I’m aware that most veggies and fruits are like this, however, wherever I look online I feel like I see that every grain or meat I assumed was healthy causes some disease or another. Please recommend the grains and meats that you know are least linked to negative health effects
This type of question won’t lead you anywhere. Don’t focus on individual foods. Eat a chocolate bar once in a while, it won’t kill you. Get MOST of your nutrition from fruits, veggies, lean meats, beans, nuts… and you’ll be healthier than 99% of people out there.
I once had a client that told me she heard yogurt was bad so she never ate it. Meanwhile she was eating Little Debbie’s like they were going out of business.
none. balance is the key to healthy life. even excess water will kill you, as will chronic deficiency of water intake. you can certainly have higher quantities of things like fruits and veggies as you mentioned, just not “unlimited” amount with “zero negative” health concerns because all food is harmful in excess.
have whole grains instead of refined grains and you’ll be fine. one exception would be rice, where white isn’t necessarily much “worse” than brown/“whole” rice (also brown rice usually has more residual arsenic). the extra fiber in whole grains will also make you full and prevent you from overeating. all whole grains/pseudograins are good, and eating a variety is the best approach - rice, oats, quinoa, amaranth, millets, sorghum, etc. wheat, barley, rye are all good if you don’t have celiac or gluten sensitivity (most people don’t).
another category of foods commonly overlooked are LEGUMES. i’d say many people who don’t eat legumes would benefit immensely from having them once a day or more. legumes are very high in fiber (satiating and great for gut bacteria), and good sources of protein, iron, folate, etc. have a variety of beans, peas, lentils, etc.
all meats should be consumed in moderation imo. you should look to legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc for supplementing your protein requirements. it’s fine to have 4-6oz serving of white meats every day, and 4-6oz servings of red meat couple of times a week. i am including most seafood, except tuna and similar fishes, under “white meats”.
eggs - a dozen or so per week
dairy or fortified dairy alternative - a cup or less per day
Quantity matters. One Twinkie every few months isn’t going to harm you. 20 bananas a day will make you fat. A few beers a week is probably harmless (and might have mental health benefits), but drinking too much water will kill you - more marathoners die from drinking too much water as opposed to too little: “There are no reported cases of dehydration causing death in the history of world running,” Maharam said. “But there are plenty of cases of people dying of hyponatremia.”
Moderation and variety of minimally processed/non-processed foods.
In the absolutist sense portray within the question, none. You will die if you choose a handful of superfoods to live off. Every category veggies/fruits/grains/meats/dairy needs to be consumed in moderation proportionate to your own needs to fulfill nutritional requirements. All exclusionary diets have their drawbacks causing supplementation.
I think millet is the best grain, has no negative benefits at all, only positive ones. I did 26 days cleanse, and no grains were allowed except for millet, but also oats and wild rice. With regards to veggies, the nightshades can have negative effect (bell peppers, potatoes, eggplant, tomato), but the rest are good for you.