By Linda Knudsen
How can you know which foods are TRULY healthy? Do you want to find out which foods make the grade”?
Take this simple food grading quiz to find out for yourself.
On a grading scale where “F” is at the bottom and “A” is at the top, you can actually SEE which foods are TRULY healthy.
From this we can come to understand why certain foods add to our health while others shouldn’t be considered food at all. If, previously we’ve been eating a mostly “D” diet, now we know what we can do to improve!
To begin, select your 10 most consumed items from the list below.
For every “A” item you eat count 10 points.
For every “B” item give yourself 8 points
“C”‘s get 6 points
“D”‘s get 4 points
“F” items don’t score, after all- they really aren’t food anyway.
-5 for the really bad stuff
Do yourself a favor, no one but you will be looking at your little test so be honest with yourself.
Grade:
A: (10 points) Fresh, raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, sprouted grains, seeds, legumes,(raw or low heated), raw honey, cold pressed olive oil, cold pressed coconut oil, fresh and quality dried herbs for seasoning and medicine, sprouted grain flours.
B: (8 points) Lightly steamed/baked veggies, quality sea salt, organic sugar made from cane juice crystals, real Maple syrup, raw organic agave, un-sprouted whole grains, organic rice milk, brown rice pastas.
C: (6 points) Quality grass fed organic meats, organic raw dairy, home raised eggs; eaten occasionally.
D: (4 points) Heavily cooked, buttered, and salted veggies, canned or pre-packaged foods, (check label to be sure there are no “F” ingredients), refined flour, white rice, most processed soy products.
F: (score: 0) Refined sugar, corn syrup, vegetable oil, canola oil, commercially raised animal products, over eating or obsessive food behavior.
( – 5 points) These items (referred to as “items” because they cannot be called food) cause disease and are considered poisons: Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, hydrogenated fats, any chemical created in a lab, any ingredient so extensive it requires an abbreviation (e.g.: BHT), laboratory created drugs, habit forming and addictive substances (alcohol abuse, drugs, smoking, etc.)
If you scored:
90 points +: Hurrah!!! You eat a lot of fresh raw fruits and vegetable and other very healthy foods. Keep up the great work!
80-90 points: you are right on track. If you want to increase your score, simply add a few more raw foods to your diet or try eating sprouted grains.
70-80 points: You are doing well, in fact, probably better than the average American! Not much for you to worry about (unless you had to add a -5 to your score). However, now you know you can add a few more items from the “A” category to increase your score.
Below 70: time to look at what you are eating. It takes time, it takes planning, it takes preparation. We will do what we can, where we can and not allow stress to overcome us but instead we will move forward with a quiet confidence and determination to eat more from the “A and B” lists. And no doubt, we’ll feel it and be grateful! Be sure to watch those “0” and “-5” items, they really zap your score and are the most detrimental to your health.
3 easy ways to trade out your traditional foods for a higher grade:
1. Traditional peanut butter is full of hydrogenated oils, sugars, salt, and even artificial coloring. Easily switch to a “Natural Peanut Butter”. (Just be sure to check the ingredients. It should read: peanuts, salt. That is all.) Use honey over high fructose corn syrup/sugar sweetened jellies.
2. Trade out refined sugar, low calorie, no calorie soda pop/drinks for juice spritzers. Ingredients will list fruit and carbonated water. Better yet, drink good clean water with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Ingredients: water.
3. Look for breads which are 100% whole grain. A good ingredient list includes whole grains (like wheat, rye, barley, etc.) along with salt, yeast, honey, and water… and that is about it. These breads keep best in the fridge as they contain no preservatives. There are good tasting, high quality breads out there- though usually you will have to go to a “health food” store to find them.
Check your labels. The more you cut out the artificial ingredients, bad fats, and preservatives while adding the fresh fruits, veggies, and whole grains, the higher your grade, and your health, will become.
For more on this topic, click here to read Hidden Treasures: Heaven’s Astonishing Help with Your Money Matters FREE.
- Raise Health From F to A - February 8, 2011
- One Thing You Must Know Before Achieving Your Goals - September 29, 2010
- Finding Success When Negativity Takes Over - September 27, 2010
