1. Buy organic (at least when you can find it and afford it).

2. Seek out free-range and hormone- and antibiotic-free beef and chicken.

3. Learn about mineral-rich seaweed. Kelp, nori, and dulse are nutritious choices.

4. Use expeller-pressed or cold-pressed oils, especially olive oil, to preserve the oil’s full nutrient spectrum, which is compromised by other extraction methods.

5. Select dark leafy greens. Mixed salad greens, kale, spinach, and Swiss chard are best for optimum minerals and antioxidants.

6. Favor brown-colored foods. Brown rice and whole-grain breads, crackers, and pasta all offer abundant fiber and are richer in vitamins than white-flour-only products.

7. Try whole-grain cereals—oatmeal, multigrain hot cereals, and muesli—for maximum nutrients.

8. Use nuts, seeds, and nut butters for snacks and in your meals to balance blood sugar and serve as a source of protein, good fats, and minerals.

9. Sprinkle unrefined sea salt instead of regular table salt on your meals for additional trace minerals.

10. Use fresh herbs for added flavor without added fat.

—M.E.

Source: Lynn Smith, MS, RD