A food list is only as useful as its unit. We rate every food per usual serving, with nutrient values from public food databases and with the studies each category rests on. Three tiers show what suits every day, what adds variety and what is an occasional addition.
How we selected
MethodWe rate food groups first by the evidence, then by fibre and protein per usual serving. Within each tier, what supplies the most protein and fibre per serving comes first ; for herbs and spices, oils, fermented foods and drinks we order by the evidence, because grams say little there. We do not assign rank numbers, because small differences in content do not justify a fixed ranking. Values apply per serving and to the stated state (raw, cooked, dry). Soy, whole grains, oils, fermented foods and drinks have their own groups because there are separate studies for them. We did not include wheat germ because the evidence for spermidine is weak.
Weighting : evidence for the food group, fibre per serving, protein per serving (legumes, soy, nuts, seeds, grains), everyday practicality.
German Nutrition Society (DGE) reference values 2024 where available : fruit and vegetables 110 g, legumes 125 g ready to eat, nuts and seeds 25 g, grains 60 g uncooked, oil 10 g, yoghurt 150 g, milk 250 ml. Otherwise our own planning size (small seeds 15 g, herbs and spices, drinks 200 ml).
Three tiers instead of ranks
Small differences do not justify a rankingBase, daily
Two to four foods per category that suit every day. This tier is freely readable here.
Regular, several times a week
Same food group, same evidence ; these entries add variety across the week.
Addition
Less often, seasonal or as seasoning, some with preparation notes.
How much fibre a day makes sense?
In a large analysis in the Lancet, the greatest risk reduction was seen at 25 to 29 g of fibre a day, with the evidence for fibre rated moderate (Reynolds et al. 2019). Whole grains are the simplest source ; cooked lentils, chickpeas and white beans supply around 9 g per 125 g serving.
How large is a serving?
Where available, we use the 2024 reference values of the German Nutrition Society : fruit and vegetables 110 g, legumes 125 g ready to eat, nuts and seeds 25 g, grains 60 g uncooked, oil 10 g, yoghurt 150 g, milk 250 ml. Otherwise our own planning size applies, for example 15 g for small seeds.
Where do the nutrient values come from?
From the German Nutrient Database BLS 4.0 of the Max Rubner-Institut, with USDA FoodData Central as fallback. If protein, fibre or leucine differ between the two by more than 20 percent, the lower value applies.
How good is the evidence per category?
It varies. For vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, whole grains and drinks there are large cohort analyses with mortality as the endpoint, for olive oil also the randomised PREDIMED trial. For mushrooms, herbs and fermented foods it is weak or limited to biomarkers. Cohort data show associations, not proof of effect.
The lists
Base tier readable for everyoneFor each category : why it is on the list, the studies behind it and the foods of the base tier. Values per serving ; a dash means the value is not documented in the databases.
General nutrition information for healthy adults. It does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is not nutrition therapy. The studies cited mostly show associations from observational studies, not proof of effect for individual foods. Nutrient values are calculated from databases, not measured in a laboratory. Anyone who has a medical condition, takes medication (for example anticoagulants such as phenprocoumon, where large swings in leafy greens matter), is pregnant or breastfeeding, is prone to kidney stones or has food allergies should discuss major changes with their doctor first. Depending on the dish, the recipes contain milk, egg, soy, gluten (seitan, bulgur, rye, wholewheat pasta), tree nuts, peanuts, sesame and mustard. Felix Baier is neither a physician nor a German-licensed Heilpraktiker ; StoaVita does not sell dietary supplements.
Vegetables12 foods
In cohort analyses, more vegetables go along with fewer cardiovascular diseases and lower all-cause mortality, most clearly for cruciferous and green leafy vegetables (Aune et al. 2017). The added benefit levels off at about five servings of fruit and vegetables a day (Wang et al. 2021).
