Digestion

Every library entry that names Digestion as a goal. Each is a full page: what it does, stage by stage, and what the evidence says. Build a plan for this goal →

Supplements

• Activated CharcoalA porous black powder that traps things in your gut and carries them out — it doesn’t “detox” you.
• Aloe VeraA succulent plant used for centuries on skin and, in some products, taken orally as a digestive aid — though the oral form comes with genuine safety caveats the topical gel doesn’t share.
• Apple Cider VinegarA kitchen staple that can gently soften a blood-sugar spike — not a fat burner.
• Artichoke Leaf ExtractAn extract from artichoke leaves, studied mainly for modestly lowering cholesterol and easing indigestion.
• Bacillus CoagulansA shelf-stable probiotic that survives stomach acid unusually well, with early but small-scale evidence for easing IBS bloating and pain.
• Betaine HClAn acid supplement that briefly makes your stomach more acidic — different from the “betaine” used for exercise or heart health.
• Bifidobacterium LongumA gut bacterium found in healthy infants over a century ago, now being studied for a possible gut-brain connection to stress and mood — early evidence, strain-specific.
• Bovine ColostrumThe first milk a cow makes after giving birth, packed with immune proteins.
• BromelainA pineapple-stem enzyme that can survive digestion intact enough to have real effects in your body.
• Chamomile ExtractA gentle calming herb — the effect is mild, not a strong sedative.
• Chanca PiedraAn Amazonian herb long used for kidney and gallstones, with small studies showing it changes urine chemistry in a favorable direction — though it’s not proven to dissolve existing stones.
• Dandelion RootThe root of a common backyard weed, roasted into tea and used traditionally to support digestion and liver function.
• Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)A processed form of licorice root that keeps the digestive-soothing compounds while removing the ingredient responsible for licorice’s classic blood pressure risk.
• Digestive EnzymesTops up the enzymes your pancreas already makes.
• Fennel Seed ExtractA licorice-scented seed used since antiquity, with real trial support for menstrual cramps and much weaker support for general bloating.
• Ginger Root ExtractOne of the better-evidenced herbs there is, specifically for nausea.
• GlucomannanA fiber from a Japanese root vegetable that swells enormously in water — helpful for constipation and cholesterol, but genuinely risky if swallowed dry.
• Hemp ProteinA plant protein from hemp seeds that your body digests surprisingly well, though it hasn’t been tested in the same kind of muscle-building trials as whey or rice protein.
• Inulin (Prebiotic Fiber)Not food for you — food for the bacteria living in your gut.
• L-GlutamineYour body already makes plenty of this — extra rarely helps healthy gym-goers.
• Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GGA well-studied gut bacterium with decent evidence for diarrhea in kids and after antibiotics — not a proven cure-all for general gut health.
• Licorice RootOne where the warning genuinely matters more than the benefit.
• Marshmallow RootA soothing root — the plant the marshmallow sweet was originally named after.
• Milk ThistleKnown for one specific compound, called silymarin.
• Multi-Strain ProbioticDifferent strains genuinely do different things.
• Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG)A processed form of guar bean fiber that dissolves easily and helps with constipation and bloating, without the thick gel texture of regular guar gum.
• Peppermint Oil (Enteric-Coated)A minty oil in a special coating that helps calm IBS cramping and bloating.
• Psyllium FiberWorks by soaking up water rather than being digested.
• Saccharomyces BoulardiiA helpful yeast, not a bacteria — which is exactly why antibiotics don’t wipe it out.
• Slippery ElmA bark that turns into a soothing gel — a comfort measure, not a proven cure.
• TriphalaA classic Ayurvedic blend of three dried fruits, traditionally used as a gentle digestive tonic — with small studies suggesting real, modest benefit for occasional constipation.
• Zinc CarnosineA mineral-amino-acid combo that sticks to and helps repair the stomach lining — one of the better-evidenced “gut health” supplements, but for specific issues, not general wellness.

Food

• Acorn SquashAcorn squash looks plain, but one cooked cup gives you more potassium than a banana, plenty of fiber, and a good hit of vitamin C.
• Adzuki BeansAdzuki beans are small red beans packed with fiber, iron, and folate — good nutrition that comes from eating the whole bean, not from a special powder or "detox" trend.
• AmaranthAmaranth is a tiny ancient seed packed with a rare protein building block most grains lack, but its calcium doesn't count for as much as milk's does.
• AppleMost of its fibre, and a notable antioxidant, live in the skin.
• ApricotApricots are a sweet, low-calorie fruit loaded with vitamin A that helps your eyes, skin, and immune system -- just never eat the seed inside the pit.
• ArtichokeArtichokes are a fiber-packed flower bud that feeds your gut bacteria and gives your liver a gentle nudge to make more bile for digesting fat.
• Artichoke Hearts (Canned)Four point seven grams of fibre on 25 calories — the best ratio in the library.
• AsparagusA prebiotic fibre source, famous for a harmless and genetically variable side effect.
• Baked BeansFour point eight grams of fibre a hundred, for 91 calories. The tin is better than its reputation.
• Baking SodaNot a food, an ingredient. It has no energy at all, but gram for gram it carries more sodium than salt.
• Bamboo ShootsFourteen calories per hundred grams — the lightest food in the library.
• BeanDried, fresh and canned beans look like different foods but mostly differ in how much water they hold.
• Bean SproutsBean sprouts are crunchy, low-calorie veggies with real vitamin C and vitamin K in them, but they should be cooked, not eaten raw, to stay safe.
• BeetrootRaw, baked, boiled or canned — the cooking method changes this vegetable more than most.
• Black BeansA type of starch that reaches your colon mostly intact — which is the whole point.
