preference list

Here you’ll find a very good preference list about nutriton. There is an enormous amount of healthy products on offer to us. To support you in your healthy lifestyle, we have composed a list of products that are all nutritious. Read the information and then choose from the healthy options. Choose, vary and enjoy.

Important with nutrition

• Don’t eat too much. You don’t need as much as you think.
• Avoid products rich in (saturated) fats, sugar and salt.
• Eat as much as possible, unprocessed and unrefined products.
• Vary as much as you can.
• Avoid “light” products and “ready to eat” meals.
• Chew consciously and enjoy the healthy and nutritious products.
• Give a preference to organic products.

1. Vegetables

Eat as many vegetables as possible! Vegetables are full of fibres, enzymes and other matter that encourages the metabolism, strengthens the immune system and gives you a lot of energy. Use vegetables as the main part of your meal instead of fish, meat, pasta or rice. Eat them mainly raw (if you can digest them easily) or steamed. If you cook vegetables too long, you lose important nutrients. The vegetables with the most nutrients are the green leafed vegetables (such as bok choy, kale, green cabbage, celery, purslane, spinach).

• Endive, artichoke, asparagus, eggplant, beetroot, celery, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, zucchini, pea’s, bok choy, capsicum, pumpkin, purslane, turnips, radish, lettuce, chard, spinach, brussel sprouts, tomato, onion, fennel, water- cress, chicory, carrots, sweet potato, glasswort, seaweed.

2. Fruit

Give the preference to fresh, varied and organic (this last one especially if you eat the skin such as with berries or apples) and choose fruit that is in season. Eat fruit in the morning (with yoghurt) and as a snack. Eat 2 to 3 pieces a day.

• Strawberries, apricots, pineapple, apple, avocado, banana, blueberries, blackberries, lemon, cranberries, grapes, raspberries, grapefruit, pomegranate, cherries, kiwi, gooseberries, mandarins, papaya, passion fruit, pear, peach, plums, oranges, figs, watermelon, blackcurrants. Dried fruit in moderation.

3. Sprouts

Sprouts contain many antioxidants, enzymes and nutritional fibres. They have quite a spicy bite and are therefore good as seasonings in soups, salads and on sandwiches.

• Alfalfa, mixed sprouts, broccoli sprouts, leek shoots, radish seeds, garden cress.

4. Herbs

Use delicious herbs and seasonings in all your dishes. Use preferably fresh because of their nutritional value. Frozen is also a good choice and otherwise dried herbs.

• Basil, chives, dill, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, chervil, garlic, cumin, coriander, cloves, bay leaves, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme.

5. Legumes

Legumes are a rich source of protein, making them especially suitable for vegetarians. They also contain carbohydrates, iron, vitamins and dietary fibres. They are very satisfying and filling and are therefore good to use in salads.

• Azuki beans, butter beans, capuchins, chickpeas, mung beans, lentils, snow peas, string beans, garden peas, white beans, black beans.

6. Fats and oils

Essential fatty acids can be found in certain oils and fishes, nuts, seeds, kernels and avocados. These are important during the process of losing weight as they keep the metabolism moving and give a satisfying feeling of fulfilment. They are also full of healthy nutrients and improve the immune system, fertility and quality of your skin and hair.

• Linseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, omega oil, coconut oil. Preferably not heated too much. With coconut oil this is not a problem.

7. Nuts, seeds and kernels

Nuts (unroasted and unsalted) are healthy because they generally contain healthy fats and vitamins. They are also an important source of protein and you don’t need a lot of them. Seeds and kernels are also full of nutrients and help the digestion.

• Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, broken linseeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.

8. Types of grains/cereals and products

Unrefined cereals give a lot of energy and are full of nutrients and fibres. From refined cereals, however, a large potion of the nutrients are removed and replaced by synthetic substances. These are heavier for your liver and other organs and much harder for your body to process. Instead of the standard wheat, rice and pasta, try and choose one of the following cereals. You can find them in their original form or in a pasta form in the reform/health shop.

• Amaranth, buckwheat (pasta), dried crushed wheat (bulgur), barley, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, rye, spelt, brown rice.

9. Bread

There is a lot of discussion about bread. It appears that some people have a lot of difficulty digesting it. Choose a bread of high quality. Sour dough bread has been raised in a natural manner, instead of bread where yeast has been added. Sour dough bread is healthier, easier to digest and can be kept longer.

• Rye bread, spelt bread, wholemeal bread.

10. Plantbased milk

Choose the unsweetened varieties. These days soya milk is very popular although there are researches that are not that positive about soja. Use it in moderation. If you do choose soya, make sure you choose the correct varieties: organic (not modified) and sugar free. (Check the labels for the hidden sugars.)

• Oat milk, coconut milk, soya milk (in moderation).

11. Animal products

Be moderate with animal products such as milk, cheese, eggs, fish and meat. In addition to the individual positive effects, consuming less animal products also has a positive effect on our planet. Read more in our Plant-based tool.

12. Sweet

Try to avoid (refined) sugar and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and high fructose corn syrup. Sugar provides energy, but does not provide your body with the necessary vitamins, minerals and fiber. This applies to all types of sugar and to honey and syrups. It is sometimes claimed that natural sugars, such as honey, maple or agave syrup are better than ‘regular’ sugar. But that has not been proven. Many nutritionists say: sugar is sugar. If you want to add a sweeter taste to your meals, try and use sweet (dried) fruit.

• Bananas, dates, appels or raisens.

13. Salt

Unknowingly we consume, just like sweeteners, too much refined salt because it is added to too many products. More than 85% of the Dutch population consumes more salt than the maximum amount of 6 grams of salt per day. Adult women eat on average 7.5 grams per day. So don’t add too much salt to your meals. There are different types of salt with different taste, colour and texture, such as Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt. Some say one type of salt is better than another. However, that has not been proven. Many nutritionists say: salt is salt.

14. Drinks

Water is, after oxygen, the most important substance for the functioning of the human body. It is the foundation for all our body’s biological processes. Water is the most important transporter of all our nutrients and takes care of the heat regulation in our body.

• Water (for a variation in taste, made with mint, lemon, basil, raspberries, strawberries).
• Herbal tea: camomile, rosehip, jasmine, fennel, liquorice, sage, thyme, verbena, nettle, or a mix. Some herbs support certain processes in your body. Choose what fits for you and what you like.
• White tea is made from the young buds from the same plant from which black tea is made. There is, therefore, less theine and more antioxidants present than in black tea. Black tea is more processed and contains more theine. It is, therefore, a less healthier option in this category.

Unhealthy

Some products you can eat every now and then but shouldn’t have a standard place in your nutritional pattern. Re- fined sugar and flour have virtually no nutritional value and are also addictive. The more you eat from these, the more your body craves them. The result? An unhealthy and unfit body. So avoid:

• Alcohol, sweet drinks, sweetened breakfast cereals, sweet bread spreads (such as hagelslag and jam), chips, (milk) chocolate, drop, cake, desserts (such as ice-cream, pudding), snacks (fried), white bread, white pasta, white rice.