The golden rule: choose whole over refined

Instead of…	Choose…	Why
White rice	Brown rice	More fiber, more filling, better glycemic profile
White bread	100% whole grain bread	More fiber and micronutrients
White pasta	Whole grain pasta	Slower digestion, more vitamins
Orange juice	Whole orange	Fiber, no sugar spike
Breakfast cereals	Oats	No added sugar, more protein
Flavored yogurt	Plain yogurt + fresh fruit	No added sugars

Other practical recommendations:

Read labels. The first 3 ingredients are what matter most. If sugar appears in the top 2, put it back.
Cook more, process less. The fewer industrial steps a food has, the better.
Color matters. A variety of colors on your plate means a variety of antioxidants and micronutrients.
Don’t eliminate food groups without a medical reason. Balance beats any diet trend.
Consistency beats perfection. Eating well 85–90% of the time delivers better results than a perfect 2-week diet followed by giving up.

What to Avoid (or Minimize)

Added sugars

Added sugar provides zero nutrients. It hides in: sauces, flavored yogurts, “breakfast” cereals, energy drinks, industrial juices, sliced bread.

How to spot it on labels: sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, added fructose.

Trans fats

The worst fats for cardiovascular health. Found in: industrial pastries, partially hydrogenated margarines, fast food fryers, and packaged snacks.

On labels: “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” = trans fats. Always avoid.

Ultra-processed foods

Any product with more than 5 ingredients, including names you wouldn’t recognize in your kitchen. They’re not forbidden, but if they form the base of your diet, your performance will suffer.

Examples: Processed meats, nuggets, frozen pizzas, filled cookies, corn snacks.

Excess alcohol

See Alcohol and Performance for a full breakdown.