• Black PepperA spice used by the shake, but with a genuinely useful trick — it helps your body absorb other nutrients better.
• Black-Eyed PeasBlack-eyed peas aren't really peas — they're beans packed with fiber and plant protein, plus a B vitamin called folate that helps your body build new blood cells.
• BlackberriesOne of the few fruits with enough vitamin K that it matters for anyone on blood thinners.
• Borlotti BeansBorlotti beans are a fiber and folate powerhouse, but eating them raw or undercooked can make you sick, so always cook them all the way through.
• BoysenberryBoysenberries are a man-made berry mix, packed with fiber and vitamin C, that helps your gut and immune system.
• Bran Flakes (Fortified)Nineteen grams of fibre and almost a full day of iron — most of it added.
• BreadWhat separates one loaf from another is mostly how much of the wheat grain is still in it.
• Bread RollA roll is loaf dough in a different shape — more crust, one fixed portion, and sometimes cheese baked on top.
• BreadfruitBreadfruit looks like a big green potato-fruit, and just like a potato, you always cook it before eating -- raw breadfruit is hard, bitter, and unpleasant.
• Breakfast CerealTwo cereals can sit side by side on the same shelf and be almost nothing alike.
• BroccoliniBroccolini is a friendly veggie hybrid with crunchy stems and a mild taste, and it packs a big dose of vitamin C and vitamin K into every bite.
• Buckwheat GroatsA gluten-free seed cooked like rice, with more magnesium and protein than most grains.
• Bulgur WheatBulgur is cracked wheat that's already partly cooked, so it fills you up fast without spiking your blood sugar the way white rice or bread can.
• Butter BeansA soft, buttery bean that must always be cooked — never eaten raw.
• ButtermilkButtermilk sounds rich and buttery, but it's actually a tangy, low-fat drink made by fermenting milk with good bacteria.
• CabbageAn underrated vitamin C source, and the raw material for sauerkraut and kimchi.
• Cannellini BeansCannellini beans are a fiber and plant-protein powerhouse — just be sure they're fully cooked, since raw beans can make you sick.
• Capers2,348 mg of sodium per hundred grams — the saltiest food in the library.
• Caraway SeedsThe seed behind rye bread and goulash, and one of the highest-fibre things in this database by weight.
• Cardamom SeedThe nutrition table is per 100g. Nobody eats 100g of cardamom.
• CassavaCassava is a starchy root that gives you quick energy — but eating it raw or undercooked can make you seriously sick.
• CauliflowerBroccoli’s milder cousin, with a gentler version of the same compounds.
• CeleriacCeleriac looks like a dirt-covered brain, but it's really celery's underground cousin — and it's loaded with vitamin K, potassium, and fiber.
• CeleryFamous for being low-calorie, but the real story is fibre and potassium.
• Chayote SquashChayote is basically water with a crunch, but it quietly delivers a solid dose of folate.
• CherryFresh, frozen and canned cherries are the same fruit with very different amounts of added sugar.
• ChestnutRoasted chestnuts taste more like a starchy vegetable than a typical nut — because that’s basically what they are, nutrition-wise.
• Chia SeedsForms a gel in liquid the same way oat fibre does, only faster.
• ChickpeasA plant iron and protein source that also feeds your gut bacteria.
• Chicory (Witlof)A low-calorie, slightly bitter leafy vegetable — from the same plant whose root is roasted and used as a coffee substitute.
• ChokoA mild, watery vegetable that takes on whatever it is cooked with.
• ClementineClementines are a quick hit of vitamin C in a fruit you can peel with your thumbs.
• CoconutCoconut has good fiber and minerals, but most of its fat is saturated fat -- the kind that can raise cholesterol if you eat a lot of it.
• Coriander SeedThe numbers here look impressive, but a teaspoon weighs two grams — treat this as flavour, not nutrition.
• CornPart vegetable, part grain — and one of the best food sources of the eye pigments.
• Corn TortillaSoaking corn in lime doesn't just turn it into dough — it unlocks nutrients that plain corn keeps hidden away.
• CornbreadCornbread gives you quick energy from cornmeal carbs, plus a B-vitamin boost if the cornmeal was enriched.
• CranberriesCranberries are tart, low-sugar berries packed with vitamin C and fiber, and a natural compound that keeps bad bacteria from clinging to your bladder.
• Crème FraîcheCrème fraîche's richness comes from fat, not magic - and that same fat is exactly why it won't curdle when you cook it.
• CucumberMostly water by weight — which is exactly the point of it.
• Cumin SeedThe table says cumin is loaded with iron. A teaspoon of it is not — read the serving size first.
• CumquatA citrus small enough to eat whole, peel included — and the peel is the sweet part.
• CurrantFresh currants are a berry. Dried currants are tiny grapes. They are different plants that happen to share a name.
• Custard AppleCustard apple's sweet, creamy pulp is packed with vitamin C and potassium — just don't eat the seeds or skin, which contain a toxin.
• Daikon RadishDaikon is a crunchy, watery radish that's low in calories but surprisingly high in vitamin C, and its natural enzymes may give your stomach a small hand with starchy food.
• Damper (Bush Bread)A simple, plain bread that still delivers real folate, since Australian bread flour is required to have it added.
• DateVery sweet, and genuinely sweet on its own — nothing is added. The fibre and potassium are what separate it from a sweet.
• DatesDates taste like candy, but their fiber helps keep blood sugar from spiking as fast as you'd expect.
• DillA soft, feathery herb traditionally used to calm an upset stomach — eaten in small amounts, so its nutrient numbers are mostly theoretical.
• DipA high-fat food where the fat is the good part — the salt is the part worth watching.
• Dragon FruitDragon fruit is a juicy, mildly sweet fruit that gives you vitamin C and fiber, and its red color can turn your pee or poop pink for a day -- that's totally normal.
