Is there any one food (or two, if eaten together), which can be
consumed in moderation which will meet all nutritional needs (i.e. 30%
protein, 60% carbohydrate, and 20% fat, plus nutrients not normally
found in vitamin and mineral supplements)?

Hey,  Thanks for the question. 

According to Georgia C. Lauritzen, PhD, Food and Nutrition Specialist
University of Utah, the answer is basically "There is no perfect food.
Milk has been advertised as nature's most perfect food, but milk
supplies virtually no iron or vitamin C. The very best source of a
balanced supply of all vitamins is a diet which consists of a variety
of different foods." And goes on to talk about vitamins and dietary
supplements.

As you probably know there are several "claimed" Perfect Foods, but
none fit the full criteria. Bee Pollen for instance was claimed, and I
have put a link below that will give more information on that product,
which also refers to an FDA study entitled "Bee Pollen is Great for
Bees".

Milk was claimed for a very long time as Nature's Perfect food, but
fell short in a number of areas, including some that actually caused
problems rather than solving them.

As for the question of two foods, mixed I found nothing that would
support this. The human body is just too complex, requiring a steady
diet of many different substances that are just not found in one or
two sources, though there are several "health bars" and drinks which
combine compounds with added sources of grain, protein and fat to
"create" a perfect food, they are definitely not a "single source" and
are good evidence that even two sources are not enough of a
combination.


As a side note: The mixture or rice and pinto beans is said to produce
inside the body the best source of protein



Links:
Vitamins and Your Good Health
http://extension.usu.edu/publica/foodpubs/fn218.pdf

Bee Pollen
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~mts/apishtm/apis84/apaug84.htm
And 
http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/digital/2001/column34.htm

Milk
http://davidm.umext.maine.edu/avs346/Lec4Milk_compostion.htm

http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/press_releases/01-02/02-05.milk.html


webadept-ga
Hey,  Thanks for the question. 

According to Georgia C. Lauritzen, PhD, Food and Nutrition Specialist
University of Utah, the answer is basically "There is no perfect food.
Milk has been advertised as nature's most perfect food, but milk
supplies virtually no iron or vitamin C. The very best source of a
balanced supply of all vitamins is a diet which consists of a variety
of different foods." And goes on to talk about vitamins and dietary
supplements.

As you probably know there are several "claimed" Perfect Foods, but
none fit the full criteria. Bee Pollen for instance was claimed, and I
have put a link below that will give more information on that product,
which also refers to an FDA study entitled "Bee Pollen is Great for
Bees".

Milk was claimed for a very long time as Nature's Perfect food, but
fell short in a number of areas, including some that actually caused
problems rather than solving them.

As for the question of two foods, mixed I found nothing that would
support this. The human body is just too complex, requiring a steady
diet of many different substances that are just not found in one or
two sources, though there are several "health bars" and drinks which
combine compounds with added sources of grain, protein and fat to
"create" a perfect food, they are definitely not a "single source" and
are good evidence that even two sources are not enough of a
combination.


As a side note: The mixture or rice and pinto beans is said to produce
inside the body the best source of protein



Links:
Vitamins and Your Good Health
http://extension.usu.edu/publica/foodpubs/fn218.pdf

Bee Pollen
http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~mts/apishtm/apis84/apaug84.htm
And 
http://bee.airoot.com/beeculture/digital/2001/column34.htm

Milk
http://davidm.umext.maine.edu/avs346/Lec4Milk_compostion.htm

http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/press_releases/01-02/02-05.milk.html


webadept-ga

I was simply looking for a few suggestions of concrete examples of
nutritionally sound and biologically dense foods.  Instead, I got a
long answer that basically sounds like it was lifted from some college
student's recent final exam essay, complete with web-links.  I don't
want to have to continue researching the question myself.  That's why
I paid for a straight answer.

Your body needs four things for good balance: green, red, yellow, and
protein.
You need green fruits or vegetables, yellow fruits or vegetables, red
fruits or vegetables, along with protein such as that found in meats. 
 The combination of these fruits and vegetables in salad form along
with fish (perhaps) will allow you "perfect" sustenance for the rest
of your life.    You will soon tire of the repetition, however.

Hi!

You ask an interesting question, particularly because there is
continual debate over whether it's even possible too define an optimum
nutritional standard.

Many people believe the balance you cited, 30% protein, 60%
carbohydrate, and 20% fat, is ideal.  There are, of course, many other
balances advocated by numberless 'experts' (one of the most famous
currently is the Zone diet, which swears by a 40/30/30 balance...
http://www.zonebalance.com )

Even percentages do not tell the whole story.  Eating to maintain such
a balance ignores the fact that there are many types of protein,
carbs, and fat, and the body needs a variety to acheive optimum
health.  No single food or simple combination of foods contains all
the necessary types of even one category, much less all three.  Hence
the need for a widely varied diet. (Here's an example of what I mean,
excerpted from iKidney.com @
http://www.ikidney.com/wolancmnt/anitem.cfm?AnnID=53   "There are two
kinds of protein: complete and incomplete. You need both kinds of
proteins. “Complete” protein is found in milk, eggs, meat, poultry,
fish, seafood, soy and yogurt, and contain all the nine essential
amino acids. Because your body can’t make these amino acids, your food
choices must supply them. Plant proteins come from vegetables, breads,
and cereals and are lacking in some of the essential amino acids.
That’s why their protein is often called “incomplete”. Your body makes
nonessential amino acids. When your meals and snacks provide a variety
of foods, you get all the amino acids your body needs.")

