Diet as an investment portfolio

What you should "invest" in to live a longer and better life? If your diet were an investment portfolio, which foods would become blue chips and which would become toxic assets? The question is not rhetorical. Harvard Medical School physician and researcher Robert Schmerling suggests thinking exactly that way: as an investor who assembles a portfolio years in advance.

Why is food an investment?

Because it affects your future: your health, your performance, your mood, your life expectancy. What you eat today is your tomorrow's energy, immunity, and even mental clarity.

Schmerling suggests looking at diet not as a diet for weight loss, but as a strategic portfolio that you "invest" in every day.

Safe Assets (invest without fear)

1- Vegetables and fruits

Classic. Like a bond with a guaranteed return. Especially leafy greens (spinach, kale) and berries. Strengthens the heart, reduces inflammation, supports the brain.

2. Whole grains

Oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice are stable assets. Slowly "give up energy", keep blood sugar in check.

3. nuts and seeds

Almonds, walnuts, chia, flax - these are investments in a good mood and a healthy heart. The key is to dose: they have a high "cost" in calories.

4. Fish (especially fatty fish)

Salmon, sardines, mackerel are like shares in sustainable companies: they provide omega-3, fight inflammation, improve memory.

5. Legumes

Beans, lentils, chickpeas are a versatile asset. Protein, fibre, micronutrients. Goes well with almost everything.

Risky assets (think twice)

1. Red and processed meats

Schmerling is blunt: less is better. It's like investing in a volatile market: you can "shoot up" or you can lose your health.

2. Sugar and sugary drinks

Fast food in the food world. Quick "profit" and instant decline. Increases risk of diabetes, obesity and heart problems.

3- Excess salt

The invisible enemy: retains water, raises blood pressure, hits blood vessels. Reduce it where you can.

How to balance your portfolio?

- Diversification: eat colourful, varied, seasonal.

- Regularity: better steady "contributions" every day than sharp investments once a week.

- Monitoring: listen to your body, see how you react to different foods.

Bottom line:

Your plate isn't just food. It's a strategy. Just as an investor thinks about dividends and risk, so you can build your diet: wisely, for the long term, in favour of your future self. As Schmerling says, "The best thing you can do for your health is to rethink what you put in your mouth every day."

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