The 11 Healthy Foods You’ll Always Find In This Top Functional Medicine Doctor’s Fridge

If you’re under the age of 30, there’s a good chance you grew up watching MTV Cribs. (Sorry, Gen Z, you really missed out.) Every episode, after showing off “where the magic happens” and before revealing their fleet of flashy cars, the celebrity would open their Sub Zero fridge to reveal what’s inside.

Just like it’s fascinating to see what celebs eat on an average day, it would be irresistible to turn down an opportunity to glimpse into a functional medicine doctor’s kitchen. After all, part of their job is keeping up with the latest scientific studies linking certain eating habits to longevity. They also see first-hand from patients what eating habits help support or work against overall health.

Recently, functional medicine doctor and Food Fix author Mark Hyman, MD shared on Instagram the 11 foods he always has in his own refrigerator. These are foods he not only recommends to patients regularly, but eats himself. Keep reading to see the full list, along with the reasons each deserves a place in your own fridge.

The 11 healthiest refrigerated foods to stock your kitchen with, according to Dr. Hyman:

1. Vegetables

This is probably the most obvious food on the list; a top doc who didn’t have veggies at home would be like a fitness trainer not owning sneakers. All vegetables are full of fiber (key not only for digestion but also in preventing chronic inflammation), antioxidants, and trace minerals.

2. Fruit

Similar to veggies, all fruit has fiber and antioxidants. Dr. Hyman especially recommends stocking up on are ones that are low-glycemic, which don’t spike blood sugar as much. His all-time favorite fruit to consume on the reg? Berries! They’re especially good for both heart and brain health because they’re loaded with antioxidants.

3. Meat

Dr. Hyman is all for eating plant-based, but he eats meat too. He follows a vegan-Paleo diet called the Pegan diet. “A pegan diet is low-glycemic, high in plant foods, low in sugar, and includes adequate protein for appetite control and muscle synthesis,” Dr. Hyman explained to Well+Good in the past. Grass-fed beef and lamb and pasture-raised poultry are the primary sources of meat for him.

4. Eggs

Eggs are another animal source of protein Dr. Hyman especially loves. (Shopping tip: Look for pasture-raised eggs, which are the most ethically sourced.) Eggs are so full of vitamins that one registered dietitian calls them “nature’s multivitamin.”

Watch the video below to learn more about the benefits of eggs:

5. Seafood

Eating seafood regularly supports both brain and heart health. Dr. Hyman’s advice is to go for SMASH fish, which stands for sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, and herring. These types of fish are low-mercury and high in omega-3s.

6. Fats

What do avocados, ghee, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fish all have in common? They’re full of healthy fats, which are key for brain and heart health. It’s why Dr. Hyman says he always has ghee and grass-fed butter at home. Cooking with these foods makes your meal way more delicious too.

7. Tofu

While Dr. Hyman does eat meat, his diet is also full of plant-based protein sources, like tofu. Besides protein, tofu is also a good source of fiber.

8. Tempeh

Similar to tofu, tempeh is also a great plant-based source of protein and fiber. In fact, it has more than double the protein of tofu. Both are full of nutritional benefits but have a slightly different taste and texture, so Dr. Hyman likes to have both on hand.

9. Dairy

Even having access to alt-milk and plant-based yogurt, Dr. Hyman likes to eat dairy yogurt, which is a good source of calcium. One of Dr. Hyman’s favorite dairy sources is kefir, which is higher in probiotics than yogurt.

10. Hummus

Chickpeas provide great plant-based protein and fiber while also being low-glycemic (again, that means it helps keep blood sugar levels steady). When it’s made with olive oil, you’re getting extra healthy fats, too. It’s one of the healthiest dips you’ll find at the grocery store (or that you can make yourself).

Watch the video below to learn more about the health benefits of chickpeas:

11. Kimchi and sauerkraut

The last of the healthiest refrigerated foods you’ll find in Dr. Hyman’s kitchen are kimchi and sauerkraut, two types of fermented foods that are high in gut-healthy probiotics. To reap the most nutritional benefits, buy kimchi and sauerkraut that’s refrigerated and hasn’t been exposed to heat, which kills some of the good gut bacteria it naturally contains. These foods are another great source of fiber, too.

Besides being full of nutritional benefits, these foods are all really versatile and can be prepared in an endless number of ways. After all, cooking and eating is the fun part! And if you run into your doctor at the supermarket, they’ll 100 percent approve of what’s in your cart.

Need some ideas for what to make with your grocery haul? Join Well+Good’s Cook With Us Facebook group for regular inspiration.