• DurianDurian is a big, spiky, super creamy tropical fruit loaded with energy, potassium, and vitamin C — but it really doesn't mix well with alcohol.
• EggplantEggplant isn't a dangerous nightshade -- it's a low-calorie veggie with real fiber, and its purple skin holds most of the good stuff.
• Einkorn WheatEinkorn is one of the oldest kinds of wheat, barely changed since ancient farmers first grew it. It has more protein than regular wheat, but don't be fooled — it still has gluten.
• EndiveEndive is a bitter, crunchy leaf that's surprisingly loaded with vitamin K and folate for almost no calories.
• Ezekiel BreadThis is bread made from sprouted grains and beans mixed together, which gives it more protein and fiber than regular bread.
• FarroAn ancient wheat with a chewier texture and more fibre than modern wheat products.
• Fava BeansFava beans are a hearty bean packed with protein, iron, and folate -- but if you carry a certain genetic trait, eating them can make you seriously sick.
• FeijoaA small, fragrant fruit that’s low in calories but a decent source of vitamin C and fibre.
• FennelCrunchy raw fennel is a low-calorie veggie that can calm an upset stomach while giving you vitamin C and potassium.
• Fenugreek SeedA spice, not a food. The impressive iron and fibre numbers shrink to almost nothing at the teaspoon you actually use.
• Feta CheeseFeta is salty, tangy cheese that gives you calcium and B12, but it's also one of the saltier cheeses, so a little goes a long way.
• FigsOne of the few fruits with a real calcium contribution, especially dried.
• Fish SauceSaltier than seawater by a wide margin, and a genuine iodine source.
• FlaxseedA plant omega-3 source your body converts far less efficiently than fish oil.
• FlourFlours differ by how much protein they hold and whether the bran is still in them.
• FreekehFreekeh is just wheat picked early and roasted over fire — and that head start gives it more fiber and gut-friendly carbs than regular ripe wheat.
• Fresh GingerGinger really can calm an upset stomach -- but the dose in most studies is stronger and more exact than what's in a cup of tea.
• Fresh Turmeric RootThe bright-yellow root is packed with a compound called curcumin, but your body barely absorbs it unless you eat it with fat and black pepper.
• Fruit SaladDrain it and you pour away some of the vitamin C; keep the juice and you keep the sugar too.
• GheeGhee is basically pure butterfat: the milk sugar and milk protein are cooked out, but nearly all the fat, calories, and vitamins A, E, and K stay behind.
• GingerA spice, not a food — read the table knowing a teaspoon weighs under two grams.
• Gluten-Free BreadBread made without wheat, rye, or barley — useful for anyone who cannot tolerate gluten, though it tends to run higher in salt.
• Goat CheeseGoat cheese is real dairy — it still has lactose and milk protein, but many people find it gentler on the stomach than cow's-milk cheese.
• Goat MilkGoat milk breaks into a softer, looser curd than cow's milk, so many people find it gentler on the stomach — but it's still milk, with its own allergy and safety rules.
• Goji BerryA dried fruit that behaves like other dried fruits, whatever the packet says.
• GooseberryThis tangy little berry packs a real vitamin C punch — and it's not the same fruit as the "Indian gooseberry" people sometimes confuse it with.
• Great Northern BeansGreat Northern beans are a mild white bean packed with fiber and plant protein — filling, heart-friendly, and easy to cook once you know the soak-and-boil trick.
• Greek YogurtA food first and a probiotic second — the two get mixed up constantly.
• Green BeansGreen beans are a crunchy veggie that gives you fiber, vitamin C, and a bone-friendly vitamin called K — just make sure they're cooked, not raw.
• Green LentilsGreen lentils are a small, cheap plant food loaded with iron and folate that digests slowly, so it keeps you full without spiking your blood sugar.
• Green PeasA legume eaten fresh like a vegetable, with surprisingly solid protein.
• Ground CardamomA fragrant seed spice traditionally chewed or brewed to settle the stomach after a meal.
• Ground ClovesA tiny dried flower bud that packs enough eugenol to be used in dental clinics, not just spice racks.
• Ground CuminA spice whose iron content looks spectacular on paper and arrives a teaspoon at a time.
• Ground NutmegA cozy baking spice that’s completely safe in normal amounts, but genuinely not something to eat by the spoonful.
• Ground TurmericThe spice behind curry’s color, best known for a compound your body has a hard time absorbing on its own.
• GuavaA single guava can give you more vitamin C than several oranges — seeds, skin, and all.
• High-Fibre White BreadTwice the fibre of white bread, and it is not the same fibre wholemeal gives you.
• HummusBeans and sesame paste team up in hummus to give your body a fuller set of protein building blocks than either one gives alone.
• JackfruitJackfruit tastes sweet and fruity and shreds like pulled meat, but it's really a fiber-and-potassium fruit, not a protein powerhouse.
• JicamaJicama is a crunchy, juicy root that's low in calories but high in fiber and vitamin C — just make sure you peel off the skin, since only the inside root is safe to eat.
• KefirA fermented dairy drink with far more strain variety than most yogurt.
• Kidney BeansThe bean where cooking it properly genuinely matters for safety, not just texture.
• KiwiMore vitamin C than an orange, plus a genuine digestive enzyme.
• KiwifruitGold kiwifruit is sweeter with more vitamin C; green is sharper with more fibre and more of the enzyme that helps digest protein.
• KohlrabiKohlrabi is a crunchy stem (not a root) loaded with vitamin C, and it's one cabbage-family veggie that isn't a vitamin-K bomb.
• KombuchaLive cultures, yes. A probiotic in the sense the word actually means, no.
