Absolutely Essential Nutrition
Self, July 2001

These are the foods you have to fit into your diet each day--or every few days--to stay healthy.

Every Day:
Whole-wheat bread, cereal, pasta: Great sources of fiber--get at least 20g a day.
Fruits, dark vegetables: They have beta carotene which helps produce vitamin A, which helps eyesight and fights disease.
Calcium: Protect your bones with 1,000mg calcium each day.
Berries, red grapes: These fruits have phenols that may lower the risk of cancer and heart disease, but the phenols dissipate after 24 hours, so eat some each day.
Citrus fruit or juice: The ever-popular vitamin C helps prevent disease and fights aging.
Folic acid (folate): Half a cup of garbanzo beans or asparagus, or a bowl of cereal fortified with folic acid, will help protect against heart disease and possibly Alzheimer's disease. Get 400mcg a day.
Every Few Days:
Legumes: Get the cholesterol-free fiber and protein in beans, peas, and lentils.
Lean red meat: For the iron.
Fish: Salmon, bluefish, and tuna all have omega-3 fatty acitds that protects against heart disease.
Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds: Vitamin E, an antioxidant, should be replenished weekly, from items such as corn oil, almonds, and sunflower seeds.