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My mom told me about an acronym for getting in superfoods that she learned from the Food Revolution a few years ago. GBOMBS stands for:
- Greens
- Beans
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Berries
- Seeds
According to the Food Revolution’s Dr. Joel Furhman, these are the healthiest foods available to us that can fight off diseases and boost immunity. We should be eating these top six everyday to maximize health and disease prevention.
I haven’t always been the greatest at getting in these six superfoods, but this acronym has stuck with me and recently I have gotten back into focusing my meals around them. Here are my simple ways to hit these top superfoods most days.
Greens
Greens can protect blood vessels, reduce risk of diabetes, and assist with weight loss. I’ve heard that the best way to start your day is with green juice. Juicing has amazing benefits, but it can be messy and time-consuming.
Fortunately, these days cold-pressed juice is so easy to buy. I usually get the Suja brand. Suja juice is widely available, even at mainstream grocery stores. Sometimes you can find it on sale, and can save money by buying the large size that will last a week or longer. I get the Uber Greens variety because it has the most greens and least fruit. But it doesn’t really taste that great on its own since the only fruit juices are grapefruit and lemon.
Here’s my secret: I put in one scoop of stevia to sweeten each cup. Here’s my post on why I buy this particular brand of stevia. I would not drink this juice without the stevia! In my opinion, an added sweetener is a MUST. They also make other juices that have more fruit that taste sweet without adding a sweetener. I would suggest starting with a juice with more fruit if you are new to green juice.
If green juice isn’t for you, another option is making your own green smoothie. If you like smoothies, green smoothies are so much easier to make than green juice and it’s easy to make them taste great. These can also be purchased at the store ahead of time.
Sometimes the color of green juices and smoothies can be unappetizing if you haven’t tried them before, but a little fruit or added sweetener will go a long way and if you can get past the appearance you will find that they can taste great. Our toddler loves green juice when I give it to her so I guess the taste isn’t that bad!
Consider drinking 8 ounces of a green juice or smoothie first thing in the morning while you brew a cup of coffee or tea. It might take a while to nail down this habit, but once that cup is in, the greens are checked off the list!
If you miss your green juice that day or green juice isn’t your thing, there are still other easy ways to get in your greens. Sautéing some spinach in eggs for breakfast or making a salad for lunch or dinner will get you the greens easily too.
Beans
Beans and other legumes also help to protect against diabetes and promote weight loss, along with working to reduce cholesterol and cancer risk. Beans are so good for you, so cheap, and so yummy!
It’s so easy to buy a few cans of beans at the grocery store each week and add them to a salad at lunch or dinner. I know the best way to eat beans is to buy them in the bag and soak them overnight, but I’m not there yet. Baby steps!
Beans are also a great addition to a bowl of quinoa for lunch or dinner. Or they could be an easy side at dinner. We also really love making Banza pasta (available at Target and many grocery stores) once or twice a week as a low carb pasta dish alternative. Banza is made from chickpeas, so it counts for the daily “B” in “GBOMBS”.
Our toddler seems to have developed some picky eating habits, but she is loving beans! They are the perfect finger food for her. I rinse them off and give her a few scoops and she loves picking them up one by one to eat.
Onions & Mushrooms
Onions also work to prevent diabetes and cancer and promote cardiovascular and immune system health. Mushrooms have anti-cancer benefits. I kind of consider the onions and mushrooms as one because when I think of how to get in onions and mushrooms, I usually think about sautéing them together.
You can sauté one package of sliced mushrooms and half an onion and put them in a bowl in the fridge for the week. Having these veggies sautéed ahead of time makes it easy to incorporate them into whatever meal you’re making that day. They go great in omelettes or scrambled eggs for breakfast. Sautéed veggies make an easy addition to any pasta dish. They also go nicely in a bowl with quinoa, beans, and avocado! Maybe some feta cheese mixed in. Yum!
Berries and Seeds
Berries work to improve motor coordination and memory, and are also known for their anti-cancer effects and beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. They provide antioxidants and are lower in sugar than some other fruits. Seeds provide healthy fats, micronutrients, antioxidants, and protein. No surprise that they also benefit the cardiovascular system, work to prevent diabetes, and assist with weight loss.
I’m combining the berries and seeds too because my favorite easy breakfast is a granola, yogurt, and fruit parfait. You can use a small mason jar (to make it look cute). Start with a layer of granola, then a layer of yogurt, and keep repeating layers until you get almost to the top of the jar. Then chop up strawberries or add blueberries or raspberries on top. Whatever berries you have on hand.
Be sure to buy granola that has seeds in it. This is my favorite granola right now. And I love the Kite Hill brand of yogurt made with almond milk. This simple, delicious breakfast will get you your berries and seeds first thing in the morning!
Pumpkin or sunflower seeds on a salad is another way to get in seeds. You could also mix flax or chia seeds into a smoothie. Or if you want to get fancy you could make a recipe with sesame seeds.
I personally can eat the same things everyday, and like to keep it as easy as possible. I want my food to taste good, but I also want it to be quick to assemble.
With these simple ideas, you can get in greens, berries, and seeds first thing in the morning, and then build an easy lunch or dinner around the beans, onions, and mushrooms. And there you have it: GBOMBS!
There are so many other superfoods that deserve the spotlight, but this acronym will help you to focus on a few that you can feel good about. It’s ok if you don’t get to everything on this list everyday. Eating healthy is a constant work in progress.
What’s your favorite superfood that you try to focus on incorporating into your eating routine?
I love mushrooms and onions on my steaks!
Oh that sounds good!
That’s an interesting acronym! I’ve never heard of it before. But it makes sense. I like it, because it keeps you on track for eating all those great foods; and if you’re eating all of those, you don’t have as much room or time for other foods!
Good point! It’s definitely doesn’t work out everyday, but it is a nice check-in to feel good about if you can hit even one 🙂
These are great tips! Love the acronym
Thanks!
Love your idea on sautéing mushrooms and keeping them in the fridge to add to dishes! None of my kids will eat them so we rarely cook them, but I could warm them up on the side and add them to my plate and hubby’s. Brilliant!
Ya I guess they aren’t the most popular kid food around 😉
Awesome post this information for my family is key, a majority of these superfoods are low carb as well! My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic and getting her superfoods is a necessity. Thank you for the acronym!
Yes we are into the low carb around here too. Glad the acronym can help!
Thank you for the acronym! I’m terrible about getting in super foods, this tip will definitely help me in the future
You are welcome! Glad it can help!
Great acronym! These are great ideas, regular eating of these is the challenge I have in my kitchen. I eat them once but never get them back in a regular rotation.
Ya the acronym definitely helps!
Right on! I’ve been feeling kind of Blah lately and feel like my diet is a big factor! I can’t wait to learn more!
Ya it can be challenging to find easy things that are healthy. If it’s not easy, there’s a high chance I’m not taking the time to prepare it.