• KumquatKumquats are eaten whole — sweet peel and tart middle together — so you get fiber and vitamin C in one bite-sized package.
• LeeksA milder relative of onion and garlic, with its own prebiotic fibre.
• LemonA real vitamin C source — though the lemon water detox claims go well past the evidence.
• Lemon PeelMost of a lemon's fibre and aroma is in the skin, not the juice.
• LentilsA plant iron source without the oxalates that block spinach’s iron.
• LettuceNearly all water — but the darker the leaf, the more it actually gives you.
• Lima BeansLima beans are a filling, fiber-rich bean that helps keep blood sugar steady — just make sure they're fully cooked, not raw.
• LimeA lime won't make your body "alkaline" or flush out toxins — but it is a real, small source of vitamin C.
• LoquatA small orange fruit that ripens in early spring, when almost nothing else does.
• Lotus RootThis crunchy root looks like plain starch but it's actually packed with vitamin C and potassium -- just make sure it's always cooked, never raw.
• LupinA bean that is mostly fibre and protein, with hardly any starch in it.
• Lupin BeansLupin beans are a super high-protein bean, but you can't eat them straight from the pod — they need a long soak to wash out bitter, unsafe compounds first.
• LycheeLychee is a sweet, juicy fruit packed with vitamin C — but eating a big bowl of them with an empty stomach is a real risk for young, malnourished kids.
• MaizeCoarsely ground maize with the oily part taken out, so it stores well but has lost some of its nutrition.
• Meat AlternativeWhat these are made from matters more than the fact they replace meat.
• MilletA naturally gluten-free ancient grain with a gentler blood sugar impact than white rice.
• MintMore than a garnish — mint (specifically its oil) has real evidence behind it for calming an upset stomach.
• MisoMiso is fermented soybean paste that adds deep, salty-savory flavor along with gut-friendly bacteria and plant nutrients.
• Mixed BerryFrozen at harvest, which usually means more vitamin C left than in fresh berries a week off the plant.
• Mixed Dried FruitFruit with the water taken out, so everything in it — sugar included — is about four times as concentrated.
• Mixed Leafy GreensA mix of different leaves, and they are not the same leaf nutritionally.
• Mixed VegetablesFrozen mixed vegetables are picked and frozen fast, which is why they hold up better than they sound like they should.
• MuesliMuesli's chewy oats aren't just filling — regular whole-oat muesli can quietly help your cholesterol.
• Multigrain BreadMore grains doesn't automatically mean more fiber -- read the ingredient list, not the bag.
• Mung BeansMung beans are small green beans that cook fast, are gentle on digestion once cooked, and are loaded with fiber, protein, and folate.
• MustardThe rare condiment where the flavour costs almost nothing.
• Mustard PowderGround mustard seed. It only turns hot when mixed with cold water, and only for a while.
• Napa CabbageNapa cabbage is a light, crunchy vegetable that gives you vitamin C for your immune system and vitamin K for strong bones — for almost no calories.
• Nashi Pear (Asian Pear)A crisp, juicy fruit that’s mostly water and a little fibre and natural sugar.
• NattoNatto is sticky fermented soybeans loaded with vitamin K2, a nutrient that helps your body put calcium into bones instead of blood vessels.
• Navy BeansNavy beans are a small white bean that packs in more fiber than almost any other food - but they have to be cooked the right way to be safe and easy on your stomach.
• NectarineThe peach-plum-cross story about nectarines isn't true — it's just a peach without the fuzz.
• Oat BranOat bran's sticky fiber grabs onto cholesterol-related stuff in your gut and carries it out, so your liver has to pull more cholesterol out of your blood to keep up.
• OatsOne of the few foods with strong evidence for lowering cholesterol.
• OkraOkra is a slippery pod full of fiber and vitamins that can gently help steady blood sugar over time, but no vegetable "detoxes" your body overnight.
• OnionsA prebiotic fibre source that feeds gut bacteria much like an inulin supplement.
• PapayaContains a digestive enzyme, plus one of the highest vitamin C counts of any fruit.
• ParsnipParsnips look like pale carrots but pack more fiber and folate per bite than most root vegetables, and cooking them is completely safe.
• Passion FruitPassion fruit's tangy pulp packs a lot of vitamin C and fiber into a tiny fruit -- but the "it helps you sleep" idea actually comes from a different plant.
• PawpawA soft, mild tropical fruit with a lot of vitamin C for very few calories.
• PeaLeft on the plant to mature and dry, a pea turns into something closer to a lentil than to the green peas in the freezer.
• PearOne of the higher-fibre fruits, most of it in a form that slows digestion.
• PersimmonPersimmons are a sweet, vitamin-rich fall fruit -- but eating a lot of unripe ones on an empty stomach can actually cause a real stomach problem.
• Pickled GherkinsTwenty-three grams of added sugar per hundred. In a pickle.
• Pigeon PeasPigeon peas are small but mighty: full of fiber, protein, and iron, and you don't have to eat them with rice at the exact same moment for the protein to "count."
• PineappleContains bromelain — the same enzyme sold as a digestive supplement.
• Pinto BeansPinto beans are a cheap, filling food that's secretly packed with fiber, protein, and folate.
• Pita BreadPita is regular bread with a fun pocket -- the pocket is just trapped steam, and whether pita is "healthy" depends on whether it's whole wheat or white.
• Plain YogurtPlain yogurt gives you protein and calcium in a form that's often gentler on your stomach than milk, thanks to the friendly bacteria that made it.
• PlantainPlantains are a starchy cooking fruit — more like a potato than a sweet banana — that's rich in potassium and gut-friendly starch.
• PlumPrunes aren't just an old home remedy -- real science backs them up for keeping you regular and for helping keep bones strong.
