The World’s Healthiest Foods

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The World's Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan

This is a list of 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 that we have included on our list that we feel 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 our list doesn’t mean that we don’t think that it can be included in a diet geared towards the Healthiest Way of Eating as long as it is a whole, natural, nutrient-rich food.
To find out why some of your favorite nutritious foods are not included in our list, read The Criteria Used to Select the World’s Healthiest Foods.

(The George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests or advertising, is a new force for change to help make a healthier you and a healthier world.)

Vegetables	Fruits	Spices & Herbs
Asparagus	Apples	Basil
Avocados	Apricots	Black pepper
Beets	Bananas	Cayenne pepper
Bell peppers	Blueberries	Chili pepper, dried
Broccoli	Cantaloupe	Cilantro/Coriander seeds
Brussels sprouts	Cranberries	Cinnamon, ground
Cabbage	Figs	Cloves
Carrots	Grapefruit	Cumin seeds
Cauliflower	Grapes	Dill
Celery	Kiwifruit	Ginger
Collard greens	Lemon/Limes	Mustard seeds
Cucumbers	Oranges	Oregano
Eggplant	Papaya	Parsley
Fennel	Pears	Peppermint
Garlic	Pineapple	Rosemary
Green beans	Plums	Sage
Green peas	Prunes	Thyme
Kale	Raisins	Turmeric
Leeks	Raspberries
Mushrooms, crimini	Strawberries	Natural Sweeteners
Mushrooms, shiitake	Watermelon	Blackstrap molasses
Mustard greens		Cane juice
Olives	Grains	Honey
Onions	Barley	Maple syrup
Potatoes	Brown rice
Romaine lettuce	Buckwheat	Others
Sea vegetables	Corn	Green tea
Spinach	Millet	Soy sauce (tamari)
Squash, summer	Oats	Water
Squash, winter	Quinoa
Sweet potatoes	Rye	Nuts, Seeds & Oils
Swiss chard	Spelt	Almonds
Tofu and Tempeh	Whole wheat	Cashews
Tomatoes		Flaxseeds
Turnip greens	Seafood	Olive oil, extra virgin
Yams	Cod	Peanuts
	Halibut	Pumpkin seeds
Beans & Legumes	Salmon	Sesame seeds
Black beans	Sardines	Sunflower seeds
Dried peas	Scallops	Walnuts
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)	Shrimp
Kidney beans	Tuna	Poultry & Lean Meats
Lentils		Beef, lean organic
Lima beans	Eggs & Low-Fat Dairy	Calf’s liver
Miso	Cheese, low-fat	Chicken
Navy beans	Eggs	Lamb
Pinto beans	Milk, 2%, cow’s	Turkey
Soybeans	Milk, goat	Venison
Tempeh	Yogurt
Tofu

The Criteria for the World’s Healthiest Foods:

Among the thousands of different foods our world provides, the majority contains 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, Readers have asked why pomegranate, a very nutritious food, is not included on our website. 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. We used a concept called nutrient density 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. Read more about Our Food and Recipe Rating System.

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
We have selected foods that are not only familiar and available, but also affordable, especially if you purchase them 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. We have created recipes using the World’s Healthiest Foods that do not overpower, but enhance, the unique flavor of each food. Each recipe provides a flavor adventure so you can discover new ways to experience and enjoy the great natural tastes of these foods.

The source: The World’s Healthiest Foods

About The George Mateljan Foundation:
The George Mateljan Foundation for the World’s Healthiest Foods was established by George Mateljan to discover, develop and share scientifically proven information about the benefits of healthy eating, and to provide the personalized support individuals need to make eating The World’s Healthiest Foods enjoyable, easy, quick and affordable.
Our Independent Perspective
The Foundation is not-for-profit so we can offer an independent perspective that is not influenced by commercial interests. Our only purpose is to help you discover the many joys and benefits of healthy eating. We believe that the Foundation’s independent perspective can help provide clear and easy-to-understand knowledge on how people of all ages and backgrounds can achieve and maintain their optimum physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.

For more details, links and very useful information about each food and nutrient please visit the original page at : The World’s Healthiest Foods, or get the 880-page book from the same website.