Diets Are Out, Mindful Eating Is in
Ever shocked by how much popcorn you can put away at the movies? That’s because you’re not eating with intention. The latest research about healthy eating is less about staying away from certain foods and more about eating with awareness, listening to internal and external cues, and honoring the food and where it comes from.Buy a Juicer Already
Drinking your fruits and vegetables is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get those beneficial nutrients into your system. And the array of colors, textures, and flavor combinations is endless.While smoothies are usually what spring to mind, they are often loaded with sugar—even the ones you make at home—but juice made from leafy greens like spinach and kale or hydration-centric foods like celery and cucumber offer endless health benefits. (The chlorophyll alone strengthens your immune system and helps control inflammation). And you can add herbs AND fruit (pears or green apples are good choices) to add zing.
Eat More Fermented Foods
A diet rich in fermented foods—think kimchi, pickles, yogurt, kombucha—enhances the diversity of microbes in the gut and reduces signs of inflammation on a molecular level, say researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine. And we know that a healthier gut makes for a healthier body (and likely a healthier brain).What You Eat Can Impact Your Mental Health
Why is your therapist asking you about your diet? Because there’s an emerging field of research called nutritional psychiatry that suggests there is a relationship between the foods we crave and our overall mental health.Not surprisingly, studies show that the sugar-laden and often high-fat foods we find comforting when stressed—pizza, cake, burgers, and fries—are the least likely to make us feel better in the short- or long-term. The sugary stuff worsens your body’s regulation of insulin, impairs brain function, and may worsen depression. And cumulative evidence shows that a diet rich in fatty foods impairs cognitive function and increases vulnerability to anxiety.
Go Ahead, Have a Second Cup of Joe
For a long time, the jury was out on whether coffee was good or bad for your health. But the latest research, published last year in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, confirms what most of us java heads have been waiting to hear: Coffee may actually save you from an early death.Using data from nearly 450,000 adults, the study found a possible association between coffee consumption—two to three cups per day—and decreased early death, not to mention possible protection against Parkinson’s disease, Type 2 diabetes, liver disease, heart attack, and stroke. Researchers found “significant reductions” in the risk for coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke associated with drinking coffee, whether it was ground, instant caffeinated, or decaffeinated. Ground, caffeinated coffee consumption lowered the risk of death the most—by 27 percent.
Eat More Plants
This is not a diet. It’s a lifestyle change that is backed by science to be better for the body and the environment. Plant-based eating is nutrient-dense and packed with fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. It is not vegan or vegetarian; you can still eat eggs, fish, chicken—even beef, in moderation—and dairy products, but about two-thirds of your meal should come from legumes, nuts, and non-animal sources.Need ideas? Start with savory Ligurian socca with kale and tomatoes or sweet potato curry with eggplant, chickpeas, and herb chutney. Swap out the meat in your favorite tacos for mushrooms or Baja-style cauliflower. Or whip up colorful veggie sushi hand rolls.
In the end, it’s all about balance and awareness.
In October 2021, the American Heart Association updated its dietary guidelines for the first time in 15 years. The committee called for eating more plants, of course, and limiting salt, red meat, and processed foods. Don’t drink alcohol? Don’t start.
But, from there, the advice was less about what specific food to eat or avoid and more about watching overall patterns in the choices we make, both for our hearts and for overall health. Rather than a one-size-fits-all rule, it left room for personal and cultural needs and preferences.
The guidelines, published in the AHA journal Circulation, encouraged Americans to look for patterns in their eating. Changing one thing—sweetened full-fat yogurt to a low-fat variety with less sugar; halving the pasta or white rice on your plate for an extra serving of vegetables—will have a lasting impact for years to come.