Core Food Groups
The Pivotal Health Plan focuses on the core food groups of healthy carbs, healthy fats, healthy protein, healing spices, drinks, and super foods. And PHP gives an easy guideline to use for any meal:
- 50 percent non-starchy veggies
- 25 percent healthy animal or vegetable proteins
- 25 percent healthy starch or whole grains
- Side of low-glycemic fruit
- Drink—water or herbal ice teas with every meal
Eating foods that have a low score on the glycaemic index can keep blood sugar levels steady and can even help your body metabolise fat more efficiently. The glycaemic index (GI) was originally designed for people with diabetes to help keep their blood sugar levels under control. But whether you are diabetic or not the GI is a useful tool for all of us when we are planning healthy meals and making food choices. Glucose is the primary source of energy required by every cell in the body. The GI ranks carbohydrate foods based on the rate at which they are broken down into glucose. When glucose levels in the blood start to rise, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin which promotes the take up of glucose by the cells and as a consequence brings blood sugar levels back into a more manageable range.
Fruit with a low Glycemic Load (from lowest to highest)
- Lime, Strawberry, Apricot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Guava, Nectarines, Oranges, Pear, Watermelon, Blueberries, Peach, Plum, Apple, Pineapple,
Kiwi, Mango, Cherries, Prunes, Banana, Grapes, Figs, Dates, Raisins.
Both starchy and non-starchy vegetables are an important part of your diet. They offer plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals, but are relatively low in calories. The major difference between starchy and non-starchy vegetables is that starchy veggies have a higher starch content, thus they are also higher in calories. They include:
- Corn, peas, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, zucchini and yams are all examples of starchy vegetables.
- Non-starchy vegetables
are typically flowering parts of the plant. Lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers and tomatoes.
Whole Grains or Starchy Vegetables
Whole grains are undeniably healthier for you and the better choice at the store, but identifying them can be a problem. Thankfully, many foods are available in whole grain varieties, provided you know to search for them. To make it easier here is a list:
- Whole-grain corn, Quinoa, Millet, Whole oats/oatmeal, Popcorn, Brown rice, Triticale, Wild Rice, Whole rye, Whole-grain barley, Buckwheat, Bulgur (cracked wheat), Sorghum, 100% whole wheat flour.
- Meat, poultry, seafood, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the protein foods group. Start with a lean choice: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices. Choose seafood more often as the protein on your plate, especially salmon, trout, and herring, which include omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your heart.