• PluotPluots are a plum-apricot mix — but mostly plum — that pack vitamin C, potassium, and fiber into one juicy, low-calorie snack.
• Polenta (Cornmeal)Corn is filling and easy to grow, but eating it as your main food for too long, without other proteins, can leave your body short on a B vitamin called niacin.
• Popcorn (Air-Popped)A genuine whole grain snack, once you skip the butter and heavy oil.
• PorridgeMade with water it is plain and modest. Made with milk it becomes a proper source of protein and calcium.
• Prickly PearA cactus fruit that’s mostly water and fiber, with a solid dose of vitamin C.
• PruneA dried plum with a real, well-tested effect on constipation — and a good reason not to eat the whole packet.
• PrunesOne of the few foods with trial evidence for constipation — and it beat the fibre supplement.
• PsylliumA fibre that turns to gel in water — which is why it needs plenty of it.
• PumpkinPumpkin's bright orange color is basically edible sunshine for your eyes and immune system.
• Purple Yam (Ube)This vibrant purple tuber gets its color from real antioxidant plant pigments, not food dye, but it's not the same food as purple sweet potato.
• QuinceQuince looks like a bumpy pear, but you almost always have to cook it before eating — raw, it's rock-hard and mouth-puckering.
• QuinoaA rare plant food that is genuinely a complete protein.
• RadicchioRadicchio is a bitter, ruby-red salad leaf that's surprisingly packed with vitamin K -- more per bite than almost any other lettuce-like green.
• RadishRadishes are mostly water and crunch, but that spicy bite is doing real work in your body.
• RambutanRambutan is a juicy, low-calorie fruit with a good hit of vitamin C -- just peel it, eat the white flesh, and skip the hairy skin and the seed.
• RaspberriesUnusually high in fibre for a fruit, and worth separating from the “raspberry ketone” pill sold under its name.
• Red LentilsRed lentils are a cheap, fast-cooking way to get iron, fiber, and protein — pair them with vitamin C to help your body absorb more of the iron.
• RedcurrantRedcurrants are a sour, ruby-red berry packed with vitamin C — and they're not the same as the dried "currants" you find in trail mix or muffins.
• RhubarbA very low-calorie, high-fiber stalk vegetable with a distinctly tart bite.
• Romaine LettuceRomaine is mostly water and crunch, but it packs a real dose of vitamin K and vitamin A into very few calories.
• RyeRye holds far more fibre than wheat, and holds onto water in a way that keeps you full.
• Rye BreadIts dense fibre gives it a notably gentler blood sugar impact than wheat bread.
• SageA herb, not a food. The impressive numbers on the table belong to 100g of dried leaf, and a generous pinch is about one gram.
• Scallions (Green Onions)A few tablespoons of chopped scallions can give you more vitamin K than you'd expect from a simple garnish.
• SeedGrind them, or you get very little. The whole seed's shell survives digestion more or less intact.
• SemolinaSemolina is coarse durum wheat flour -- the gritty stuff pasta is made from -- and its tough, dense texture means your body breaks it down more slowly than regular flour, so it doesn't spike blood sugar as fast.
• Sesame SeedsTiny seeds, big mineral punch — just don't count on all that calcium actually getting into your bones.
• ShallotsShallots taste like a cross between onion and garlic, and that sharp flavor comes with a real dose of antioxidants.
• SkyrSkyr looks like yogurt but is actually a thick, strained cheese packed with protein and calcium.
• Snack Ball"No added sugar" is true here and slightly beside the point — the dates bring the sugar with them.
• Snap PeasA handful of snap peas can cover your whole day's vitamin C, pod and all.
• Snow PeasSnow peas are the crunchy whole pod you eat, pea and all -- low calorie, high in vitamin C, and good for digestion.
• SorghumA gluten-free whole grain that keeps its bran, because there is no easy way to take it off.
• Sour CreamSour cream is real cream that friendly bacteria turned tangy -- it gives you a little calcium and vitamin A, but most store-bought tubs no longer have live bacteria in them.
• Sourdough BreadSourdough's long, slow rise makes its minerals easier for your body to absorb than regular bread -- but it's still not gluten-free.
• Soy SauceThe saltiest thing in most kitchens — and a tablespoon is half a day’s sodium.
• Spaghetti SquashSpaghetti squash turns into noodle-like strands when you cook it, and it's mostly water -- so you get a big, filling plate for very few calories.
• SpeltAn ancient grain often marketed as gluten-free — it is not, and treating it that way can be genuinely risky.
• Split PeasOne of the highest fibre-to-calorie foods around, and it skips the overnight soak most dried beans need.
• SproutSprouting turns a dry seed into a small fresh vegetable, and the conditions that do it also suit bacteria.
• SquashA summer squash, picked young — which is why it is watery and mild rather than sweet and starchy like a pumpkin.
• Star FruitStar fruit is a juicy, star-shaped snack packed with vitamin C, but people with kidney problems should never eat it.
• StarchNot a flour. Starch is the one part of the plant left after everything else is washed away.
• SweetcornA vegetable that is really a grain, and one of the few good sources of the pigment that concentrates in the back of the eye.
• TamarilloAn egg-shaped fruit related to the tomato, rich in vitamin A and fibre.
• TamarindTamarind is a sour-sweet fruit pulp that's surprisingly rich in fiber and minerals — but it can make some pain relievers hit harder than usual.
• TangeloPeels like a mandarin, tastes like a tart orange, and carries a bit of grapefruit in its family tree.
• TaroTaro is a starchy root that's totally safe and nutritious once cooked, but eating it raw can burn your mouth and throat.
• TeffTeff is a tiny, gluten-free grain that's genuinely rich in iron and calcium -- but eating it alone isn't as good at raising iron levels as meat or a supplement would be.
