Nutritional Foods

There is a popular book out, in which the author maintains that we have it all wrong when we approach eating healthy based on nutrition. Nutrients! Who needs them? The answer is, we do!! What we need to know about these important substances is probably debatable, but whoever says, “ignorance is bliss,” when it comes to nutrition, will probably spend a lot of time not feeling well.

There are six nutrition categories that we need to consider when looking at a healthy lifestyle. Each of these categories has a unique and important role to play in your total health.

There is one important dietary substance that is not usually listed in nutrition guides as a separate nutrient, but in recent years, it has taken on the same importance, in its own right, as the other nutrients. That substance is Fiber.

With the change in the food supply, to more processed food, the need for a sufficient amount of fiber in the diet has become a critical issue. A lack of fiber in the diet has been associated with a rise in colon cancer and other digestive disorders.

It is important that you eat a variety of foods so that it is more likely that all of these nutrition categories will be represented. If you eat the same food day after day, you may be missing out on essential nutrients. It is also important to remember that one nutrition category is not more necessary than another, since they all work together to keep you healthy.

Most of us know about all the fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy products that help make our diet healthy. However there are other foods that you can enjoy as part of your healthy lifestyle.

Seeds and nuts are popular foods in many diets, often as snacks, but in most vegetarian eating plans, they are staples. These nutrient-dense powerhouses provide protein, fiber, healthy fats, enzymes and a number of vitamins and minerals. They can be eaten whole, in “butters” or used to replace meat in many recipes. Nut creams and nut milks can be used to make sauces or in smoothies.

Nutritional Foods - Almond–an oval-shaped nut that, in its sweet form is popular as a snack, as a flavoring, as part of cereals and as an ingredient in recipes, especially desserts and garnishes; readily available in more forms (in-the-shell, shelled whole, sliced, slivered, blanched and paste) than any other nut; high in protein, fiber and minerals, particularly calcium, and a good source of B vitamins; related to peaches, cherries and plums.

Caveat for Nutritional Foods: There is also a variety of almond called “bitter almonds” that are toxic when eaten. Since, as the name implies, they have a bitter taste, you are not likely to confuse the two, should you actually eat a bitter almond! The oil from bitter almonds can be used for non-edible purposes.

Fun Fact for Nutritional Foods: Brazil nuts have so much fat in them, they will burn like little candles when lit! They are hard to light, and you probably wouldn’t want to waste a good nutritious food in this way, but in a pinch, who knows? Actually, the empty pods of Brazil nuts are often filled with wax and sold as candles, which seems a much wiser use of resources.

Nutritional Foods - Cashew – a tan-colored, half-moon shaped nut; native to South America; not sold in the shell due to a toxic irritant in the oil of the shells; eaten roasted rather than raw; higher in carbohydrate and lower in fat than other nuts; rich in protein, minerals, B vitamins and fiber.

Fun Fact forNutritional Foods: Cashews grow on a tree and are really the “seed” of a type of “apple” fruit that is very popular in areas of South America where they grow. However, this cashew apple is so perishable that it can only be enjoyed fresh from the tree and thus cannot be shipped to other parts of the world.

Chia seed – a tiny seed that was popular in ancient times, but is regaining popularity as a “super food”; may be black or white in color; high in Omega-3 fatty acids; facilitates calcium absorption; high in fiber.Click here for more information on chia seed.

Chia seed recipe ideas: Sprinkle one tablespoon chia seeds on yogurt, cereal, soups, salads, even ice cream. Make a gel from chia seeds plus water (8:1 ratio), stirring mixture after one minute and refrigerating it up to two weeks. Use gel to replace half of the fat in baked goods, such as muffins, cookies, brownies and pancakes or add to yogurt, puddings, etc. to increase nutrition without changing flavor.

Interesting Fact for Nutritional Foods: Chia seeds were widely used in ancient times by the Aztecs in Central America. Although their efficacy as an energy food was undeniable, according to one account, the European conquerors sent some home to Spain, but they did not catch on as a food with the Spanish people of that time.

