Want to be a smart foodie? The doctors dish out the goods

The 2014 documentary Foodie: The Culinary Jet Set followed a collection of food fanatics who indulged their quest for the perfect morsel by dining in the world’s top restaurants.

In North America, more than 47 million of you claim to be foodies, demanding healthier ingredients and novel flavours — or so you say. But in the past two years, consumption of candies and individual snacks has gone up more than 27 per cent, chips by 24 per cent. Folks gobble carob- and yogurt-coated snacks, granola bars and refrigerated smoothies, all laced with added sugars, excess fat and extra calories. And while many are cooking dinner more often (almost six times weekly), you often aren’t cooking from scratch — the healthiest way. Plus, about 55 per cent of you regularly have ice cream and cookies, often high in sugars, added syrups, sat fat and calories.

Wanna be a smart foodie? Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients: Buy fresh produce. (To avoid the Environmental Working Group’s pesticide-laced ‘Dirty Dozen’ — apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, nectarines, peaches, potatoes, snap peas, spinach, strawberries, sweet bell peppers — go organic). Avoid packaged, processed foods. Opt for lean proteins, like skinless chicken and salmon, and only three ounces of red meat a week.

Prep: Grill, bake or poach proteins, and have five to nine servings of produce daily, fresh, steamed or roasted. Use fresh herbs and spices (cumin, curry, turmeric, hot peppers, olives, garlic) to create flavour surprises.

Serve: Dish it up for the whole family. Eating meals together at home promotes weight loss, improved nutrition and closer family ties.