• TempehTempeh is fermented soybeans pressed into a firm, nutty cake -- fermentation makes its protein and minerals easier for your body to use than plain soybeans.
• Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)TVP is dried soy chunks that turn hearty and meaty once you soak them — cheap, high in protein, and not the "hormone bomb" people worry about.
• Textured Vegetable Protein Soy GranulesThe packet says over half protein. That is the dry granule; soaking roughly triples its weight and thirds the number.
• Toasted Muesli (Granola)The word toasted means fried in oil and sugar. That is what the toasting is.
• TomatilloTomatillos are a tangy, low-calorie veggie that gives you a solid dose of vitamin C without much sugar or fat.
• TriticaleTriticale is a man-made grain that's part wheat, part rye, giving it a bit more protein, fiber, and a key amino acid than regular wheat.
• TurnipTurnips are a low-calorie root packed with vitamin C, and their leafy tops are even more nutritious than the root itself.
• Urad Dal (Black Gram)Urad dal is a small black bean packed with plant protein, iron, and folate — but you have to cook it well to unlock the good stuff.
• Vine LeafA dark leafy green, packed in enough salt to change the answer entirely.
• Water ChestnutA water chestnut is a crunchy underwater plant stem, not a nut, and it stays crunchy even after you cook it.
• Wattleseed (Ground)A roasted, ground native seed used a spoonful at a time as a nutty, coffee-like flavouring.
• Wax JambuBell-shaped, waxy-skinned and about ninety per cent water — crisp and refreshing rather than sweet.
• Weet-BixA high-fibre, low-sugar way to start the day, especially compared with most boxed cereals.
• WheatWhite flour is wheat with the outer layer and the seed's embryo taken out. That is the whole difference.
• Wheat Bran (Raw)Forty-two grams of fibre per hundred — the highest figure in the library.
• White RiceWhite rice is a fast, easy source of energy, but most of its fiber and vitamins are polished away -- unless it's "enriched," where a few get added back.
• Whole Grain PastaWhole grain pasta keeps the wheat kernel's outer bran and inner germ, so your body digests it more slowly and pulls out more fiber and minerals than it would from white pasta.
• Whole Wheat BreadThe fibre is what actually separates it from white bread — not the colour.
• Wild RiceWild rice isn't really rice — it's a grass seed with more protein and fiber than regular rice, and it's gentler on blood sugar too.
• Worcestershire SauceContains anchovies, which surprises a great many vegetarians.
• YamWhat you call a yam is probably a sweet potato — true yams are a different, starchy root that must be cooked to be safe.
• YeastExtraordinary nutrition per 100g, and almost nobody eats anything close to 100g of it.
• YoghurtPlain yoghurt and flavoured yoghurt are the same food apart from a few teaspoons of sugar.
• ZucchiniMild and mostly water, but a real source of potassium and gut-friendly fibre.

Recipes

• Air-Popped PopcornA wholegrain that comes in bowls the size of your head, for about a hundred calories.
• Amaranth Porridge with PearA seed the Aztecs farmed, which happens to have more protein than any grain on this list.
• Apple with CheddarSweet, sharp, crisp and salty — a pairing that has been on cheese boards for centuries.
• Avocado on RyeA smaller, denser answer to avocado toast, on bread that actually holds it up.
• Baba GanoushAubergine burnt until the skin collapses, which is where all the smoke in it comes from.
• Baked Apple ChipsTwo hours in a low oven with nothing added at all, and they come out sweet enough to be suspicious.
• Baked Blueberry OatmealOne dish on Sunday, six breakfasts through the week, and it reheats better than it bakes.
• Baked Pear with RicottaA dessert that is mostly fruit, and the only sugar in it came with the pear.
• Baked Portobello with FetaA mushroom big enough to be the main thing on the plate.
• Banana Oat PancakesBlended oats and banana hold together as a batter with no flour and no sugar in sight.
• Barley Mushroom RisottoPearl barley does everything arborio rice does, with more fibre and far less stirring.
• Beans on ToastThe cheapest hot breakfast there is, and one of the higher-fibre ones.
• Beef & Barley StewNinety minutes, mostly unattended, and it is better reheated the next day.
• Beetroot Dip with PitaA dip the colour of a warning sign, made from three things and a blender.
• Berry Compote PorridgeFive minutes of simmered berries turns plain porridge into something worth getting up for.
• BibimbapFive vegetables cooked separately and arranged in wedges, then destroyed with a spoon the moment it hits the table.
• Bircher MuesliGrated apple soaked into oats overnight — the original overnight breakfast, and still the best one.
• Black Bean EnchiladasRolled, sauced and baked. Assemble it in the morning and it goes in the oven untouched at seven.
• Black Bean QuesadillaCrisp on the outside, molten in the middle, and on the table in ten minutes.
• Black Bean Rice BowlA vegetarian bowl with enough protein that you won’t notice there’s no meat.
• BorschtThe colour alone justifies making it, and the vinegar at the end is what stops it tasting like soil.
• Breakfast BurritoWrapped so it can be eaten with one hand on the way out of the door, which is the point.
• Buckwheat Blueberry PancakesNutty, gluten-free pancakes that taste like more than the flour they are missing.
• Buckwheat Kasha with MushroomsA savoury breakfast grain from Eastern Europe, for people who have never once wanted fruit at 7am.
• Chicken & Okra GumboThe roux takes twenty minutes of continuous stirring and decides whether the whole pot is worth eating.
• Chicken Shawarma BowlThe spice rub does all the work, and it is better if you make it the night before.
• Chickpea & Spinach StewTwo tins and a bag of spinach, and dinner is twenty-five minutes away.
• Chilaquiles with EggYesterday’s tortillas simmered in salsa until they go soft at the edges and stay crisp in the middle.