Coconut recipe ideas: Add unsweetened, grated coconut to breakfast cereals, yogurt and baked goods for extra nutrition, texture and flavor. You can generally substitute unsweetened, grated coconut for sweetened coconut in cookie recipes, since there is usually enough sugar in the recipe already. Coconut can also be made into flour, which is gluten-free and can be used to replace part of the flour in baked goods.

Interesting Fact for Nutritional Foods: Some health experts consider coconut as a “super food” due to certain properties it possesses. Since there is disagreement on this issue and since coconut does contain saturated fat with all its implications, we may have to wait for more research to be sure. In the meantime, using natural, unsweetened coconut, a whole food, as part of your diet seems reasonable.

Flaxseed recipe idea: Freshly ground flaxseed can be sprinkled on cereal, salads and used to replace up to 1/2 cup flour in recipes for baked goods such as breads, muffins, cookies and pancakes.

Nutritional Foods - Hazelnut (Filberts) – small round, reddish-brown nut, widely grown in Europe and Asia; high in mono-unsaturated fats; good source of minerals and Vitamins A, B and E; also called cobnuts.

Nutritional Foods - Peanut– not really a nut, but a legume; as a food they are used more like nuts in butters and for snacks; good source of the B vitamin, niacin; provide protein and energy; grow underground; member of the pea family.

Interesting Fact about Nutritional Foods: African Americans first made peanuts popular in the South, and in fact, peanuts are often called “goobers”, which comes from an African Kikongo word, nguba. It has been suggested that peanuts replaced cotton as a cash crop in the South when the cotton crop was devastated by the boll weevil pest.

Nutritional Foods - Pecan – native North American nut with thin, smooth brown shell and lobed “meat”; related to walnuts and hickory nuts, with a richer flavor; good source of Vitamin E, potassium and protein; may have cholesterol-lowering properties.

Pecan recipe ideas: Add to cereal, salads, yogurt or smoothies for extra nutrition; May be used to make Baklava.

Nutritional Foods - Pine nut – cream-colored, sweet-tasting seed from certain pine trees that grow in southwestern U.S and Mexico; also called pignolia and pinon nuts; common in Mediterranean diet; may be a digestive aid and appetite suppressant; good source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals; also imported from Europe and Asia.

Pine nut recipe ideas: Pine nuts are great on salads and are used in pesto sauces for Italian dishes.

Fun Facts for Nutritional Foods: Pine nuts are the seeds hidden in the pine cones of pine trees. They are popular with songbirds who harvest them from the pine cones with their beaks and even store them for future consumption. Sometimes these storage depots are not used and end up sprouting and producing new trees. Native Americans also used pine nuts as a staple in their diet, often for grinding into flour.

Interesting Fact about Nutritional Foods: It used to be the practice to dye pistachios red to make them more attractive and uniform in color. With better ways to pick and sort the nuts, this practice of dying them red has become less common. No more telltale scarlet fingers from shelling pistachios!

Nutritional Foods - Sesame seed – tiny, oval-shaped seed that is commonly used for its oil and on top of rolls and buns; rich in copper and manganese; good source of lignans, fiber that helps lower cholesterol; also used in Halva (sweetened) and Tahini (butter); their use dates back to ancient times.

Sesame seed recipe ideas: Sprinkle sesame seeds on your homemade breads for extra texture, nutrition and eye-appeal.

Nutritional Foods - Sunflower seed – small seed that is gray when hulled; used for its oil and as food; good source of Vitamin E, magnesium and selenium; may help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure; comes in larger, striped hull or smaller, black hull varieties.

Sunflower seed recipe idea: Sprinkle sunflower seeds on salads and add them to bread and homemade granola for extra nutrition. They also make a great snack all by themselves.

Nutritional Foods - Walnuts – a large, brown nut with a rough shell and lobed “meat”; loaded with heart-healthy fats; help to lower cholesterol; good source of fiber, Vitamin E, protein and minerals; good source of Omega-3 fats; may be found in English and Black varieties.

Walnut recipe ideas: Sprinkle on salads or add to cereals; great as a snack; may be eaten (sparingly) before a meal to help control appetite.

Interesting Fact about Nutritional Foods: One unusual way walnuts are used is picking them while they are still green and then pickling them! Please pass the pickled walnuts!

