Top 5 Plant-Based Foods

Today, I wanted to talk plant-based and help cut through the noise! We're all familiar with the term "superfoods." In fact, it gets thrown around a lot. There can be a lot of confusion about which foods really are the "best" when it seems everything makes the list. For me, superfoods are the foods that have the biggest *noticeable* impact on wellbeing. Over the last 7 years, I've had the opportunity to experiment A LOT, so I compiled a list of the top 5 favorite healing plant foods that I've (anecdotally) found to date:

1.) Sauerkraut

There is Sauerkraut, and then there is everything else. Seriously though, sauerkraut is king! If there is one "food as medicine", I have not seen anything more potent.  Sauerkraut is simply fermented cabbage, literally just cabbage that has sat in water and salt for a while.

While it may seem unexciting at the surface, sauerkraut packs a POWERFUL nutritional punch for your gut. Heard of probiotics before? Sauerkraut has them. It can actually help crowd out bad bacteria in the gut, replace them with good bacteria, and help nourish the new (good) bacteria with the fiber available in the cabbage. If you're having GI distress and can handle fermented foods, sauerkraut is the first stop, every time. 1/2 cup - 1 cup/day for 2 weeks on an empty stomach to start. Weird, I know, but 10/10 worth experimenting with. Be sure the ingredients list is just water, salt, and cabbage. Bubbies Brand is amazing.

I've personally used sauerkraut as an important tool in getting rid of my acid reflux. I've seen it do the same for others. It also helps boost your immune system, combat cancer, promotes bone and heart health, and can help keep you calm, cool, and collected.

Simply put: Start implementing sauerkraut if you can, for those with GI issues you should start yesterday.

2.) Flax/Hemp/Chia/Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds are essentially like the eggs of plants. Nature's condensed pockets of nutritional goodness are incredibly nutrient-dense because of their role: provide this new organism all the nutrients it needs to grow and flourish.

Each seed has its own unique benefits, including healthy fats like omega 3's, rich in protein, and has many minerals that are not easily sourced elsewhere, such as zinc. Because of their nutrient diversity, it's important to cycle seeds to maximize nutrient intake. Did I mention that seeds are also a wonderful source of gut-healthy fiber as well?

You can easily add these valuable seeds to current dishes whether it's in the form of your morning yogurt mix, or the next green smoothie.

Ladies: Fun fact, there have been women who claim that seed cycling has helped significantly with the symptoms associated with PMS. There's a specific formula to follow, and I obviously have no firsthand experience, but, being in a female-dominated field, I have heard of using seed cycling as a way to help with hormonal balancing. Not sure there's anything conclusive, but I have heard anecdotal evidence on the naturopathic side of things.

3.) Berries

Who said carbs are bad?! Plants are mostly carbs, after all! Berries are an INCREDIBLE source of fiber (did you know that fiber is essentially the skeleton for plants?) and phytonutrients, are plant-specific compounds that give them their color. Each color is reflective of different nutrients.

Blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are the most fiber-rich.  The wide array of nutrients they each contain also help lower inflammation, support digestion and GI health, enhance memory and focus, and even aid in weight loss.

Berries are the perfect on-the-run snack, grabbing a handful can be a fantastic midday snack to curb your appetite and provide you the nourishment you need to keep owning the day. Just like with the seeds, be sure to cycle the berries because the different colors are reflective of different nutrients. The easiest rule to remember: eat the rainbow! (No, not skittles) This ensures that you're covering all of the different nutrients that these foods have to offer.

4.) Cruciferous Veggies (Swiss Chard, Spinach, Collards, etc.)

Veggies, yep. You knew they were going to be on here, and with good reason! Cruciferous veggies are the ones we all hated growing up: kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc. Luckily, though, as adults, we continue to have our taste palates evolve and the ability to appreciate what they (quite literally) bring to the table.

The entire group of cruciferous vegetables is a potent cancer fighter. I'm of the belief that most diseases, including cancer, are tied to metabolic health. Their ability to help stabilize blood sugar may play a role in everything from lowering inflammation, and promoting weight loss, to helping combat nefarious diseases.

The versatility of these vegetables makes them easy to include at any meal. Cauliflower variants now make a wonderful, healthy substitute for things like wraps and rice. Get inventive with your oils and seasonings. Aim to pair at least one meal a day with a heaping serving of your favorite cruciferous vegetables. A few recipes to search: garlic sautéed spinach, cauliflower keto mashed potatoes (made w/ bone broth), and garlic kale chips. Like everything else, regularly rotate your options.

5.) Garlic & Onions

Talk about being low-key. No one gives garlic and onion the credit they deserve in the pursuit of optimal health, instead of writing them off as pungent ingredients to pull a dish's flavor together.

Be liberal in your use of garlic and onion, they are indeed a superfood! They pair with everything and can help with an array of things, including improving cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, combatting seasonal colds, and even cancer.

It's actually the sulfur component to them that makes them so potent. Fun fact: By chopping garlic and onion and letting it sit for 10 minutes, you're releasing more of the allyl sulfur compounds which actually make it more resistant to heat, and may unlock more health benefits as well.

If there's one takeaway from today's dive, it's this: rotate your foods! Each food brings a different package of nutrients, and by rotating various types of foods in, you're maximizing your exposure to a multitude of nourishing nutrients.

What did I miss on this list? There are so many therapeutic foods that become part of our culture and experience, especially when it comes to using traditional forms of medicine. I'd love to hear of other plant-based sources of nutrition that you incorporate into your daily wellness routine!