Track Food/Substance

HOW MANY SERVINGS OF FOOD HAVE YOU HAD TODAY? 

A serving of solid food is typically the size of a handful. For liquids, a serving is typically 8 ounces (1 cup). There is a food label on packaged foods which identifies the serving size.

The mission of BodyBank is to combat the standard American stimulant addiction & substance abuse lifestyle with progress, not perfection. Stimulants include: sugar, sodium (salt), caffeine, nicotine, & red meat. Popular abused substances include: tobacco/nicotine products (i.e., vaping), marijuana, alcohol, inhalants, prescription pills, & other illegal drugs. Stimulants force the body to provide “false” energy. Although a person may appear & feel good while using stimulants and/or substances, their body is actually being robbed of nutrients just to fight against the stimulant and/or substances. The stimulant/substance cycle continues and illness soon follows if we don’t begin to fill our bodies with “true” energy producing foods.

Everything you put in your body will either energize you or rob you of energy. Our goal is to maximize the intake of foods that give us “true” energy and minimize or avoid those foods & substances that rob us.

We recognize that there are differences of opinion when it comes to classifying foods/substances as green level, yellow level, or red level. Our bodies have genetic differences causing various diets to be recommended by medical professionals which shape our dietary convictions. We 100% respect your dietary convictions and hope BodyBank is a helpful tool for holding you accountable to those convictions.

Below are the recommended food/substance classifications used by the founder of BodyBank, Nate Melson, if you would like to refer to them for your banking experience: (Adapted from the American Medical Association)

GREEN LEVEL FOODS -

Plant based foods with no, or small amounts, of added sugars, sodium, and/or fats (see guidelines for food labels listed in this section)

  • Raw fruits or frozen fruits (with no added sugars)

  • Raw, steamed, or lightly cooked vegetables (not cooked with oil or butter)

  • WHOLE Grains: such as WHOLE wheat flour (brown breads or brown pastas), brown rice, quinoa, couscous, barley, or oats

    • Food label must read: “Whole”, “Cracked”, “Stone Ground”, or “Rolled” for wheat products

  • Corn or corn flour

  • Lentils & beans

  • Raw nuts & seeds

  • Baked, steamed, or boiled potatoes

  • Plant based milks (almond, rice, coconut, oat)

  • Packaged foods which meet the following guidelines…

Guidelines for sugar, sodium, and fat from food labels:

Sugar = 6g or less

Sodium = Less than the # of calories

Calories from Fat = Less than 20% of the # of calories (hint: take off the last number of the calories and multiply what is remaining by 2)

— If “Calories from Fat” is not listed on the food label, the food is Green Level if it is not cooked or heated using oil.

YELLOW LEVEL FOODS -

Plant or animal based foods with medium amounts of added sugars, sodium, and/or fats

  • Lightly cooked (baked or grilled) vegetables using oil or butter

  • Baked chips or grains (for example: crackers) using oil or butter

  • Enriched (white) flour products (for example: white bread, white tortillas, white pasta)

  • Dairy milk

  • Poultry (For example: chicken & turkey)

  • Fish

  • Other dairy products (For example: cheese & yogurt)

  • Eggs

  • Packaged foods which meet the following guidelines…

Guidelines for sugar, sodium, and fat from food labels:

Sugar = 12g or less

Sodium = Less than double the # of calories

Calories from Fat = Less than 40% of the # of calories (hint: take off the last number of the calories and multiply what is remaining by 4)

- If “Calories from Fat” is not listed, the food is Yellow Level if the food is baked or lightly heated using oil.

RED LEVEL FUEL/FOODS-

Chemical substances and plant or animal based foods with large amounts of added sugars, sodium, and/or fats

  • Chemical Substances (For example: tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, & other drugs)

  • Chemically infused foods (For example: diet sodas)

  • Sodas

  • Caffeinated coffee

  • Processed meats (For example: deli meat & hot dogs)

  • Shellfish (For example: shrimp, crab, & lobster)

  • Pork (For example: bacon, sausage, & ham)

  • Red meat (For example: hamburger, beef, & steak)

  • Fried foods (For example: french fries & fried chicken)

  • Chips

  • Sweets & Candy

  • Packaged foods which meet the following guidelines…

Guidelines for sugar, sodium, and fat from food labels:

Sugar = More than 12g

Sodium = More than double the # of calories

Calories from Fat = More than 40% of the # of calories (hint: take off the last number of the calories and multiply what is remaining by 4)

- If “Calories from Fat” is not listed, the food is Red Level if the food is fried or super heated using oil.

*Yum!! Season food with herbs and spices (For example: basil, chili powder, garlic, oregano, curry, etc). Light use of condiments (packaged sauces or dressings) is acceptable.

Andee Melson