The New American Diet highlights the importance of eating fresh, additive-free produce and humanely raised organic meat products. According to diet authors Stephen Perrine and Heather Hurlock, when you eat natural, unprocessed food, your body knows when you have had enough and signals satiety. In contrast, the authors claim a chemical-laden diet -- the norm in our western food supply -- increases the metabolism and is the underlying cause of obesity. Natural and synthetic hormones, pesticides and the phylates in much commercial food are sources of obesogens, which are associated with obesity, poor health and chronic disease.

Step 1

Stay with organic fruits and vegetables and locally grown produce whenever possible. Avoid eating commercially grown fruits and vegetables most likely to be treated with pesticides, including apples, peaches, bell peppers and strawberries.

Step 2

Eat grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. Today's commercial meat contains more fat than meat 25 or 30 years ago, and most meat is treated with hormones and other chemicals. Read nutrition labels carefully, and consider organic pork as a healthier alternative to beef and chicken.

Step 3

Purchase and enjoy produce in season, and freeze some for later use. Buy organic frozen food if a local source is not available; frozen vegetables usually are frozen within hours of harvest and might be more nutritious than their fresh counterparts.

Step 4

Avoid eating meats and cheese packaged in plastic wrap. Buy food products packaged in pouches rather than cans. Store leftover foods and liquids in glass and stainless steel.

Step 5

Drink filtered water. Use an activated carbon water filter to remove pesticides and other pollutants from your tapwater. Install an under-the-sink unit, or attach a filter directly to the water facet.

Tips and Warnings

• Investigate community-supported agricultural farms, or CSAs, that provide locally grown produce, meats and other offerings for a monthly subscription fee
• Exercise caution when buying farmed seafood. Some might be healthy alternatives to potentially contaminated, wild-caught species, but the practices of fish growers vary considerably.