The good food list

How to use the food lists

This food list offers you general information on certain foods and how healthy they are. There are two main lists: an A list and a B list. The idea is to begin choosing foods from the A list as often as possible and to begin reducing or cutting out foods on the B list as much as possible. It's as simple as that.

Remember, you have to add before you subtract. There's no point trying to totally change your eating habits overnight. The foods on the A list provide immediate health benefits, and you should include as many of them as you can in your daily diet.

The foods on the B list can get in the way of weight loss and many of these contribute next to nothing to your health. Don't worry if your favourite foods are on the B list. To begin with, focus on adding things from the A list.

The A list

  • Meat: there is no inherent problem with eating meat so if you're a meat lover you don't need to cut it out of your diet. Lamb and veal (when reared humanely) are good choices, as are the leanest cuts of Angus beef and anything that is organically-reared, if you wish to indulge. Also, muscle cuts of lean beef and pork have little fat.
  • Poultry: free-range, organic poultry is worth the extra money if you wish to splurge.
  • Fruit and vegetables: you should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day (preferably, 3 fruit and 2 veg, whether they're canned, frozen, dried or raw). If you don't particularly enjoy eating these, try mixing them into other dishes you love. There's no substitute for these crucial foods in your diet!
  • Whey protein powder: this is one of the most highly absorbent sources of protein on the planet. Large tubs in powder form - which you can make into drinks - are available from good health shops, but they are quite expensive.
  • Salads: the addition of a salad a day, preferably before a meal, can do wonders for appetite management, not to mention the healthy fibre, nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants you'll be getting. Garnish your salad with some crushed up peanuts, almonds or walnuts. Salad is also a great way to get some raw foods into your diet (see preparation methods below) but go easy on the dressings. If you can't eat your salads without any dressing, try substituting full-fat ones with either reduced-fat versions, or make your own using reduced-fat yoghurt and lemon juice.
  • Nuts: These can be a great source of protein, essential fatty acids and minerals. We're not suggesting you munch on handfuls of peanuts (as they are also high in fat), but you should include nuts in your diet on a regular basis. Think P-A-W for pecans, almonds and walnuts, which have the best mixture of good fats and minerals. About 2oz (50g) is a good starting portion. Raw cashews, filberts and macadamia nuts are fine too, and don't be afraid to enjoy a tablespoon of (preferably organic) peanut butter, smeared on a stick of celery or half an apple. Try it - it's delicious.

The B list

  • Packaged snack foods: crisps, sweets, chocolate bars, doughnuts, biscuits, desserts, cakes and pretzels.
  • Animal fats: aim to reduce your intake of animal fats, such as butter, as these are rich in saturated fats and can lead to the development of heart disease. Instead, replace with vegetable oil, corn, sunflower, soy and olive oils.
  • Sugar: this may be the hardest to give up and you may have to do it gradually. Remember that table sugar is its most obvious form but there are many other ways in which sugar sneaks its way into our food (hint: look at the label on your cereal package).
  • Fizzy drinks: try to cut down as much as possible and go for reduced - or low- calorie versions if you can't live without them. Whenever possible, choose water because it's the best thirst quencher by far.
  • Fruit juice: if you're a fruit juice fan, don't worry. You can still include these as part of your weight loss programme, but try going for the ones that are 100% natural without any sugar (check the label).
  • Coffee: the amount of calories consumed by people who drink designer triple frappuccinos (or whatever the sugar-laden latte du jour is) are helping to expand many a waistline. Limit these drinks in your diet.
  • Starches: not all starches are bad. Contrary to popular belief pasta, rice and potatoes do have a place in your diet. Unfortunately, if fat loss is a goal, you will have to think carefully about the sauces that you add to them. Sweet potatoes (or yams), oatmeal (not the instant kind, but the steel-cut, slow-cooking type), beans and lentils are fine - just limit the size of your portions.

  • Milk: some people are fine with milk, while others have seen real improvements in their health (and overcome their weight-loss plateaus) after they eliminate dairy (or wheat, or both) from their diets. However, we only suggest eliminating these foods if your GP recommends this for medical reasons, as they do contain important nutrients. Milk is an important source of calcium, protein and B vitamins, so it's fine if you have it. Just choose a reduced-fat option.
  • Other dairy: some people tolerate dairy products better than others. For those people, cottage cheese and other soft cheeses such as feta can be treated as A-list foods. Even hard cheeses, particularly Swiss, are fine on occasion, and they are a better source of calcium than milk. If you, like some women, suffer from chronic yeast infections, avoid the fermented kinds of cheeses such as bleu and Roquefort.

Eating guidelines

  • You are what you eat. If you eat lots of sugar, greasy fried foods and drink too much alcohol (which is packed with sugar) you'll soon see and feel the negative results. Eat healthy, nutritious foods made up of proteins, complex carbohydrates and good unsaturated fats, and you'll feel and look your best.
  • Hunger is a natural reaction and food is not your enemy. It's healthy to have a good appetite, and by eating five or six small meals a day and drinking lots of water, you will keep your metabolic rate, or the number of daily calories you burn, and your energy levels high. Make sure your meals include a mix of carbohydrate and protein to keep insulin levels steady, and to ensure hunger pangs don't hit you.

    • If you're monitoring your weight loss, don't rely only on the scales. Instead, notice how your clothing fits. Weigh yourself a maximum of once a week or even once a month if you can stand it. Many of us attach too much meaning to the scales, but it is excess body fat that you want to lose, not just body weight. If you try to lose weight too quickly by starving yourself, you may lose muscle mass and you'll slow down your metabolism, which can lead to yo-yo dieting and a weight loss plateau. You can't really lose more than 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of fat a week, so slow and steady is the healthy way to take it off and keep it off.
    • Don't try to make up for sloppy eating habits by exercising harder or more often. Keep your exercise slow and steady; otherwise, it's a sure way to overtrain, with potentially disastrous long-term results.
    • Eating properly is not about depriving yourself, but more about being disciplined in an eating plan. By eating nutritious foods you become stronger and more energetic, which means you'll feel motivated and get quick results.