What is "Healthy"?

Who said you can't eat broccoli in your pajamas?

I care a lot about food. That's why I have this blog: so I can share my passion for healthy food with anyone who reads it.

There are many misconceptions about there about healthy food. And there are many points of view. Low-fat, low-carb, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, primal, raw food, "locavore"...it is downright confusing! Should you eat what the government tells you what to eat? Should you stop eating animal products? Should you stop cooking your food? Should you stop eating grains?

So what is healthy food? And what isn't it? I don't have all the answers, and I might be wrong on some things. I am just doing my best to feed my family the most nourishing food I can find and afford and cook. If you disagree with me, that's fine. We can still be friends! This blog is not a judgmental place, it's a place full of "good stuff" because if we focus on what we shouldn't be doing all the time, we just feel guilty and frustrated and sad.  So instead of giving you a list of what isn't healthy, I'm going to give you a list of what is. These are the foods that make me happy!

My Healthy Foods List

• Meat and poultry from animals that spend time outside, eating grass or bugs or whatever they are supposed to eat (depending on the animal). This includes (if you're brave) organ meats and homemade stock from the bones.
• Wild-caught fish and shellfish
• Whole raw (unpasteurized) milk from grass-fed cows or goats, which is tested regularly for pathogens
• Other grass-fed diary, including butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and kefir
• Eggs from pastured chickens, especially egg yolks
  
• Fats from grass-fed animals: lard, tallow, bacon grease, chicken fat
• Other healthy fats like unrefined coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil
• Whole grains that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting, or sourdough to make them more digestible
• Legumes like lentils, beans, and split peas that have been soaked and cooked slowly
• Nuts and seeds that have been soaked and dehydrated
• Fresh vegetables and fruits, ideally locally grown and organic (some can be eaten raw, others are more nutritious when cooked)
• Healthy sweeteners in moderation, such as honey, maple syrup, and sucanat (unrefined sugar)

There are some miscellaneous things to mention, too, like fermented foods, beverages, condiments, herbs and spices, and supplements. And coconut could almost be its own category. But let's keep things simple for now.


Lest you think I'm perfect, let me tell you this: we compromise on a lot of things. We don't have the time or money to eat perfectly. But we do our best, and we don't stress about it.

Wondering why I think these foods are healthy? Most of this is based on the recommendations by the Weston A. Price Foundation. Weston Price was a dentist who traveled the world studying primitive people groups and looking at their diets. He found that societies who ate the kinds of food I listed above were practically free from tooth decay and disease. There was a lot of variety in diet from group to group, depending on what kinds of foods were local to them. But none of the healthy people groups ate processed foods of any kind. They ate real food. So I try to eat real food too.

What's on your Healthy Foods List?
 
This is part of Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, and Fight Back Friday.

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