Most food experts would say that the western diet is a "grain-based" diet, since we rely heavily on grains and their by-products in the foods we eat. While this is true with regard to wheat, corn, and possibly oats, there are several, less popular grains that can form part of a healthy diet.

Amaranth – a nutritious gluten-free grain that was popular with the Aztecs in Central America; good source of the amino acid lysine, which is not usually found in grains; good source of fiber, along with some minerals and vitamins; mild and easy to digest compared to wheat.

Interesting Fact about Nutritional Foods: One account of why amaranth, in spite of its obvious nutritional benefits, is not more widely consumed is that the Spanish conquistadors associated it with the pagan practices of the Aztecs, and as a result, they would not consider cultivating amaranth or adding it to their diet and its use did not become widespread.

Amaranth recipe ideas: Cook whole amaranth in water in a ratio of one cup grain to 2 1/2 cups water for about 20 minutes and serve as hot cereal or pilaf. Use up to 1 cup amaranth flour for every 4-5 cups gluten flour to improve protein quality in bread.

Nutritional Foods - Barley – a light-colored cereal grain that has been consumed since ancient times; high in selenium and fiber; may help to lower cholesterol; sweeter taste than wheat; may be found as “pearled barley,” barley flakes and barley flour; ingredient in beer and other alcoholic beverages.

Barley recipe ideas: Add barley to soups and stews to improve flavor and nutrition. You can make a hot breakfast cereal using barley flakes. Barley flour may be used to replace part of the flour in breads. For barley pilaf, use one cup pearled barley to 3 1/2 cups boiling water. Bring to a boil once more, and then cover and simmer on low heat for about one hour.

Interesting Fact about Nutritional Foods: Lemon-barley water was a popular drink in the days before juices, sodas and other drinks were readily available. It was probably a better choice than many of the beverages we drink today.

Nutritional Foods - Buckwheat – a seed-grain that is easily recognizable by its triangular shape; gluten free; may protect against heart disease, diabetes, and hormone dependent cancers; significant source of manganese; plant produces dark, aromatic honey.

Buckwheat recipe ideas: Add buckwheat to soups to improve flavor and nutrition. You can make a hot breakfast cereal using buckwheat. Buckwheat flour may be used to replace part of the flour in breads and to make pancakes. To cook buckwheat, use one cup buckwheat to 2 cups boiling water. Bring to a boil once more and then cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

InterestingFact about Nutritional Foods: Buckwheat is a source of “quercetin,” a substance that may help reduce the effects of seasonal allergies

Nutritional Foods - Corn – grain of the maize plant that comes in many varieties; good source of thiamine(Vitamin B1); grows on a cob and the kernels are eaten off the cob or removed for eating; popped to produce a popular snack; ground into cornmeal for bread or grits; can be served as a vegetable; native to Central America; popular ingredient in Mexican food; more processed foods contain corn than any other grain, probably due to the popularity of corn syrup.

Interesting Fact about Nutritional Foods - : The type of corn—that yellow stuff—that most people are familiar with, actually comes from a hybrid version of the maize plant that was specifically developed to increase yield. Its yellow color is one of its distinctive and relatively new characteristics, .

Corn recipe ideas: Corn adds texture to soups and chowders. Cornmeal can be used to make quick breads and as part of the flour in some yeast breads. To make corn-on-the cob, add (freshly-picked) shucked ears to boiling, salted water and cook for 10 minutes. If you choose to roast the corn in the husk, soak it in salt water for a few hours first, and then place over hot coals until kernels are tender.

Fun Fact: Popcorn is a type of corn that comes in a variety of colors and sizes, and has an endosperm that explodes when heated, giving us those soft fluffy morsels that we love to consume at the movies.

Nutritional Foods - Millet – a tiny seed that has long been a staple food in Africa and Asia; good source of manganese and magnesium; should be avoided by those with thyroid problems due to its goitrogen content; major component of many commercial bird seeds.

Millet recipe idea: Millet flour can be used for part of the flour in breads. Millet can also be used as a pilaf. Heat 1 cup millet in 2 1/2 cups water and simmer for about 35 minutes.