- Aune D et al. Int J Epidemiol 2017. Per 200 g of fruit and vegetables a day : all-cause mortality RR 0.90 (95 % CI 0.87 to 0.93). doi:10.1093/ije/dyw319
- Wang DD et al. Circulation 2021. Risk reduction plateaus at about 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | 1 serving (110 g), weighed raw | 3.1 g | 3.3 g | 38 |
| Red cabbage | 1 serving (110 g), weighed raw | 1.7 g | 2.8 g | 31 |
| Leaf spinach | 1 serving (110 g), weighed raw | 2.3 g | 2.0 g | 20 |
Fruit12 foods
In cohort analyses, fruit goes along with lower all-cause mortality, with inverse associations especially for apples, pears and citrus fruit (Aune et al. 2017 ; RR 0.94 per daily serving in Schwingshackl et al. 2017). Whole fruit rather than juice.
- Aune D et al. Int J Epidemiol 2017. Inverse associations for apples and pears and for citrus fruit with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. doi:10.1093/ije/dyw319
- Schwingshackl L et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2017. Fruit per daily serving : all-cause mortality RR 0.94 (95 % CI 0.92 to 0.97). doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.153148
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | 1 small orange (110 g) | 1.1 g | 2.4 g | 54 |
| Blueberries | 1 bowl (110 g) | 0.6 g | 2.6 g | 67 |
| Apple | 1 small apple (110 g), with skin | 0.3 g | 2.5 g | 64 |
Legumes and soy10 foods
Across 32 cohorts, all-cause mortality was about 6 percent lower per 50 g of legumes a day (Zargarzadeh et al. 2023) ; for soy, a meta-analysis of observational studies found an association with lower cancer and cardiovascular mortality (Nachvak et al. 2019). In our recipes, legumes supply most of the protein and fibre.
- Zargarzadeh N et al. Adv Nutr 2023. Per 50 g a day : all-cause mortality HR 0.94 (95 % CI 0.89 to 0.99). doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2022.10.009
- Nachvak SM et al. J Acad Nutr Diet 2019. Soy, highest versus lowest intake : cancer mortality RR 0.88 (0.79 to 0.99), cardiovascular mortality 0.85 (0.72 to 0.99). doi:10.1016/j.jand.2019.04.011
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain tofu | 1 serving (125 g) | 19.4 g | 1.6 g | 144 |
| Brown or green lentils | 1 serving (125 g), cooked | 11.3 g | 9.0 g | 149 |
| Chickpeas | 1 serving (125 g), cooked | 10.5 g | 9.5 g | 189 |
| White beans | 1 serving (125 g), cooked | 11.3 g | 8.7 g | 164 |
Nuts and seeds9 foods
Per 28 g of nuts a day, all-cause mortality in cohorts is a good 20 percent lower, similarly for tree nuts and peanuts (Aune et al. 2016). For flaxseed there are only biomarker studies, for example lower blood pressure (Li et al. 2023), no endpoint data.
- Aune D et al. BMC Med 2016. Per 28 g a day : all-cause mortality RR 0.78 (95 % CI 0.72 to 0.84). doi:10.1186/s12916-016-0730-3
- Li L et al. Food Funct 2023. 33 RCTs on flaxseed : systolic blood pressure minus 3.19 mmHg (minus 4.15 to minus 2.24). doi:10.1039/d2fo02566c
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds | 1 handful (25 g) | 5.6 g | 2.5 g | 136 |
| Flaxseed, ground | 1 heaped tbsp (15 g) | 3.3 g | 3.2 g | 70 |
| Walnuts | 1 handful (25 g) | 4.0 g | 1.1 g | 180 |
Whole grains and pseudocereals12 foods
Per 90 g of whole grains a day, all-cause mortality in cohorts is 17 percent lower (Aune et al. 2016). Fibre shows the greatest benefit at 25 to 29 g a day (Reynolds et al. 2019), and whole grains are the simplest source.
