Dr. Oz's Favorite Healthy Foods

A few of Dr. Oz's favorite foods

Are the foods in your pantry and fridge healthy? America's favorite doctor, Mehmet Oz, MD, dishes on the foods you’d find in his family’s kitchen.

Almonds
 

“The best snack of all,” Dr. Oz says. “Because nuts are high in fiber and protein, they’ll satiate you so you’ll never be hungry. Because of my Turkish culture, I grew up eating almonds that have been soaked in water first. I still do that. It makes them taste completely different—very sweet.”

Broccoli
 

“Broccoli is simply the best medicine we have,” he says. “It gets toxins out of your liver like no other medicine or food on the planet.”

Eggs
 

Think beyond breakfast. "Eggs make a great, inexpensive, protein-rich meal," Dr. Oz says. Whip up dinner fast with a veggie omelet and a green salad. "I don't mind the yolks, either, unless you have a cholesterol concern," he says. "If that's the case, stick with egg whites.

Coffee and green tea

“Coffee is the number-one source of disease-fighting antioxidants in our society,” Dr. Oz says. “It’s OK to enjoy a couple of cups a day, but I prefer green tea because you get the same punch of antioxidants for much less caffeine.”

Low-fat Greek yogurt

“I get the low-fat Greek kind that contains no added sugar,” Dr. Oz says. Add fruit or a teaspoon of honey for sweetness. “The flavored fat-free containers may be low in calories, but they’re all sugar calories, like a candy bar,” Dr. Oz says.

Oatmeal

Steel-cut oatmeal is Dr. Oz’s morning meal every day. You can make a big batch and warm up individual portions all week. Add whatever fruit you have on hand, and sprinkle on a handful of nuts for lean protein.

Fresh fruit

“The sugar in fruit is naturally occurring, meaning it’s not man-made or artificially added, which makes it the healthiest sugar out there,” Dr. Oz says. And unlike processed fruit products, like juice or fruit chews, a hunk of apple or slice of orange contains filling fiber.

Dark chocolate

Look for dark chocolate that contains 70 percent cocoa. “It counts as a health food,” Dr. Oz says. The reason: This high-quality, slightly bitter chocolate contains flavonoids (natural chemicals with antioxidant properties) that improve blood vessel function. Enjoy an ounce or two a day. Pass on milk chocolate, though—“It’s actually not chocolate, just milk fat with a chocolate coating,” he says.

From health.com