 16oz hamburger, french fries and a quart of ice cream, with a half gallon of soda.

Crabby McSlacker 8-26-2007 @ 6:59AM

I have to agree with most of the other commenters--these are all great food choices, but why eat them every day and grow to hate them? There are plenty of healthy alternatives. Aside from coffee and dark chocolate, there's pretty much nothing I could eat every day without getting tired of it. Mix it Up!

(And if you want to Mix Up your Health blog reading and throw in a little Pointlessness and Silliness there's always http://crankyfitness.blogspot.com/. But not more than once a day or it may become toxic!)

Bridget 8-26-2007 @ 7:58AM

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH JOANNA, #11. EATING WHOLE GRAINS, ORGANIC, NONPROCESSED FOODS IS THE BEST THING WE CAN DO FOR OUR HEALTH. I WOULD DEFINATLY STAY AWAY FROM ANYTHING "DIET" OR "FAT FREE", I KNOW IT SOUNDS HEALTHY, BUT IN THE LONG RUN IT CAN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. A WIDE VARIETY OF COLORFUL WHOLE FOODS IS THE WAY TO GO.

dude 8-26-2007 @ 8:51AM

How about make it 8 foods you should eat more of? Instead of a bag of chips eat some walnuts.. instead of ice cream eat some yogurt.. instead of sugary breafast cereal eat some oat meal with blueberries. I really don't see how somebody is going to eat all 8 of these foods everyday.

tonie 8-26-2007 @ 8:58AM

All I have to say is this, my great uncle ate a typical diet for his time, red meat, butter, eggs, lots of fat. He drank to excess, and smoked his own hand rolled (no filter) cigarettes. He lived to be 101.
One of his sons ate all the "correct foods" no red meat ect. He rarely drank and never smoked. He dropped dead of a heart attack (while jogging no less!) at the age of 43.
When your time is up its up people. You wont live longer eating that odd combo of food daily-it will just seem like it!

Joshua 9-06-2007 @ 12:40PM

Honestly there are a lot of foods that have the same nutrient values as the ones listed, you can have a lot more variety in the diet... I think the list just simply means that to get the right nutrients everyday one could eat those items....there are plenty of dehydrated fruit and veggie supplements, take those if you don't eat your veggies... I agree genetics factors the most in health, both my parents lived til their late eighties and had terrible dietary habits, esp. my mother--who never ate fruits or vegetables, and I mean Never! She subsisted on the sugar diet, no diabetes in my family luckily.