What I eat

Since I don't eat meat, dairy, wheat, and sugar, I am often asked what is actually left to eat. While this question is amusing, it also indicates a fundamental problem of our food culture. There are literally thousands of eatable plant species. However, the food industry focuses on soy, wheat, corn, rice, and about a dozen of vegetables and half a dozen of fruit.

Break out of this. Increase the variety of things you eat. Make it a point of eating something every day that you haven't eating the last month. Go with the seasons. Check out the local farmer market to see whether you can find something that you have never eaten before.

As in inspiration, on this page, I give you a list of the plant (and fungi) species that I eat (if I remember to add it to the list). Currently, I list 87 species.


FRUIT:

Clearly my main source of energy and nutrients

01. bananas, probably my main staple, but seems to be rather a genus (musa) than a species. family: Musaceae)

02. dates (one of my main source of carbohydrates, family: Arecaceae = palm)

03. coconut (water only - I am allergic to coconut fat, and yes, the coconut is technically a fruit, not a nut. family: Arecaceae = palm)

04. oranges (technically not a species, but a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin)

05. apples

06. lemon

07. grapes (fresh, raisins)

08. mango (fresh, frozen, dried)

09. blueberries

10. strawberries

11. mandarins (originally Japanese, despite the name)

12. frog skin melon

13. peaches, nectarines (Prunus persica)

14. greengages (Prunus domestica)

15. figs (dried, fresh)

16. lychee

17. pears

18. cherries (fresh, frozen)

19. rasberries

20. watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

21. physalis

22. papaya

23. jackfruit

24. blackberries

24. fuzzy kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)

25. goji

26. pomgranate




NUTS:

My main source of fat and one of my main sources of protein

01. walnuts

02. cashews

03. pecans

04. almonds

05. hazelnuts





VEGETABLES:

01. potatoes (solanum tuberosum), a cheap, healthy, excellent source of energy

02. beetroot (roots, leaves)

03. kale

04. celery

05. lettuce (lactuca sativa): sweet gem lettuce, cos lettuce

06. mustard (sprouts, seeds)

07. radish

08. tomatoes

09. carrots

10. bell peppers (species: Capsicum annuum, genus: Capsicum)

11. chili (genus: Capsicum)

12. broccoli

13. aubergines

14. spinach

15. rocket

16. cucumber

17. avocados

18. leeks

19. butternut squash (Cucurbita maxima)

20. sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

21. courgettes

LEGUMES:

01. peanuts

02. red lentils

03. green pea (shoots)

04. chickpeas

05. yellow pea (protein powder)

06. butter beans






GRASS SEEDS (CEREALS)

01. oats

02. (brown) rice

03. corn



OTHER SEEDS:

01. quinoa

02. sunflower (seeds)

03. amaranth

04. hemp (protein powder)

05. flax

06. chia

07. buckwheat

08. pumpkin seeds



HERBS, SPICES, and OTHERS:

01. carob (powder)

02. garlic (fresh)

03. ginger (fresh)

04. cinnamon (powder)

05. basil

06. roibos (herbal tea)

07. thyme

08. hibiscus tea (hibiscus sabdariffa)

09. peppermint (tea)

10. nettle (tea)

11. rose hip (tea)

12. sage

13. lemon balm

14. fennel

15. cardamom (genus: Elettaria)



FUNGI:

01. champignon

02. shiitake