The best pantry staples for healthy eating will always be flexible foods.
If you’re new to this, start here for an intro to this list of healthy pantry staples.
Ok! Let’s get right to it.
CARBOHYDRATES: Pantry staples for healthy eating, part 1
We’re starting strong with the foods that do triple duty. These are the healthy carbs that go into pantry staples.
Every one of these carbs are high in fiber and high in protein. But at their heart they’re complex carbs. Complex carbs will keep your energy level high without making your crash like refined sugars.
First up…
Oat Bran
WHY IT’S HEALTHY: This is the part of the wheat kernel that has ALL the nutrients. Yea, I said ALL. As in ALLLL the fiber, the omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins and fat soluble vitamins. It’s got 7g of fiber, which is which is more than if you ate 2 slices of high fiber bread, and the same amount of protein as an egg.
Crazy thing about oat bran is that it’s a byproduct of refined flours. It’s the part flour companies actually throw out because it’s not fluffy and white. Oat bran is part of oatmeal, so it isn’t a whole grain. It’s just the best part of the a wheat kernel.
A solid mix of soluble and insoluble fibers that will help lower cholesterol and bind dietary fats to help you lose weight – and fast. The fiber will also keep your blood sugar in check, keep your bathroom trips regular and help you avoid bloating.
ON THE LIST BECAUSE: It does whatever you tell it to do. It can be made into a hot cereal the same way you’d make oatmeal. You can add it to quick breads like banana and zucchini bread, it blends up in smoothies without being noticed and can be added to any coating if you’re breading something.
You can find it gluten-free from companies like Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods who pay close attention to the process that separates the oat bran from the wheat kernel.
Beans
WHY IT’S HEALTHY: There’s some minor variations in the nutrient profile of each type of bean, but this is just another case of looking at the forest instead of the trees. They have a similar amount of fiber and protein as oat bran (about 7 g of each). This means they’re great at slowing gastric emptying and managing blood sugar levels, keeping your bathroom time…on time, and helping your body manage cholesterol.
ON THE LIST BECAUSE: Beans are one of those foods that can do it all. It doesn’t matter what kind of bean you like, they’re all great and they can replace each other in almost any dish. Blended into dips, put on top of salads, added to soups and tacos. They’re even good with eggs (huevos rancheros!).
Complete plant proteins don’t happen often in nature. But when you eat beans + rice + corn, you’ve created a complete protein (meaning all the essential amino acids we need to manage our muscle mass) in an all-vegetarian meal. Perfect if you’re looking for a fast meatless Monday meal, or just want to save a few dollars on a supremely healthy meal.
PRO TIP: If buying dried beans, make sure to soak them well enough to ensure some of the indigestible starch starts to break down (otherwise causing some difficulty digesting and probably extra gas). With canned beans, look for Low Sodium or just rinse them off before using them however you fancy.
Quinoa
WHY IT’S HEALTHY: This complex carb is a cereal that’s prepared like a grain. It’s also one of the only plant-based complete protein source out there. Quinoa gives you more fiber than a slice of whole wheat bread (over 5g in a cup) and has more protein than an egg. It’s also got plenty of minerals like copper and zinc that many people don’t get enough of, especially eating a traditional western diet.
It also has something called resistant starch. This kind of carb isn’t digested or absorbed by the body, but feeds the microbiota in our gut. which helps keep our immune system strong and our digestion system running smoothly.
ON THE LIST BECAUSE: Quinoa does what it’s told. It absorbs whatever flavors you cook it with and adjusts to whatever you mix it with. Use in place of rice and cook with bullion or stock. Coconut milk works also. You can cook it with raisins and sliced almonds. Anything you want.
Best part about quinoa is you can eat it hot like rice or cold in salads. When it’s cold you get the added benefit of the resistant starch. Toss with cheese, chopped veggies and avocado, more dried fruit and nuts. Anything you want. Quinoa plays nicely with everyone.
It’s also gluten-free, and won’t bother any allergies or intolerance you may be worried about.
100% whole wheat pita bread or crackers
WHY IT’S HEALTHY: Despite they hype, there’s a place in our diet for whole grains. They’re a simple way of getting B-vitamins, a large range of minerals and fiber. You won’t get the same level of protein and fiber from whole wheat pita that you’ll get from any of the others on this list, but you can’t make a sandwich from a can of beans either.
Look for breads and crackers made without high fructose corn syrup and makes sure the first ingredient is whole wheat flour and NOT enriched flour (that’s just code for white flour). 100% Whole Wheat bread won’t have any enriched wheat flour at all.
Whole wheat breads and crackers will have at least 3g fiber per serving. If it says Whole Grain, read the label to figure out how much whole grain is actually in the item.
ON THE LIST BECAUSE: This complex carb makes the list of healthy pantry staples because of its flexibility. Easy meals have got to have a sandwich on the list, right? Pita’s are also perfect baked into chips or flipped into a pizza. They’re great with bean dips like hummus and guacamole, nut butters on a slice of bread, cheese and avocado sandwiches. And never forget the good old toast with eggs.
So there it is. Part 1 of pantry staples for healthy eating. Ready talk about protein and fat? Here’s the last post in the pantry staple series.