GBOMBS is an acronym coined by Dr. Joel Fuhrman to help us easily remember what to eat every day to improve our health. It stands for greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and seeds. So if you’re confused about how to have a healthier diet and maintain a healthy weight, then just remember GBOMBS!
Dr. Fuhrman is a board-certified family physician and author of many great books on how to prevent or reverse disease through nutrition. He’s committed his life to helping people live healthier and longer lives simply by eating better. And he’s smart enough to know that people need easier ways to figure out what to eat!
GBOMBS are nutritional powerhouses because they contain huge amounts of immune-boosting nutrients. These are nutrients that are backed by the most science proving they not only help prevent cancer but also most of the other major diseases of our time.
So let’s take a look at exactly why he believes these foods are so helpful.
G – Greens
There are so many reasons we should be getting more greens into our daily diets. And when I say “greens” I’m talking about leafy greens but also green veggies. All of which are high in nutrients, but low in calories. So you can eat a lot of them without ingesting many calories! If you want to get healthy and lose weight then eating more greens is a good way to do it.
But why are greens so healthy for us? Greens are green because they contain chlorophyll which has been shown to block carcinogens that cause cancer in human cells. If you’re interested in learning more about this then read the book “How Not to Die” by Dr. Michael Greger or just watch this video.
Iowa State University says that greens will also help you retain your eyesight over your lifetime due to the antioxidant lutein. Studies have shown that lutein can help prevent age-related macular degeneration and may lower your risk of developing cataracts.
One easy way to get more greens is by changing your lunch or dinner every day to a huge salad with lots of healthy toppings. Start with a mixture of dark leafy greens, and I’m not talking about iceberg lettuce (that’s the lesser of the greens)! Then just get creative with lots of veggie or fruit toppings, and nuts, seeds or beans for some fat and protein!
The topping ideas are endless and you could even get all of your GBOMBS in one meal with a salad like this. To help you out I found this website to give you plenty of salad ideas to try!
Related article: Change your diet for a healthier body.
B – Beans
Beans are a super nutrient-dense source of carbohydrates that are a great replacement for meat due to their texture. Why would you want to replace meat with beans? Because they’re so much healthier for you than meat!
Beans have NO saturated fat or cholesterol to worry about but they have LOTS of fiber to make you feel full longer. Meat, on the other hand, has NO fiber but plenty of saturated fat and cholesterol. One 1/2 cup serving of cooked beans contains about 7 grams of protein, which is the same as 1 oz. of meat.
In “How Not to Die”, Dr. Michael Greger (p. 277) writes that the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that we eat “whole grains and/or legumes (beans, split peas, chickpeas, or lentils) with every meal”! They’re that healthy for us! Legumes, in particular, contain protein and fiber, but also iron, zinc, folate and potassium.
WebMD also verifies in detail “Why Beans Are Good for Your Health”.
This is one of the reasons beans are recommended for diabetics. Their low-fat and high-fiber make them a great weight-loss and cholesterol-lowering tool. Most Americans don’t even get half the recommended amount of fiber in their diets every day. So beans are a great addition for anyone wanting to have better health.
O – Onions
Onions are considered another superfood that have anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and heart health benefits.
“People with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes who ate red onions showed lower glucose levels for up to four hours”, says LiveScience.com. They can be eaten raw or cooked, but eating them raw will preserve more of the beneficial nutrients.
A study done in Canada showed that onions can block the growth of cancer cells. And furthermore, the red onion variety “Ruby Ring” proved to have the most cancer-fighting compounds overall. Remember that the most colorful fruits and veggies usually contain the most nutrients.
“Onions contain antioxidants and compounds that fight inflammation, decrease triglycerides, and reduce cholesterol levels, all of which may lower heart disease risk”, says Healthline.com. This is a major bonus considering the fact that most Americans die from heart disease.
Not only are onions helpful in preventing disease, but they also add a lot of flavor to foods! Instead of using so much salt to flavor your meals, try using more onions instead.
