What Andie MacDowell Eats To Stay In Top Shape For Both Acting And Modeling

Andie MacDowell has carved out a name for herself in both the modeling and acting worlds, but despite her busy career, she’s stayed in tip-top shape the whole time. Of course, part of that is owed to her workouts, but what happens in the kitchen is a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, the actress and mother of Margaret Qualley told Shape about the foods she views as necessary parts of her diet.

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She Sticks With The Basics

It may not shock anyone to hear that her health-centric diet includes a focus on the classic staples like steamed organic vegetables. “Preserving the natural attributes of organically grown vegetables is a great way to nourish my whole body again,” she explained. Likewise, she made sure to mention the most basic of all healthy foods, brown rice. “It’s simple, healthy, and goes with everything,” MacDowell said, which is why it’s such a consistent part of nearly every health-conscious eater’s diet.

Andie MacDowell’s Go-To Sauces

Steamed veggies and cooked rice aren’t exactly the most flavorful of foods admittedly — although quality organic vegetables can still pack a ton of sweetness and crispness when cooking correctly — so spicing up the basic with extra flavor is a must. One of her go-tos is a simple mix of grated ginger and coconut mixed with lime juice, forming what she calls “a great sauce for just about anything.”

Aside from the coconut sauce, the model said that she often relies on raita, a South Asian condiment. It’s traditionally made with dahi, a fermented milk product sometimes called curd that’s similar to yogurt, which is what MacDowell uses in her version. “A little cucumber and yogurt along with some other digestive spices is a good addition to any spicy cuisine,” she told Shape. Her love for Indian food comes as no surprise, as she’s posted about how happy she was to get to travel to the country two years ago. She also mentioned to the magazine that she engages in Ayurvedic cleanses from time to time as well.

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She Has Specific Flavor Favorites

MacDowell is no stranger to spice, as she cites spicy pickled peppers as another one of her favorite food items. She’ll even go the extra mile with her “Mother’s Recipe,” which is hot peppers flavored with mango or lime. Pickling is a surprisingly easy process, and the most intensive step is accurately measuring the spices. Once prepared, they’re the perfect topper for almost any meal — especially some rice that needs a kick.

Dark chocolate wins the distinction of being MacDowell’s go-to sweet treat, and she named dark chocolate truffles as her very favorite way to satisfy her sweet tooth. The star praised the confection for its positive health effects, telling Shape,

Thanks to all the antioxidants, it helps keep me young! Plus, it relaxes my blood pressure and balances certain hormones in my body.

All that being said, Andie MacDowell doesn’t force herself to stick to the simple basics all the time, and she celebrates going out and eating new and rich foods when she’s traveling. A diet shouldn’t be painful, and it certainly seems like she’s found what works best for her body and her taste buds.