Do you sometimes get lost in all the health advice out there? Me too. The near-infinite number of diet plans, fitness programs, and mindfulness practices filling the internet can easily become overwhelming.

Which made me wonder: How much can we simplify things? Or better yet: Could health be boiled down to a single question?

Well, no. But answering the question in the title will tell you more about your long-term health than any other I can think of (do let me know if you come up with a more important one).

So, why is this question so vital? Because it directly addresses the biggest health problem of our time: We’re overfed and undernourished. Filling your body with a wide variety of nutritious foods will not only keep you in great health (perhaps you never get sick again); it will also help you effortlessly maintain a healthy weight.

Why the Emphasis on Variety?

It deserves repeating: The world is overfed and undernourished. Most of the food in our supermarkets is rich in calories and poor in nutrients. This makes our bodies crave more food for two reasons:

1. Empty-calorie foods are purpose-built for addiction, shamelessly exploiting our primitive cravings for refined sugars, saturated fats, and added salt. I view this as capitalism’s single biggest failure.
2. Nutrient deficiencies can trigger our bodies to demand more food, even when our caloric needs are met. That’s why a nutrient-rich diet is a great way to rectify unhelpful hunger signals sent by our bodies.

We’re all too aware of the impacts of consuming too many calories. But the implications of insufficient micronutrients enjoy far too little attention. Our bodies require a wide range of vitamins and minerals to function optimally, and persistent deficiencies bring all sorts of nasty consequences.

Simply put, an impressively high number behind our title question offers the perfect antidote to our “overfed and undernourished” dilemma.

Furthermore, focusing on one simple thing: maximizing the number of different whole foods you eat every day, keeps things attractively simple. A varied whole-food diet simply leaves no space for taking all those slow poisons designed to throw our food cravings all out of whack.

So, let’s see how we can load up on a wide variety of whole foods in a highly practical and deeply enjoyable manner.

The Four Whole-Food Categories

The first objection to a healthy, whole-food diet is that it’s not practical in a busy modern lifestyle. We simply don’t have the time and energy to turn multiple whole ingredients into tasty meals day after day.

Second, we meet the objection that whole foods are no fun. What’s the use of living longer when we cannot enjoy the good things life has to offer?

Let’s put these two limiting beliefs to bed right now. The ideas in the following sections make it so practical and pleasant to enjoy a wide range of whole foods that there will be no excuses left.

1. Nuts, Seeds, and Berries

This is my all-time favorite whole-food category. Not only because of the incredible health benefits and the fantastic taste but also because of the great practicality. You can check out this article to learn how to turn 16 healthy ingredients into a delicious breakfast in as little as two minutes.

The key is to buy nuts, seeds, and berries that are already premixed. In the case of seeds, you’ll most likely need to do this yourself, but, if done smartly, the required time investment is negligible. Buying and premixing your seeds in bulk is also great for your wallet.

In short, if you set this up well, you’ll have a lifelong healthy breakfast that is a pleasure to eat and a breeze to prepare.

2. Cooked and Raw Veggies

Vegetables have developed into rather unfortunate symbols of the sacrifice we must make to live healthy lives. Preparing them can also become a rather tedious task.

Luckily, there’s a straightforward solution to both these concerns. The “meat as vegetable dressing” flexitarian eating philosophy offers a fantastic combo of health, taste, and practicality, throwing in a clean conscience as a bonus. Such meals are perfect for cooking in large batches and freezing for later use. Here are some delicious recipes that will cost you no more than 5 minutes for each of your daily warm meals.

When it comes to raw veggies, simply treat them as snacks. Always have some cherry tomatoes, carrots, or peas lying around the house where you can easily see them. These veggies not only make surprisingly tasty snacks; they also help to naturally control cravings. Another simple idea is to have a green salad (or just a few cucumber slices) next to every warm meal.

Lastly, I strongly recommend building a green smoothie habit. This health cocktail is also best made in bulk and frozen. Do this, and you’ll pay well under a minute of your precious time per glass of green smoothie.

3. Avocado and Other Fruit

Fruit has come under fire in recent years for its high fructose content, but it remains an important source of nutritional variety. Raw veggies are a better snacking option, but adding your favorite fruits into the mix is no problem. Pressed fruit juice is also OK as long as it contains no added sugar.

But there’s one fruit that deserves special mention: the avocado. This fruit is unique because it barely contains any sugar, providing loads of healthy monounsaturated fats instead. If you master the art of avocado management, turning this delicious food into a staple is also very practical.

Start by buying your avocados while they’re still rock hard to avoid any nasty bruises. Then just let them ripen naturally at home. Do a quick check once per day to find the ripe ones and transfer them to the fridge, where they will last for more than a week. With a little practice, you’ll soon learn to manage your avo stockpile so that you always have several perfectly ripened specimens in the fridge just waiting to be eaten.

4. Non-Meat Protein

Protein is the only macronutrient broadly accepted in the dieting community, with both fats and carbs often triggering extreme opinions. But many high-protein foods have another problem: serious environmental and animal welfare impacts. That’s why this category excludes meat.

Luckily, there are plenty of tasty and convenient non-meat alternatives at our disposal. When looking at animal products, fish, eggs, and dairy offer many healthy and delicious options. Eggs are a particularly good option in terms of practicality. Everyone should know how to whip up a good omelet or perfect scrambled eggs in a few short minutes.

When looking at plant proteins, legumes are king. They’re also perfect candidates for the “meat as a vegetable dressing” warm meals mentioned earlier. You can mostly buy these foods canned or dried and add them to the pot with no extra effort.

Putting It All Together

Here are the best time-saving strategies for maximizing your whole food variety and enjoyment:

• Design your super breakfast of nuts, seeds, and berries.
• Cook your warm meals in bulk based on the “meat as a vegetable dressing” philosophy, freezing them for highly convenient warm lunches.
• Make sure to include plenty of legumes in these warm meals.
• Prominently display raw vegetables as your primary snack foods.
• Establish a green smoothie habit and regularly include a green salad next to your warm meals.
• Master the art of avocado management.
• Learn to whip up some eggs in a matter of minutes.

These habits help me eat about 40 different whole foods every day without spending more than 10 minutes on food preparation. This varied whole food diet naturally controls my cravings, helping me maintain my ideal weight and never get sick without investing any of my limited willpower. Whenever I feel hungry, I eat something I enjoy. Simple as that.

So, how many different types of whole food did you enjoy today? And, more importantly, how many will be you enjoying tomorrow?

Thanks to Alta Cloete.