• Cinnamon Apple PorridgePorridge that gets its sweetness from a cooked apple instead of a spoon of sugar.
• Coconut & Date BitesThree ingredients into a food processor, rolled into balls, and they keep two weeks.
• Coconut Rice PuddingRice pudding eaten at the right time of day for once, which is the morning.
• Corn on the CobBoil it for four minutes, not fifteen. Overcooked corn is the reason people think they dislike it.
• Cottage Cheese & Tomato on EzekielSprouted-grain bread and 25g of protein, assembled in the time the toaster takes.
• Cottage Cheese Breakfast BowlThe highest-protein-per-calorie way to start the day that still tastes like dessert.
• Cottage Cheese on RyeDenser bread, cooler topping, and about twenty grams of protein on two slices.
• Crispy Roasted ChickpeasChickpeas roasted until they crack — a crisp snack that is mostly fibre and protein.
• Curried Chickpea SaladThe texture of a tuna sandwich filling, built entirely from a tin of chickpeas.
• Dried Apricots & AlmondsThe snack to keep in a bag, a drawer and a glovebox.
• Eggplant ParmigianaRoast the eggplant instead of frying it and the dish stops being a sponge for oil.
• Farro & Tomato SaladChewy whole grains, ripe tomato, and enough feta to make it a meal rather than a side.
• FattoushA Levantine salad invented to use up stale bread, which is still the best reason to make it.
• FeijoadaBrazil’s national dish. Two hours of nothing happening, and then the best pot of beans you will eat.
• Fig & Goat Cheese BitesHalved figs, a spoon of goat cheese, six minutes under the grill.
• Figs with Walnuts & RicottaThree weeks a year this is the best thing in the fruit bowl. Make the most of them.
• Fish TagineA North African braise where the fish goes in at the very end and poaches in the sauce.
• Freekeh Porridge with ApricotsGreen wheat, harvested young and smoked. It tastes like nothing else in the grain aisle.
• Frozen Banana Ice CreamFrozen banana, blended. There is no second ingredient and it still comes out like soft serve.
• Frozen Berry CupFrozen berries straight from the bag, with yogurt poured over to freeze onto them.
• Ful MedamesEgypt’s national breakfast: mashed fava beans, lemon and oil. Cheap, filling, and about 15g of fibre a serving.
• Gado-GadoAn Indonesian salad of boiled vegetables under peanut sauce, which is a far better idea than boiled vegetables.
• Ginger Rice CongeeRice cooked until it gives up and turns into soup. Breakfast for anyone whose stomach is not ready for a fight.
• Greek Yogurt ParfaitLayered yogurt, fruit, and crunch — most of the work is done by the fridge.
• Green SmoothieA way to eat two handfuls of spinach without noticing you have done it.
• Guacamole with Corn ChipsMash it with a fork. A blender makes it into paint.
• HariraThe Moroccan soup eaten to break the fast in Ramadan, built to refill someone who has not eaten all day.
• Hummus & Veg PitaA pocket of bread and whatever is crunchy in the fridge, held together by hummus.
• Hummus with Carrots & CucumberA dip-and-crunch snack that’s mostly vegetables.
• Instant Miso SoupUnder 50 calories, mostly water, and it stops the 4pm biscuit more reliably than anything else here.
• Jacket Potato with TunaThe British office lunch. One hour of oven time, ninety seconds of assembly.
• Kefir & Chia PotMade in a jar the night before by someone who will not be awake enough to make it in the morning.
• Kefir Berry BowlA breakfast built on a fermented drink with more microbial variety than most probiotic capsules.
• Kefir Mango SmoothieA drinkable snack with more bacterial variety than most probiotic capsules.
• Kohlrabi & Apple Slaw with HamKohlrabi is the vegetable nobody buys, which is a shame, because raw it is better than cabbage.
• Labneh with Olive OilYogurt strained overnight until it is thick enough to spread. The fridge does all of it.
• Lentil & Feta SaladA tin of lentils, dressed while still at room temperature, which is when they take on flavour.
• Lentil & Walnut SaladThe lunch that survives being made on Sunday and eaten on Wednesday without complaint.
• Lentil Shepherd’s PieThe lentils do not pretend to be mince. They are just good in their own right under mashed potato.
• Mango Chia PuddingChia seeds turn coconut milk into pudding overnight — no cooking, no thickener, no effort in the morning.
• Millet Porridge with DatesA grain most people have only ever bought for a bird, cooked the way half the world eats breakfast.
• MinestroneThe soup invented to use up whatever the week left behind.
• Miso Soup with TofuEight minutes, four ingredients, and never let it boil.
• Miso Udon with GreensA bowl of broth and thick noodles that takes twenty minutes and tastes like it took longer.
• MuhammaraA Syrian dip of roasted peppers and walnuts that deserves to be as well known as hummus.
• MujadaraLentils, rice and a mountain of fried onions. Three ingredients, and one of the great cheap meals.
• Mushroom StroganoffMushrooms browned hard enough to taste like something that was never meat.
• Natto on RiceThe most divisive breakfast in the library, and the one with the best gut-bacteria case behind it.
• Oat Bran with PrunesThe highest-fibre breakfast in the library, and it is not close.
• OkonomiyakiA cabbage pancake, which is a much better idea than it sounds, and mostly vegetable by weight.
• Overnight OatsSet it up before bed, breakfast is already done when you wake up.
• Pad ThaiTen minutes of cooking and twenty of preparation, in that order, because there is no time to chop once the pan is hot.
• PanzanellaThe other great stale-bread salad, and the one that depends entirely on the tomatoes being good.
• Papaya Boat with Yogurt & LimeHalf a papaya used as the bowl. Nothing to wash up and about a day’s vitamin C in it.
