I'm A Functional RD: These Are The Top 5 Healing Foods I Swear By

Fad diets pretty much always end in disappointment. Whether you get tired of restrictive eating patterns or fail to feel better, it’s generally not worth following trends when it comes to what you put on your plate. 

Instead, try to go back to basics with whole and natural foods. According to functional registered dietitian Michelle Shapiro, R.D., some items that are so healing that you may just want to make them a staple in your diet. To come, the top five healing foods she recently shared on the mindbodygreen podcast. 

You may not suspect beef to have "healing" powers, but Shapiro clarifies that grass-fed meat can benefit your overall health. 

Some examples of cruciferous veggies include:

Shapiro also uses ghee in many of her recipes, which she views as a healthier alternative than traditional butter. According to the USDA3, ghee (aka, clarified butter) contains less fat, more vitamin A, and more vitamin E than traditional butter4. 

This ingredient has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, but its many health benefits have also been studied in recent years. See, ghee contains a high amount of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)5. While there are more studies needed to confirm CLA’s role in metabolic health, some studies have shown that CLA can be helpful in reducing fat in animals6.

Next up, Shapiro praises a crowd-pleaser: sweet potatoes. There are many benefits that come with adding sweet potatoes to your plate, so we've highlighted just a few important ones to note: 

Finally, Shapiro always has bone broth in her house. Another super-healing food, bone broth has benefits for both your gut and your skin.

Part of the reason it’s so beloved by beauty lovers is because it contains collagen—a building block of your skin that decreases with age, resulting in fine lines and sagging skin.

The takeaway

Shapiro’s favorite nutrient-dense foods include grass-fed beef, cruciferous vegetables, ghee, sweet potatoes, and bone broth.

However, any whole and natural food is always a great addition to your daily plate. Perhaps just consider these your star players.