REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER STAPLES
□ Berries, citrus, and other brightly colored fruit
□ Leafy greens
□ Root vegetables (sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, etc.)
□ Brightly colored vegetables (peppers, eggplant, etc.)
□ Avocado
□ Ginger, garlic, onions, and leeks
□ Fresh herbs (oregano, basil, cilantro, rosemary, etc.)
□ Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc.)
□ Soy milk, tofu, and edamame
□ Lean fish, organic poultry, and meat
□ Yogurt and kefir (dairy and nondairy with live cultures)
□ Pastured or omega-3-rich eggs
□ Hard cheeses (Parmesan, Manchego, Romano, etc.)
□ Cultured soft cheeses (feta, goat, or blue cheese)
PANTRY STAPLES
□ Extra-virgin olive oil or cold-pressed olive oil
□ Canola or grapeseed oil
□ Flax, walnut, or avocado oil
□ Tea (green, black, etc.)
□ Tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, etc.)
□ Ground flaxseed and chia seeds
□ Beans and lentils
□ Whole grains (brown rice, whole oats, etc.)
□ Canned tomatoes and tomato products
□ Canned tuna and salmon
□ Fragrant spices (cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg, ginger, etc.)
□ Unsweetened dark cocoa powder
Not that any of us probably need scientific evidence to confirm this, but research suggests that eating food prepared in your own home is almost always healthier than eating out. In fact, meals prepared outside of the home—whether that’s fast food, quick-service, or fancier table service—are typically higher in saturated fat, calories, and sodium. Combine that with the fact that you’ve got little input on the quality or preparation of the ingredients used, and this equates to meals that range from “not so healthy” to “very unhealthy and inflammatory.”
Yet here’s the reality: We are all going to eat at a restaurant, order takeout, and probably even run through a drive-through window again, and that’s okay. The secret is being aware so it’s not a daily or frequent habit, as well as giving a little thought to your options before you go eat out.
Restaurants vary by region and, as you’ll soon learn, individually or locally owned restaurants are often a better choice—two things that make giving specific menu-item recommendations difficult. But here are some general guidelines to use to steer you toward healthier, less inflammatory choices when eating out.
• GO LOCAL: Restaurants with multiple (or hundreds of) locations often rely heavily on prepared products and standardized methods to ensure product consistency, and they have little ability to make changes based on freshness, quality, or seasonality. Chefs and cooks at locally owned restaurants with a single location, or even a few locations, usually have much more freedom to creatively incorporate locally grown and in-season produce, organic ingredients, and homemade items. Though eating local doesn’t always guarantee a healthier meal, it’s my first choice when it comes to healthfulness, as well as freshness and taste.
• LOOK FOR SPECIAL DIETS: Choosing items that meet special diet requirements—even though you may not have a dairy allergy or gluten sensitivity—can sometimes mean dishes that are healthier and less inflammatory. These dishes are often prepared with a little more attention to quality and ingredients. They may also contain more fresh or homemade sauces or seasonings to steer clear of those dietary components that are often in prepared products.
• ORDER SIMPLE: Basic preparation techniques like baking, roasting, grilling, and sautéing are often healthier in terms of saturated fat and sodium. But keeping your order simple (for example, grilled fish with steamed vegetables or a baked sweet potato) also helps you focus on a balanced plate (see page 33). It’s even more important when eating out to make sure that at least half of your meal is made up of fresh or cooked produce.
• THINK FISH: All fish, but particularly those rich in omega-3s (see page 39), are vital for health and reducing inflammation. Yet fish isn’t something that people tend to prepare at home as often as meat and poultry. Use eating out as an opportunity to get one of your weekly servings of fish to boost health and to minimize the body’s inflammatory response.
• EXPLORE GLOBALLY: Whether it’s Greek, Thai, Japanese, Indian, South American, or Italian, each cuisine centers around its own assortment of spices, herbs, and fresh ingredients. Sure, preparation plays a big role, but many times it’s easier to find vegetable-forward dishes with less emphasis on animal proteins at ethnic restaurants. Cuisines like Indian also pack an anti-inflammatory punch thanks to turmeric and curry blends, and some Asian cuisines incorporate probiotic-rich kimchi and seaweed greens.