Moving from food to vitamins and minerals... Many believe that vitamin
and mineral supplements are qualitatively inferior to those found in
foods, because for the most part they are synthetic and not as fully
absorbable by the body as their natural counterparts. It's commonly
believed that the more vitamins and minerals can come from diet, the
better.  As one might expect, just as with proteins, carbs, and fats,
there are different kinds of vitamins and minerals. some are fat
soluable, others are water soluable, and some block the absorbtion of
others, and so much be taken at varied times to be effective.  (For
more information on vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and absorbtion,
take a look at Real Health's page at 
http://www.realhealth.co.uk/vitamins.htm , and HealthWell's page at
http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Info/Multi_Vitamin.cfm .

Throw into the mix individual nutritional needs based on things like
hereditary conditions, environmental pressures (needing more energy on
a given day) and our increasing use of processed/manipulated foods,
and it becomes pretty overwhelming.  Of course if it were simple, we'd
have figured it all out long ago!

It sounds like you already understand basic nutrition, but if you're
interested, here are a few links you might like to look at:

The Food Pyramid, the serving suggestions now advocated by the USDA.
( http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm )

Nutritiously Gourmet (
http://www.nutritiouslygourmet.com/html/basics.html )

Seasonal Eating (a movement that believes eating what's naturally in
season provides the best nutrition)
( http://www.karenbarnaby.com/recipes/seasonal2.html )
( http://64.224.162.148/dcfm/tips.htm )
( http://www.foodcoop.com/linewaiters/myrna4.html )

Good luck!

I wanted to add one thing, and this is a personal suggestion based on
something I've found recently.  More and more, we have been eating
organic, seasonal foods as much as possible, for lots of reasons -
nutritional, political, social, economical, etc...  Organic Express (
www.organicexpress.com ) is a company that delivers seasonal, local,
organic fruits and vegetables right to your door.  You can pick the
volume, frequency, and contents of your delivery online.  We signed up
a few weeks ago and LOVE it.

Of course I don't know where in the country you are (Organic Express
serves southern California) but businesses like this are popping up
everywhere, so there may be one serving your community.

Try searching for organic delivery and your state/area.  If you are
interested and would like help, let me know.  I'd be happy to look
around for you!

Kiwifruit has often been mentioned as being the most nutritional of
all fruits. Stick it in a sandwich with butter and you might come
close.

More vitamin C than an orange
Soluble fiber & insoluble fiber 
Copper, Potassium, Folate, Magnesium, and Vitamin E 
http://www.kiwifruit.org/nutrition_menu.htm

More:
http://www.calharvest.com/nutr.html

Thanks for Asking!

The ancient Hawaiians considered poi to be the perfect food. Poi is a
staple of the traditional Hawaiian diet, and is from the root of the
taro plant (Colocasia esculenta), which is most similar to the yam.
Poi is made in a process which steams, crushes, and naturally ferments
the taro corm. Poi is a slightly sweet, purple pudding-like food. It
is traditionally eaten with the fingers.

The Poi Company of Hawaii explains why poi should be eaten:

"Because poi happens to be one of the most nutritious and healing
foods on the face of this planet. This unique starch is composed of
the tiniest molecules making it extremely digestible for everyone from
premature infants to ailing senior citizens to chemotherapy patients.
It also happens to be low in fat and sodium, gluten and lactose-free,
hypoallergenic, a rich source of vitamin B, calcium and phosphorus).
When 20th century archeologists uncovered the remains of ancient
Hawaiian warriors, they were startled to find perfect teeth, with no
cavities, and amazingly strong bones, thanks to calcium-rich poi, the
main staple of the Hawaiian diet." The webpage also provides a
detailed nutritional breakdown.The Hawaiian Poi Company, What is Poi?
http://www.thepoicompany.com/whatispoi1.html

Envirobee.com claims that bee pollen is One of Nature's Most Perfect
Foods

"The amazing bee has provided us with a beneficial natural food
supplement. Long ago the Greeks and Romans called natural bee pollen
"the life-giving dust" or the secret "ambrosia" eaten to acquire
eternal youth. Pollen was entombed with pharaohs, it was used by the
American Indians, and for centuries by tribes in China. In our modern
times, scientists, gerontologists and nutritionists have rediscovered
these bee-prepared foods and confirmed that they are able to promote
benefits in the form of healing and rejuvenation. Some nutritionists
state that you could live adequately on bee pollen alone. Science
shows that bee pollen, that wondrous yet mysterious nectar, has
natural rejuvenating powers, aids beauty, boosts energy, extends life
span, fights allergies (and possibly even cancer) and relieves
digestive disorders. Bee pollen bursts with easily-assimilated protein
and lecithin, which nourish the brain and nervous system."

