Current News |
June 30, 2008,
8:50 am
The 11 Best Foods You
Aren’t Eating
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/the-11-best-foods-you-arent-eating/?ex=1215576000&en=963aae1a14cee5f3&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has
created several lists of healthful foods
people should be eating but aren’t. But
some of his favorites, like purslane,
guava and goji berries, aren’t
always available at regular grocery
stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of
“The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to
update his list with some favorite foods
that are easy to find but don’t always
find their way into our shopping carts.
Here’s his advice.
Beets: Think of beets as red
spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they
are a rich source of folate as well as
natural red pigments that may be cancer
fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to
make a salad. Heating decreases the
antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients
like sulforaphane, a chemical said to
boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a
crunchy topping on burgers and
sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green
vegetable packed with carotenoids that
protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive
oil.
Cinnamon: Helps control blood
sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or
oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to
lower blood pressure and loaded with
antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are
really prunes, but packed with
cancer-fighting antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and
baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most
nutritious part of the pumpkin and
packed with magnesium; high levels of
the mineral are associated with lower
risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or
sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them
“health food in a can.'’ They are high
in omega-3’s, contain virtually no
mercury and are loaded with calcium.
They also
contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus,
potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as
well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in
olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed
with salad, on toast, or mashed with
dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of
spices,'’ it has anti-inflammatory and
anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or
in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though
freezing can degrade some of the
nutrients in fruits and vegetables,
frozen blueberries are available
year-round and don’t spoil; associated
with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or
chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with
crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie
vegetable that is high in fiber and
immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you
up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter,
cinnamon and nutmeg.
You can find more details and recipes on
the Men’s Health Web site, which
published the original version of the
list last year.
In my own house, I only have two of
these items — pumpkin seeds, which I
often roast and put on salads, and
frozen blueberries, which I mix with
milk, yogurt
and other fruits for morning smoothies.
How about you? Have any of these foods
found their way into your shopping cart?
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