Fun Fact: Millet is one of the few grains commonly used by the Hunzas, a Himalayan people who are known for their extraordinary good health and longevity. You can find many recipes for so-called “Hunza” bread on the web.

Nutritional Foods - Oats – a hardy cereal grain that is most commonly used in its rolled form rather than as a kernel (groats); good source of fiber and manganese; excellent source of selenium; may reduce cholesterol and risk of heart disease; may be old-fashioned, quick-cooking, instant, flakes, groats and steel-cut.

Interesting Fact: Rolled oats and steel-cut oats differ in how they are produced from the oat kernels or “groats.” While rolled oats, as the name suggests, are flattened to make them cook faster, steel-cut oats are cut-up pieces of the groats. Some people believe that steel-cut oats are more nutritious than rolled oats, but I could find no hard evidence to support this. However, you may prefer the texture of oatmeal made with steel cut oats, also called “Irish” oatmeal. Quick-cooking oats are oat groats that have been cut up into pieces and then rolled to provide more surface area for faster cooking.

Oats recipe idea: Old-fashioned rolled oats can be used as the basis for healthy and delicious granola.

You can also add some oat flour or oats to homemade breads, muffins and other baked goods. Rolled oats can also be used to replace some of the breadcrumbs in some recipes.

For hot cereal, simmer 1 cup of rolled oats or 1/3 cup steel-cut oats in 2 cups of lightly salted water for 15 minutes for rolled and 30 minutes for steel-cut oats. Do not stir too much or you will end up with “oat paste.” If you use apple juice instead of water, your oatmeal will have added sweetness.

Caveat: Be wary of “instant” oatmeal, which tends to be loaded with sugar and other additives. Oatmeal that you make yourself is easy and less expensive, and you can add cinnamon, chopped apple, raisins or other fruit to your taste, without all the extra sugar. Having said that, there may be some healthier brands of instant oatmeal that are better for you; just be sure to read the label before buying.

Nutritional Foods - Quinoa – a tiny grain that was popular since ancient times in South America; one of few plant foods and the only grain that is a complete protein; available in red and white varieties; good source of manganese, magnesium and iron; gluten free; used to make gluten-free pastas.

Quinoa recipe ideas: Use instead of bulgur in cold salads. Cook like oatmeal as a hot cereal or mix with oatmeal. Be sure to rinse quinoa in cold water to remove any traces of the bitter coating on the seeds. Boil 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups water for about 15 minutes.

Nutritional Foods - Rice – the most popular grain in the world, since half of the world’s population relies on rice as a staple of their diet; good source of manganese, selenium and magnesium; comes in long-grain, short-grain and round varieties, as well as brown and white; white rice has the bran and germ removed; basmati rice is a fragrant and flavorful white rice.

Nutritional Foods - Rye – a wheat-like grain that is popular in Russia; has a sharper taste than wheat and although it contains gluten, it does not work as a support for bread without some wheat flour or wheat gluten being added; good source of fiber, manganese and selenium.

Rye recipe ideas: Use rye flour to replace part of the flour in breads and pancakes. Rolled rye flakes can be cooked like oatmeal and served as a hot breakfast. Rye berries can be used like wheat berries to make a pilaf.

Nutritional Foods - Spelt – an ancient grain that is similar to wheat; may create less sensitivity than wheat in the diet; used in much the same way as wheat in breads and other baked goods; good source of manganese, phosphorus, fiber and niacin (Vitamin B3).

Nutritional Foods - Teff – the tiniest grain in the world; used since ancient times; popular in Africa for making bread; gluten-free so can be used in place of wheat for gluten-free cooking; tan to chocolate brown in color; distinctive flavor; good source of calcium, iron, copper and thiamine (Vitamin B1); may be used as a thickener for soups and stews.

Nutritional Foods - Triticale – a hybrid of wheat and rye that is hardier than wheat; high protein content; due to low gluten content, flour cannot be used to make bread without addition of some wheat flour; grown in places with poor soil to produce better yield than wheat.

