Variety Is the Spice of Life — and Healthy Eating

When you walk the perimeter of the grocery store, do you choose a variety of colorful foods? The purple eggplant, the red and orange peppers, the yellow zucchini? Or do you marvel at them the same way you would a painting at an art gallery, and then fill your basket with the same old, same old? A head of lettuce. A couple of cucumbers. A stalk of celery.

No shame to these basics, but experts say you could be missing out if you’re sticking with a one- or two-color approach and eating the same kinds of protein, dairy, and grains day in and day out. When you broaden your horizons by choosing a variety of foods, you enjoy an impressive array of nutritional benefits that, according to some research, sets the stage for a longer life, a lower risk for disease, and even a trimmer waistline. And you wake up your tastebuds to more pleasurable eating.

The science is clear: Eating whole, unrefined, natural foods that differ in appearance, texture, smell, and composition is the way to go. Doing so exposes you to a well-rounded collection of vitamins, minerals, and other elements your body needs to be its best—things you couldn’t get from a more limited eating approach.

Why Variety Matters

Eating foods from a variety of sources comes with a host of benefits. It can improve the diversity of healthy bacteria in the gut, which has an anti-inflammatory effect that improves overall immunity and can help maintain a healthy weight loss.

Food variety can also reduce the risk for metabolic syndrome. In one study published by the National Library of Medicine, researchers compared two groups of people, ages 40 to 69. The first group ate a wide array of seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other healthy foods. The second group’s diet was more limited. The result? The first group was at a lower risk for metabolic issues that could lead to abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, blood sugar, and risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Lastly, eating a wide array of healthy foods can help you stave off disease in general, age better, and live longer. A recent study of 59,000 women, also published by the National Library of Medicine, found that those who rotated 16 to 17 healthy foods throughout their diet had a 42 percent lower mortality from all causes than those who ate zero to eight healthy foods.

Mindfulness Is Key

Switching up your food choices in a beneficial way doesn't have to be complicated. To the contrary, it’s about being mindful of the ways you can include different foods when planning and shopping for them:

Get protein from both plants and animals. If you're not a vegan and enjoy and can tolerate animal proteins from fish, meat, pork, and chicken, commit to making at least one meal a week from plants, like beans and soy. Try a tofu stir-fry with vegetables, or a red lentil spaghetti bolognaise with spiralized zucchini.
Be creative. Rotate your healthful grains and vegetables, and if you're a vegan, try different non-dairy options like almond, cashew, and coconut. Do an internet search for new recipes, and ask friends for recommendations. Look for ways to bump up the ingredient list so it's as nutrient rich as possible.
Experiment with spices. Turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon, to name a few, are known for their healing properties.
Focus on fruits and vegetables, which give you the most bang for your buck. Of all the food groups, fruits and veggies contain the most important vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support good wellness. In fact, the USDA recommends filling half your plate with them – the more colorful, the better. Try oranges and yellow squash for vitamin C; spinach and kale for folate, calcium, iron, and vitamin K; purple cauliflower and potatoes for antioxidants. Consider buying one or two new fruits each week that you didn’t get the week before.

Sifter Makes Variety Easy

If creating a colorful and diverse plate is the “what,” then Sifter is the “how.” Whether you’re looking to try something different, planning meals for the week, or following a recipe, Sifter can help you discover new foods that are right for you:

Set up your MyDiet Profile, if you haven’t already, by selecting one or more dietary filters (we call them “SiftTags”). When you're searching for products on Sifter, turn on MyDiet Profile so that our search engine "sifts" for foods that align with your dietary preferences.
Use RecipeSifter™ to analyze whether recipe ingredients meet your MyDiet Profile. If an ingredient doesn't match, RecipeSifter will help you swap in ingredients that work better for your food sensitivities and preferences.
Try the Scan by Diet™ feature when you're shopping in-store. Simply scan the product barcode to see if the item matches your SiftTags.

A kaleidoscope of nutrient-rich, unprocessed foods is the key to healthy living, not to mention satisfied tastebuds. Start sifting your way to a more varied and healthy diet.

June 2022

Sources

4 Exciting Reasons to Rotate Your Foods
Food variety is important for our health
Why is diet variety important?
Here’s Why You Need To Vary Your Diet