http://www.envirobee.com/beepollen.htm

Technology brings many different foods together into a product named
"Perfect Food".  Perfect Food contains:

"Green Super Foods: Kamut Grass*, Wheat Grass*, Barley Grass*, Oat
Grass*, Alfalfa Grass*, Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella, Kelp and
Dulse. Green Super Foods are a rich source of vitamins, minerals,
enzymes, amino acids, chlorophyll and antioxidants. (Gluten and
Phytate free)

Vegetables: Carrot Juice*, Beet Juice*, Tomato Juice*, Sweet Potato*,
Brocolli*, Kale*, Cabbage*, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Parsley*,
Spinach*, Asparagus*, Celery*, Cucumber, Green Pepper*, Garlic,
Ginger* and Onion. Vegetables are nature's richest sources of
phytochemicals including lycopene, sulforophane, allicin and
bioflavonoids.
 
Grains and Seeds: Flax Seeds*, Sesame Seeds*, Sunflower Seeds*,
Pumpkin Seeds*, Chia Seeds* Garbanzo Beans*, Red Lentils*, Soy Beans*,
Kidney Beans*, Azuki Beans*, Oats*, Barley*, Rye*, Millet*, Brown
Rice*, Maize* and Buckwheat* (Gluten and Phytate Free). Easily
digestible grains, seeds and legumes provide vitamins such as B
complex and vitamin E, Isoflavones, Fiber and essential fatty acids
including Omega 3 and 6.

Acerola Cherry: Nature's richest source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is
crucial as a premier antioxidant and is important for the health of
the immune system. *Certified Organic

Perfect Food is a product of Garden of Life. An info sheet is
available at:

http://www.digestivewellnesscenter.com/html/perfect_food.html

I hope this information gives you additional avenues of exploration.

~larre-ga

>>I was simply looking for a few suggestions of concrete examples of
nutritionally sound and biologically dense foods.  <<

Maybe you should have mentioned that when you asked the question.

I'm upgrading my rating from 2 to 3.  The answer was more thoughtful,
I suppose, than I originally realized.  Thanx.

TDAUSN,

All of the nutritional information provided above is certainly
accurate, but you may be interested in some of the research being done
by NASA for growing crops on space stations for extended life "out
there." With limited space available for food production, the variety
of foods that can be grown is necessarily limited.
 
Current research is focused on the sweet potato and peanut, primarily
because the foliage, roots, and fruit/nuts can all be processed into a
variety of foods for healthy nutrition.
 
More info is available at http://agriculture.tusk.edu/NASA/CFESH.html
and http://advlifesupport.jsc.nasa.gov/ .

 Captvatng1

The best 'perfect food' I've come across thusfar is living fuel
available at www.livingfuel.com.  No, I'm not associated in any way
with this particular company.  And yes, it is not a naturally grown
food, but rather a concoction of natural, live foods in one meal
replacement powder (usually taken with 20oz of water).  Essentially
some food scientists got together and tried to come up with the most
complete food using the fewest calories.  A 300 calorie meal will keep
one fully satisfied for 4-5 hours.  The philosophy is that minimizing
caloric consumption while maximizing nutrition extends life expectancy
(i.e. less energy is used trying to digest & absorb nutrients).  From
my experience, this food by far is the most complete and powerful. 
Use it in conjunction with cocochia and the 'Omega 3 & E' gel caps and
one can throw away any other vitamin or mineral supplements (and
discontinue eating all other foods).  You'll probably want to keep
eating some foods simply for variety, but nutritionally speaking, its
unnecessary.  Doesn't matter whether you're the olympic class athlete,
health challenged, or simply average joe looking for the best food to
eat.  imho.

One more note...Living Fuel was formulated to include the optimal
amount of all nutrients ANY human being needs (except, of course, in
the case of the severely health challenged that may need medication,
etc.).  Each body will absorb varing amounts of nutrients depending
upon individual requirements...all nutrients are abundantly available
in Living Fuel.

Aloha, I am flattered that our website was quoted, and that poi was
mentioned as possibly the "perfect food."  The URL for our site is
out-of-date.  Complete nutritional information about poi can be found
at:

 http://www.poico.com/artman/publish/article_16.php

along with the cultural history of poi, and even recipes with poi as
an ingredient.  It has the creamy "mouth feel" of fat, but contains no
fat.  It is also hypoallergenic, so great for folks who are lactose
intolerant.  I think it tastes great, but I was brought up on poi. 
Others tell me it's an acquired taste.