Nutritional Foods - Wheat – world’s most abundant cereal grain; available in many forms, including, berries, cracked wheat, wheat flakes, bulgur, whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, wheat bran and unbleached white flour; most likely to be the source of food sensitivity of all the grains.

Fun Fact: When wheat kernels are processed to make white flour, the bran and the germ are removed, leaving only the white center (endosperm). Then, since most of the vitamins (and minerals) are in the parts that were removed, the food company will fortify or add back in, the vitamins and minerals that were removed.

Wheat recipe ideas: Use whole-wheat flour to make breads and other baked goods such as muffins and pancakes. For a lighter product, or if you do not like the taste or texture of 100% whole-grain baked products, use up to half whole-wheat flour and half unbleached white flour.

Caveat: Although “unbleached” white flour is probably better than white flour that has been “bleached” with chemicals, find a good brand where the flour has been aged naturally rather than with chemicals.

Wheat berries can be made into a hot, chewy breakfast cereal. Rinse one cup of wheat kernels, cover with water and soak overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse the berries and then add about 3 cups of water and salt. Bring water to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about one hour until berries split. Serve plain or with a bit of honey or butter. These cooked berries can also be used as a pilaf with vegetables.

Nutritional Foods - Wild rice – the dark-colored, rice-like seed of fresh-water grasses; grows naturally in northern lakes of North America; popular with northern Native American cultures; good source of niacin, folic acid and magnesium.

Interesting Fact: Although it is called “wild rice,” it is actually not rice at all and much of the wild rice we eat is not wild at all, but cultivated. Connoisseurs will tell you that the wild-growing, hand-harvested wild rice is far superior in flavor to the cultivated and often hybridized varieties

Legumes, otherwise known as beans, peas and lentils, are often overlooked in meal planning. However, legumes are an inexpensive way to add variety and nutrition to your diet. They are loaded with nutrients in the form of protein, vitamins and minerals, while being low in fat and high in fiber. Doesn't this sound like the description of the perfect healthy food?

In spite of the nutritional advantages, if there is a drawback to the legume family of foods, it is that they can produce digestive disturbance in the form of gas. There are several things you can do to alleviate this problem:

*If you are not used to eating legumes, introduce them slowly. It is normal for everyone to produce some gas during digestion, but it should not be painful, putrid or pervasive.

*If you are using dry beans, throw out the soaking water (or use the water for your plants or garden), rinse before cooking and cook thoroughly.

Interesting Fact: In some parts of the world where beans are a staple in the diet, the cook will bring beans to a boil and discard water at least three times before cooking to make the beans more digestible.

*Try taking enzyme products, like “Beano,” right before you eat. This may help to alleviate gas problems by helping digestion.

*Add some fennel to your beans (or chew some fennel seeds later, should you feel any adverse effects from eating legumes or any other foods). I have also heard that adding summer savory, dill or anise to your beans will help, but I have never tried these myself. Use about one teaspoon per cup of dry beans.

Warning: Fennel seeds should not be taken in large doses by pregnant women, since they are a uterine stimulant.

In addition to these tips for avoiding digestive problems, here are some tips for cooking legumes:

*Dry beans should be sorted before cooking. This can be done by spreading the dry beans out and removing any foreign particles.

*Most legumes, with the exception of split peas and lentils, need to be soaked before they are cooked. There are two methods for doing this, and either method is effective. It shoudl be noted that the Fast-soak method seems to remove more of the gas-producing compounds.

Cover washed and sorted beans with water and allow them to soak overnight. Then drain the water, rinse the beans, add more water and cook according to directions. See description of each bean below for specific cooking times.

Cover washed and sorted beans with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes, and cover and let stand for one hour. Discard soaking water, rinse, cover with new water and cook as directed.

*Do not salt the water until beans are done cooking. Salt will slow down the cooking time and toughen the bean coats. Other spices and vegetables may be added, however.

*If beans are older and drier, with a wrinkled appearance, they will take longer to cook.

*If foam forms on top of the water when you are cooking beans, skim it off and continue cooking.

*Beans should be tender and the skins beginning to loosen when they are done. See particular bean for approximate cooking time.

