Dr. Mark Hyman, MD of Dr.Hyman.com shares some of his thoughts on healthy eating.  These include what he considers “superfoods,” how to determine which foods are “trigger” foods for you, and also discusses just how much fat should you be eating.

When it comes to superfoods, Dr. Hyman has five broad categories. For example:

  • Foods derived from plants. Dr. Hyman notes that there are 25,000 chemicals found in plant foods that can benefit humans. Yet, we eat so few plant-based foods in our diet.
  • Seeds such as chia, flax seeds, and hemp. They contain omega-3 fatty acids, as well as other health benefits.
  • Fats derived from nuts and seeds, avocados, wild fish such as salmon, extra-virgin olive oil, and meat that has been raised grass-fed.
  • Eating colorful foods, which have lots of nutrients.
  • Mushrooms, which contain anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to fight off viruses. They also help with live function and addressing cholesterol.

Find Your Trigger Food

Dr. Hyman also has advice for those trying to understand trigger foods. These are foods that cause you to want to eat more of and lead to health problems. These include foods that contain:

  • Caffeine
  • Sugar
  • Dairy products.
  • Grain
  • Gluten
  • Alcohol

To determine which foods pose a problem for you, Dr. Hyman recommends an elimination diet. This is where foods that contain these properties are removed from your meals.  Then, they are reintroduced gradually to see whether or not your body can tolerate them.

With fat intake, Dr. Hyman answers the question as to whether there is a limit when it comes to fat.  His philosophy is that it depends. First, each person is different, so some will be able to tolerate more fat than others. Second, that it depends on what kind of fats you are eating.  Fats that come from fish, nuts/seed, olive oil, coconut oil, and similar foods are considered healthy fats that help, not hurt your body.

Want to learn more about Dr. Hyman’s thoughts on healthy eating? You can read the full article here:  Finding Trigger Foods, The Right Amount of Fat and My Top Superfoods.