The 10 foods to eat every day from Eat This Not That

, I am a huge fan of the Eat This Not That book series. Granted there are a lot of foods listed that I can’t eat, but it still is helpful for household shopping and making choice for certain foods I have added back in. It’s always nice to see foods I already eat listed in the “Eat This” side of things, such as Lara Bars.

There are two cookbooks in the series and I have found recipes in both that either fit the diet or are easily modified (probably not too good for people in the beginning stages of SCD).

All the books provide tons of interesting health and diet information and I get a kick out of all the food info from restaurants even if I can’t eat it. It makes me miss restaurant food less when I read about how much calories, fat, and sodium are in most dishes.

In the most recent Cook This Not That book there is a list of 10 foods that should be a big part of everyone’s diet. All but one are part of SCD:

1. Eggs – One egg has 72 calories and 6.3 grams of protein. People who have replaced carbs with eggs for breakfast have been shown to lose more weight. I don’t often have time to make eggs for breakfast, but I do make them for dinner once a week or so.

2. Green Tea – Green tea is full of antioxidants, and teas have been linked to improved health. I drink tea all the time. Substitutes: Yerba Mate, White Tea, Oolong, Rooibos,.

3. Garlic – Garlic has natural Allicin, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal compounds. It has been shown to strengthen the cardiovascular system and decrease fat storage. It needs to be chopped very fine and not overcooked to get the full nutrition. Unfortunately I cannot eat raw or undercooked garlic. I probably overcook it, but it would be nice to get those benefits. Substitutes: onions, chives, leeks.

4. Grapefruit – Grapefruit has long been linked to weight loss. Grapefruit is high in lycopene a cancer preventing antioxidant. I love grapefruit, but I hardly ever eat them. Time to start buying more grapefruit! Substitutes: oranges, tomatoes, watermelon.

5. Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt separates the whey from the yogurt, which removes excess sugars such as lactose. Greek yogurt is also higher in protein and has a higher concentration of calcium than regular yogurt. I figure the homemade SCD yogurt is basically like this, maybe has even better since there should be no lactose left. Substitutes: Kefir, yogurt with active cultures.

6. Avocado – Avocados may be high in fat, but it’s the good kind. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats which have been shown to improve cholesterol levels and decrease triglycerides in the blood stream. I have to confess I do not like avocados, but maybe I will keep trying! Substitutes: olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, peanut butter (I do like that!), tahini.

7. Quinoa – This is not allowed on SCD. I have incorporated it into my diet and have had good luck with it. Quinoa is high in nutrients, fiber, and amino acids. It has more fiber, twice as much protein, and is lower in carbs than brown rice. Quinoa has a low impact on blood sugar. Substitutes: oats, amaranth, millet, pearl barley, bulgar wheat.

8. Bell Peppers – Bell peppers , particularly red, yellow, and orange, are high in antioxidants. They boost immunity and protect against sun damage. Substitutes: carrots, sweet potatoes, watermelon.

9. Almonds – Like avocados, almonds are high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats. One ounce of almonds contains 9 grams of Oleic acid, which is good for the heart. Almonds are also high in fiber and protein. Obviously I am happy to see almonds on this list considering what a staple of my diet they have become. Substitutes: walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sesame seeds, flax seeds.

10. Swiss Chard – Eat This Not That calls Swiss chard “nature’s multi-vitamin.” It has 16 vitamins and nutrients, and is very low in calories. I like Swiss chard, but I almost never think of buying it. I need to work it into my diet. Substitutes: spinach, mustard greens, watercress, arugula, romaine lettuce.

Author
Recent Posts

Sherry Lipp

Founder at Happy Gut For Life

Sherry is a Certificed Holistic Gut Practioner, author, and recipe creator. Sherry started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in 2000 and has been creating delicious, grain and gluten-free recipes ever since. She is the author of the Don't Skip Dessert SCD cookbooks.