M – Mushrooms
Most people I know rarely eat mushrooms, which I think has more to do with how they look than anything! My own husband says he dislikes them, but when I chop them up small and add them to a soup or stew, he doesn’t even know he’s eating them. Sneaky, I know! Mushrooms have a savory flavor so they can also take the place of salt in your meals.
Dr. Fuhrman put them on his list of GBOMBS because they’re associated with a decreased risk of certain cancers, especially breast cancer. Studies have also shown that they reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in diabetics. They’ve been used medicinally for centuries. And they contain important nutrients like protein, fiber, Vitamin D, selenium, potassium, niacin, riboflavin, copper and phosphorous.
Most Americans don’t get enough fiber, vitamin D, or potassium in their diets. So these would be a great addition on a regular basis for any of us. Keep in mind that mushrooms are best eaten cooked as opposed to raw.
B – Berries
When they say to “eat the rainbow”, start with berries! Those bright red, blue, and purple colors you see in berries mean they are full of health-promoting antioxidants. These help to protect our cells and lower our risk of cancer and other diseases. And they’re so tasty, why not eat them?!
The American Cancer Society studied around 100,000 men and women and found that those who ate the most berries also had the lowest risk of dying from heart disease. Western Missouri Medical Center says that “just 5 strawberries contain almost 100% of your daily Vitamin C needs”.
Berries also have the benefit of being lower in sugar while being higher in nutrients and fiber than most other fruits. They don’t need to be chopped and can easily be added to your oatmeal or smoothie at breakfast, a salad at lunch, or used in place of dessert after dinner.
S – Seeds
We all need some healthy fat in our diets and seeds and nuts both have them! Remember that getting fat in its natural form is always a better option than getting it from processed oils. Yes, you can get your fat from meat too but that would be in the form of saturated fat which is the least healthy.
We can get more of the healthy Omega-3 fats that we tend to be lacking by eating more chia, flax, or hemp seeds. In addition, seeds contain fiber that Americans are usually lacking. And seeds can protect us from both heart disease and cancer when eaten regularly.
Even though seeds and nuts are high in fat don’t make the mistake of avoiding them because you want to lose weight. Dr. Fuhrman says that they help for weight loss too, especially when you replace something unhealthy with the healthy fats of nuts or seeds. Just be sure not to overindulge.
Nuts are a good source of calcium and magnesium, both of which are needed for strong bones. We all know dairy products contain calcium but for those that don’t consume dairy, almonds are a healthy source.
Related article: Calcium and magnesium: how they work together.
Seeds have a lot of the same nutrients as nuts but have additional trace minerals and more protein than nuts. And they’re especially easy to add to meals likes salads! There’s really no excuse not to eat more seeds. I add chia and flaxseeds to my morning smoothie and oatmeal every day.
For more creative ideas on how to add them to a healthy diet, read this article!
My final thoughts
I can’t possibly summarize all the benefits you’ll gain from eating more GBOMBS. Just know that they’re all superfoods that will improve your immune system and protect you from both chronic diseases and viruses. They’re easy to add to your diet and they’re conveniently packaged since they don’t require much cutting or preparing!
Also, remember that it’s recommended that they be eaten every day! Not just once or twice a week. They’re so healthy for us that we should put a focus on them and add them to meals whenever we can. Or just build each meal around them, like the huge salad!
Dr. Fuhrman is one of my favorite doctors to follow because he makes nutrition and healthy living easy to understand. The first book of his that I read was “Eat to Live“(2003) and I still highly recommend it. He does have an updated version that was published in 2011. But if you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of GBOMBS, read his newer book “Super Immunity” (2012).
Dr. Fuhrman also has a website where you can read more about why he does what he does and how he can help you. It also contains recipes, video talks, and a blog for more education on healthy living.
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Tell me in the form below how you’ve started using more GBOMBS in your diet!