- Aune D et al. BMJ 2016. Per 90 g of whole grains a day : all-cause mortality RR 0.83 (95 % CI 0.77 to 0.90). doi:10.1136/bmj.i2716
- Reynolds A et al. Lancet 2019. Greatest risk reduction at 25 to 29 g of fibre a day, evidence for fibre moderate. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats | 1 serving (60 g), dry | 7.9 g | 6.6 g | 209 |
| Wholegrain rye bread | 1 slice (60 g) | 3.6 g | 5.8 g | 116 |
Mushrooms6 foods
Higher mushroom intake goes along with a lower cancer risk (Ba et al. 2021), but the data come mostly from case-control studies. The evidence is weak ; mushrooms mainly add flavour and some protein.
- Ba DM et al. Adv Nutr 2021. Highest versus lowest intake : total cancer RR 0.66 (95 % CI 0.55 to 0.78), 11 of 17 studies case-control design. doi:10.1093/advances/nmab015
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster mushrooms | 1 serving (110 g) | 3.6 g | 2.5 g | 35 |
| Button mushrooms | 1 serving (110 g) | 4.0 g | 1.1 g | 31 |
Herbs and spices10 foods
Endpoint data are thin : in a large Chinese cohort, eating spicy food daily went along with lower mortality (Lv et al. 2015), which is not proof of cause. In our recipes, herbs and spices mainly replace salt.
- Lv J et al. BMJ 2015. Spicy food on 6 to 7 days a week versus less than once : all-cause mortality HR 0.86 (95 % CI 0.82 to 0.90). doi:10.1136/bmj.h3942
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped (10 g) | 0.3 g | 0.3 g | 3 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (5 g) | 0.3 g | 0.1 g | 5 |
Oils6 foods
In the PREDIMED trial in people at increased cardiovascular risk, fewer major cardiovascular events occurred on a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil than on a low-fat control diet (Estruch et al. 2018) ; in US cohorts, more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day went along with lower all-cause mortality (Guasch-Ferré et al. 2022).
- Estruch R et al. N Engl J Med 2018. Mediterranean diet plus extra virgin olive oil versus control diet : HR 0.69 (95 % CI 0.53 to 0.91) for major cardiovascular events. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1800389
- Guasch-Ferré M et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2022. More than 7 g of olive oil a day versus never : all-cause mortality HR 0.81 (95 % CI 0.78 to 0.84). doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra virgin olive oil | 1 tbsp (10 g) | 0.0 g | 0.0 g | 90 |
| Rapeseed oil | 1 tbsp (10 g) | 0.0 g | 0.0 g | 90 |
Fermented foods6 foods
In a small randomised trial with 36 adults, a diet rich in fermented foods increased gut microbiome diversity and lowered inflammatory markers over 17 weeks (Wastyk et al. 2021). Data on clinical endpoints are lacking.
- Wastyk HC et al. Cell 2021. Randomised trial, 18 people per group, 17 weeks : more microbiome diversity, fewer inflammatory markers on a fermented diet. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.019
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain yoghurt | 1 pot (150 g) | 7.6 g | 0.0 g | 93 |
| Sauerkraut, raw | 1 serving (110 g) | 1.2 g | 2.4 g | 25 |
Drinks6 foods
In dose-response meta-analyses of cohorts, the lowest mortality risk was at about 3.5 cups of coffee (Kim et al. 2019) and 2 cups of tea a day (Kim and Je 2024). Observational data, not a drinking target ; water remains the base.
- Kim Y et al. Eur J Epidemiol 2019. Coffee, 3.5 cups a day : all-cause mortality RR 0.85 (95 % CI 0.82 to 0.89). doi:10.1007/s10654-019-00524-3
- Kim Y, Je Y. Epidemiol Health 2024. Tea, 2 cups a day : all-cause mortality 0.91 (95 % CI 0.88 to 0.94). doi:10.4178/epih.e2024056
| Food | Serving | Protein | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 1 glass (250 ml) | 0.0 g | 0.0 g | 0 |
| Filter coffee | 1 cup (200 ml) | 0.2 g | 0.6 g | 2 |
| Green tea | 1 cup (200 ml) | 0.2 g | 0.0 g | 0 |
The full lists are for clients : all 89 foods in three tiers.
