What can I eat?
40FRESH Official Rules
Welcome to the growing community of people saying “no” to ultra-processed foods and choosing a healthy diet made of real food. Eating well shouldn’t be hard! The rules below are similar to the NOVA Food Classification System, but simplified so they’re easy to follow.
Always
RULES
There are no rules for this category!
Everything in the 40FRESH Always category is considered unprocessed or minimally processed. Eat as much of these as your heart desires.
FOOD
Farm Fresh
If you can grow it, you can eat it: fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, grains, nuts, peanuts, seeds, mushrooms and algae
Unprocessed Meats & Seafood
As long as it is direct from an animal, it’s fair game
Eggs
From any kind of bird
Grits, Flakes & Flours
From wheat, corn, and oats
Pasta
Fresh or dried as long as they are made from the flours above, plus couscous and polenta
DRINKS
Water
Tap, spring, mineral, sparkling (including those with natural favors)
Coffee & Tea
Fresh brewed without additives
Milk
Fresh or pasteurized
Fruit & Vegetable Juices
Juices made from 100% fruit and vegetables with no sweeteners, flavoring, or preservatives added
Made By You
Any other concoctions you can dream, as long as they are made using only 40FRESH Always ingredients
@Home
RULES
While these aren’t the healthiest ingredients, they can be integrated into a balanced diet. These ingredients are safe to use in small amounts to add a bit of flavor to your @Home cooking. Feel free to sauté those veggies in some olive oil, but don’t try to deep fry and sugar coat everything you make.
FATS, VINEGARS & STARCHES
Cooking Oils
Made from seeds, nuts, and fruits (including soybeans, corn, olive, and sunflower)
Other Fats
Butter (including salted), lard, and coconut fat
Vinegar
White, balsamic, rice, apple cider and others
Starches
Extracted from corn and other plants
SUGAR & SALT
Sugar
White, brown, and other types of sugar and molasses from cane or beets
Honey
Extracted directly from honeycombs
Maple Syrup
Only the real stuff from trees
Salt
Refined or coarse, mined or from seawater
Limited
RULES
Foods in this category are created by combining 40FRESH Always and @Home ingredients. These are safe to eat, but you should still aim for eating five Always items for every one Limited item.
Alcoholic drinks are permitted, but no more than seven per week and three per day.
FOOD
Identifiable Ingredients
If it has 5 or fewer ingredients and all the ingredients are from the 40FRESH Always or @Home category, it’s a Limited food. Examples:
- Freshly made cheeses
- Bacon, beef jerky and smoked, salted, dried or cured meats
- Canned fish
- Freshly-made breads made from only wheat, salt water, and yeast
- Canned beans and veggies
- Tomato paste, extracts, and concentrates
- Salted or sugared nuts
DRINKS
Fermented Alcoholic Drinks
Beer, Wine, and Cider
Nope
RULES
FOOD
Desserts
Ice cream, chocolate, cookies, pastries, cakes, candy and other confectionery
Food with Additives or Unrecognizable Ingredients
Including added sugar or artificial sweeteners, whey, emulsifiers, colors, artificial or natural flavors, hydrogenated oil, and other agents such as:
- All salty, sugary, sweet and savory snacks
- Cereal and breakfast bars
- Packaged bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and bagels
- Sausages, hot dogs, pre-prepared meats (burgers, chicken, etc.), chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and other products made from animal remnants
- Sweetened or flavored yogurts
- Pre-prepared vegetables
- Instant pastas, frozen dinners, and dehydrated, canned, or condensed soups
- Seasonings and gravy mixes
- Margarine and spreads
DRINKS
Drinks with Sweeteners, Flavorings, or Preservatives
Lots of things in this category including:
- Soda
- Energy & sports drinks
- Juice
- Tea
- Kombucha
- Dairy drinks
- Non-dairy drinks
- Meal replacement shakes
Other Alcohols
Distilled alcohols like whiskey, rum, gin, and tequila as well as alcoholic seltzers
Are you ready to try 40FRESH?
We’re ready to help you look and feel your best. Try our free 40 day program and we’ll help you lose weight and build healthy habits that stick.
