HeartMark Health prefers to group food by 4 main categories that are different from the government’s groups. HeartMark Health has been teaching this for a long time. The recent changes to the food pyramid reflect that the government is finally getting closer to understanding that the benefits from the food are the focus of the grouping, rather than the “type” of food source.
The 4 main benefits to focus on when choosing food are:
1. Protein.
2. Fiber.
3. Calcium.
4. Essential oils.
Some foods may share many of the above benefits at once. These are superfoods! The goal of every meal should be to include at least the first three food groups. The 4th group should be part of every day as well. You can eat it or take it in supplements. All four groups benefit from working together.
I define thoroughly each group in my book, as well as in other blogs. I also explain in the book the nutritional benefits of each group. Here I will reveal the relationship that they have. Please refer to my book for more explanations.
Protein helps to curb hunger for a long time. Sources of protein are often rich in iron.
The fiber group usually includes fruits and vegetables. This group usually has vitamin C as well as other antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals. This is the group that helps the protein break down. The vitamin C in this group helps the iron be better absorbed and utilized from the protein group. It helps the body get more energy from the food.
The calcium group gets better absorbed when it follows the vitamin C.
Essential oils help the antioxidants travel better to the locations that you need them to do their job.
Putting this in practical terms:
When you eat chicken and a salad with a lemon-olive oil sauce, you are covering group 1, 2, and 4. Add cheese to the salad, or an amount of cheese at the end, and you have group 3. Instead of a salad and cheese, you can drink orange juice with calcium. But you may need some more fiber, so add an apple.
If you are still hungry, repeat the bites from all the groups.
If you are hungry in between meals, eat the same food groups, but in smaller quantities. You can eat some more lean meat (the turkey jerky from Trader Joe’s is great!), a lean string cheese, and a whole tomato or an apple if you’re in a hurry. You can eat Greek yogurt with vegetables in it. You can eat beans. You can make a satisfying tortilla stuffed with all your favorite leftovers, tomato sauce, cheese, and extra onions.
This is another way to look at what could be on your plate:
(I used to use it this before I changed the plate to just 4 groups. This visual shows you that there is no room for junk on the plate.)
Food groups to eat in every meal, small or big!
Notice that you could cut out the slices and reconnect them with the HeartMark–the heart bites taken out of them will connect through the HeartMark patent to make a heart.
Please notice that unhealthy items that have no nutritional benefits have no room on this HeartMark plate. If you were to put such a slice, it would take up the space for a healthy nutritional slice. Unhealthy ingredients in food rob the nutrients from the healthy food. This means that your body cannot use the healthy ingredients for growth and repair. That also means that you are more likely to get ill. Imagine the unhealthy ingredients robbing the healthy ingredients until you no longer want them!
Bon Apetite!
I HeartMark You!
Tali
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