Up to this point the article covers the mechanism. What follows moves from the mechanism to your own values, and that part we keep for the people we work with.
- All 89 foods in the tiers base, regular and addition, each with serving, protein and fibre
- Notes on preparation, season and tolerance where they matter for the choice
There is no self-service sign-up. Access comes with working together ; the first conversation is free and non-binding.
Put it in context
How your diet fits your training and your blood test results is what I put in context in the Longevity Check-up.
Sources (studies and reviews)
- Aune D et al. Int J Epidemiol 2017. doi:10.1093/ije/dyw319. PMID 28338764.
- Wang DD et al. Circulation 2021. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.048996. PMID 33641343.
- Schwingshackl L et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2017. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.153148. PMID 28446499.
- Zargarzadeh N et al. Adv Nutr 2023. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2022.10.009. PMID 36811595.
- Nachvak SM et al. J Acad Nutr Diet 2019. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2019.04.011. PMID 31278047.
- Aune D et al. BMC Med 2016. doi:10.1186/s12916-016-0730-3. PMID 27916000.
- Li L et al. Food Funct 2023. doi:10.1039/d2fo02566c. PMID 36622248.
- Aune D et al. BMJ 2016. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2716. PMID 27301975.
- Reynolds A et al. Lancet 2019. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9. PMID 30638909.
- Ba DM et al. Adv Nutr 2021. doi:10.1093/advances/nmab015. PMID 33724299.
- Lv J et al. BMJ 2015. doi:10.1136/bmj.h3942. PMID 26242395.
- Estruch R et al. N Engl J Med 2018. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1800389. PMID 29897866.
- Guasch-Ferré M et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2022. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.10.041. PMID 35027106.
- Wastyk HC et al. Cell 2021. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.019. PMID 34256014.
- Kim Y et al. Eur J Epidemiol 2019. doi:10.1007/s10654-019-00524-3. PMID 31055709.
- Kim Y, Je Y. Epidemiol Health 2024. doi:10.4178/epih.e2024056. PMID 38938012.
Data sources
- Nutrient values : Max Rubner-Institut (2025): Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS), Version 4.0 – Deutsche Nährstoffdatenbank. Karlsruhe. DOI: 10.25826/Data20251217-134202-0. Licence : CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de). Modified : converted by StoaVita to servings and recipes ; where the difference to USDA FoodData Central exceeded 20 percent, the lower value was used for protein, fibre and leucine. The Max Rubner-Institut has not reviewed this adaptation.
- Comparison and supplementary values : U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center. FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/, accessed on 5 October 2026. Public Domain (CC0 1.0).
Context knowledge, not primary literature
- Inspiration : Prof. Dr. Gunter P. Eckert (Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen) ordered plants by their polyphenol content per 100 g for the book „Der Verjüngungs-Plan“ by Nina Ruge and Stephan Hentschel (GU, 2023). Our lists are a separate compilation based on other criteria : first the evidence for the food group, then fibre and protein per serving. Prof. Eckert, the authors and the publisher were not involved in our lists and have not reviewed them. Context knowledge, not primary literature.
General nutrition information for healthy adults. It does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is not nutrition therapy. The studies cited mostly show associations from observational studies, not proof of effect for individual foods. Nutrient values are calculated from databases, not measured in a laboratory. Anyone who has a medical condition, takes medication (for example anticoagulants such as phenprocoumon, where large swings in leafy greens matter), is pregnant or breastfeeding, is prone to kidney stones or has food allergies should discuss major changes with their doctor first. Depending on the dish, the recipes contain milk, egg, soy, gluten (seitan, bulgur, rye, wholewheat pasta), tree nuts, peanuts, sesame and mustard. Felix Baier is neither a physician nor a German-licensed Heilpraktiker ; StoaVita does not sell dietary supplements.