Table 1 Food items based on the validated Iranian food frequency questionnaire, categorized into food groups according to their nature

1

Cold-natured meats

Cow and veal meat, hen and chicken, fish and seafood, canned tuna, hamburgers, brain-sausages, bologna, and pizza.

2

Additives

Chips, cheese balls, sugar cubes, sugar, honey, jam, cola, traditional sweet snacks, chocolate, sugarplum, candy, halva, pepper, chili sauce, salted vegetables, pickles, salt, condiments, cake, confectionery, biscuits, and crackers.

3

Cold-natured fruits

Watermelon, apricot, cherries, peaches, nectarine, greengages, grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, pomegranates, plums, and strawberries.

4

Fats

Butter, olive oil, animal fat, margarine, and hydrogenated vegetable oil.

5

Acidic seasonings

Lime, lemon juice, and vinegar

Nuts and dried fruits

Dried fig, date, resin, dried berries, dried apricot, dried plum; all nuts (pistachio, almond, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.)

6

Hot-natured meats

Sheep meat, eggs, and organ meats (tongue, rumen, face meat, foot, heart, and liver)

7

Hot and balanced fruits

Pear, apple, fresh berries, cantaloupe, melon, fig, grapes, kiwifruit, persimmon, banana, fruit juices, and compote.

8

Legumes

Lentil, soya bean, peas, split peas, and all beans.

9

Cold-natured starches

Baguette bread, toast, spaghetti, vermicelli, barley, potato, and broad beans

10

Dairy

Milk (low fat and high fat), yogurt (low fat and high fat), condensed yogurt, yogurt drink, icecream, cheese curds, creamy cheese, and cream.

11

Hot and balanced starches

Traditional bread (Lavash, Barbari, Sangak, Taftoon), noodles, wheat, rice, flour, bulgur, pumpkin, green peas, and corn.