• Pea & Mint DipA bag of frozen peas and four minutes. The greenest thing you can put on a table.
• Pepper Strips with HummusPeppers hold dip better than any cracker, and bring their own vitamin C.
• Persimmon & Ricotta ToastA fruit most people walk past, on toast, for about six weeks of the year when it is worth it.
• Pork & Cabbage Stir-FryCabbage, cooked fast and hot, stops being the vegetable nobody wanted.
• Pork & Fennel MeatballsFennel seed and pork is the combination every good sausage is already using.
• Pork & Pineapple TacosThe pineapple is not a garnish — its enzymes tenderise the pork while it marinates.
• Pork Banh MiA French sandwich rebuilt in Vietnam, and improved beyond recognition by the pickles.
• Pork Belly with GreensTwo and a half hours, of which two are the oven doing nothing and you doing nothing either.
• Quark with RaspberriesA soft cheese with the protein of a protein shake and the texture of a dessert.
• Quinoa Breakfast BowlLast night’s quinoa, warmed in milk, doing a completely different job.
• Quinoa Chickpea SaladA make-ahead salad that actually improves after sitting in the fridge for a day.
• Quinoa Porridge with BlackberriesQuinoa for breakfast rather than as the sad base of a salad, which is what it is actually good at.
• Quinoa TabboulehA herb salad with a little grain in it, not a grain salad with a little herb.
• RatatouilleEvery vegetable cooked separately before they meet, which is the whole argument between a good one and a bad one.
• Red Lentil DahlLentils, spice and coconut milk — the cheapest hot meal in the library, and one of the best.
• Rhubarb & Yogurt BowlStewed rhubarb keeps a week in the fridge, which makes this a two-minute breakfast for six days out of seven.
• RibollitaTuscan bean soup thickened with yesterday’s bread. The name means reboiled, and it is better the second time.
• Ricotta & Fig ToastThe breakfast to make in the three weeks a year that figs are worth buying.
• Roast Cauliflower & Tahini BowlCauliflower roasted hard enough to go brown at the edges, which is the only way it is worth eating.
• Roast Pork with ApplePork and apple, together for the reason every classic pairing exists: the acid cuts the fat.
• Roast Pumpkin & Quinoa SaladOne tray of roast pumpkin becomes lunch for the next two days.
• Roast Veg Buddha BowlOne tray of roast vegetables, a grain, and a tahini sauce that ties the whole thing together.
• Roasted Broad BeansThe same idea as roasted chickpeas, with about half again as much protein.
• Roasted ChestnutsThe only nut that is mostly starch rather than fat, which makes it the lowest-calorie one by a distance.
• Savoury Mushroom OatsOats with no sugar anywhere near them — closer to a risotto than to porridge.
• Seed Crackers with CheeseCrackers made entirely of seeds — no flour at all — which is why they are mostly fat and fibre.
• Seitan & Slaw WrapWheat protein, which sounds unappealing and behaves more like meat than anything else on the shelf.
• Semolina UpmaA savoury South Indian breakfast that goes from cupboard to table in twenty minutes.
• Simple Lentil SoupOne pot, mostly pantry staples, and it freezes well.
• Smashed Chickpea SandwichBuilt like a tuna sandwich, without the tuna, and it survives a morning in a bag better than one.
• Soba & Edamame BowlCold buckwheat noodles that are better on the second day than the first.
• Spelt Pancakes with BlueberriesAn old wheat that makes a nuttier pancake, and a batter that forgives being made the night before.
• Split Pea & Ham SoupThick enough that the spoon stands up in it, which is the traditional test and a fair one.
• Steamed EdamameOne of the simplest genuinely high-protein snacks there is.
• Stewed Apple with CinnamonKeeps five days in the fridge and turns yogurt, porridge or toast into something else entirely.
• Stuffed Cabbage RollsFiddly for half an hour, then an hour in the oven where nothing can go wrong.
• Sweet Potato CrispsSoak the slices first. It washes off the surface starch, which is what makes them crisp instead of bend.
• Sweet Potato ToastSlices of sweet potato through the toaster instead of bread. Sounds like a gimmick, works completely.
• Sweetcorn ChowderA thick soup that gets its body from blended potato rather than a pint of cream.
• Tempeh & Broccoli Rice BowlTempeh is fermented, which makes it both easier to digest and better tasting than tofu.
• Tofu Noodle Stir-FryGet the tofu properly crisp first and the rest is four minutes of tossing.
• Tofu Poke BowlThe poke bowl formula with tofu in the fish’s place, and no compromise on the toppings.
• Tofu Vegetable CurryA fully plant-based curry that still hits a real protein target.
• Tropical Mango SmoothieFrozen mango, a splash of coconut water, and no ice needed anywhere.
• Turkey LarbA Laotian minced-meat salad, eaten in lettuce cups, that is basically all protein and herbs.
• Tuscan Bean & Tuna SaladTwo tins and an onion. The best thing you can make from a cupboard in under ten minutes.
• Vegetable LasagneA lasagne that does not miss the mince, provided you roast the vegetables first.
• Vegetarian Bean ChiliA big batch that tastes better the next day — freezes well too.
• Warm Barley with AppleBarley for breakfast: chewier than oats, and it holds its shape for four days in the fridge.
• Warm Farro & Mushroom SaladChewy grain, browned mushrooms, and enough savoury depth that nobody asks where the meat is.
• Weet-Bix with BananaTwo biscuits, cold milk, a sliced banana. Nothing here is clever and that is the point.
• White Bean & Rosemary DipHummus made from what is actually in the cupboard, and lighter than the chickpea version.
• Yogurt Dip with Veg SticksA dip with real protein in it, and something crunchy to carry it.

Other goals