*If you are using more than one variety of dry beans in a recipe, it is better to cook each type of bean separately, and then add them to your chili or other dish. This is because the beans will be fully cooked at different times, and you may end up with some overcooked, mushy beans or some undercooked, hard beans if you cook them altogether.

*Cooked beans freeze very well, so you may want to cook larger batches of beans and then freeze some for quicker use in the future.

Adzuki (aduki) beans – a very small, dark-red bean that is popular in Japanese dishes and other Asian foods.They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Black bean – shiny black bean (In its dry form it looks like a black jelly bean!) often used in Mexican food; turns brown when cooked. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 60 minutes to cook.

Black bean recipe idea: Add to green salads for extra protein and texture. Use black beans in your favorite chili recipe.

Black-eyed peas (cowpeas) – cream-colored beans with a black “eye", originated in Africa, particularly popular in southern cooking in the U.S.; need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Butter beans – a large, flat white bean similar in appearance to lima beans, but not as sweet. They need to be soaked before cooking(either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 75 minutes to cook.

Cannellini beans – a white medium-sized bean in the same family as kidney beans, frequently used in Italian food. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – a round tan-colored bean that is popular in the Middle East and India, and which can be made into flour. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 75 minutes to cook.

Garbanzo bean recipe idea: Add to green salads for extra protein and texture. Used along with Tahini to make hummus. Garbanzo beans can be used along with other beans in your favorite chili recipe.

Fava beans – a cream-colored, European broad bean that is not as popular as it used to be since, if eaten in large quantities, they can cause problems with the blood. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 90 minutes to cook.

Flageolet beans - a pale green, mild tasting bean that is popular in Italian and French cuisine. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Haricot (also known as white, navy or Great Northern) beans – Available in small or large sizes, a white version of kidney beans that is popular in soups and the bean used in “pork and beans” or “Boston Baked Beans.” They need to be soaked before cooking(either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 60 minutes to cook.

Kidney beans – a popular North American bean that can be light red or dark red, get their name because they are shaped like a human kidney; popular in Mexican foods and often called “chili” beans; same family as haricot or white navy beans. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Lima beans – a medium-size flat bean, similar to butter beans, but with a sweeter flavor; turn greenish when cooked, popular ingredient in U.S. southern cooking; native to America and used with corn in Native American dish, succotash.They need to be soaked before cooking(either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 75 minutes to cook.

Mung beans – a small, green or yellow bean, native to Asia, that is widely used for bean sprouts, can also be used as a vegetable. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Mung bean recipe idea: Sprout beans and use in salads and on sandwiches. To sprout mung beans, cover about 1/2 cup or less of beans with water in a quart jar (a screened lid or a piece of screen secured with a rubber band helps) and soak for 12 hours, rinsing several times. Drain water off and allow beans to sprout, continuing to rinse them several times a day, for about two days. When sprouts are ready, refrigerate and use as soon as possible to avoid spoilage.

Pinto beans – a speckled bean that turns pink when cooked, same family as kidney and navy beans, popular in Mexican dishes. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 75 minutes to cook.

Soybeans – a small, cream-colored bean that is high in protein; cultivated since ancient times, especially in Asia; used to make tofu (bean curd), miso (paste) and tempeh (fermented cake).They need to be soaked (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 150 minutes to cook (should be boiled hard for the first hour).

Soybean (Tofu) recipe idea: You can use crumbled, sautéed tofu in place of hamburger in Sloppy Joes.

Split peas– dry form of peas that are split for cooking; may be yellow or green; popular for soups. This legume does not have to be soaked and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

There is a relatively new and increasingly popular term being used in the food vernacular. We had “foods"; then we had “healthy foods"; and now we have “super foods.” The question is what exactly makes a food “super"?

Although not all health experts seem to agree on which foods, if any, reach the status of “super foods", most will say that vividly colored fruits and vegetables, along with several nuts, seeds, spices and herbs could fall into this category. Most of these foods contain a category of substances called phyto-nutrients, which appear to have a protective effect on your health.

It is important to say here that if we were all eating lots of fresh, whole, unprocessed foods and avoiding many of the edible non-foods found on grocery store shelves and at fast food restaurants, the issue of super foods would probably not be as important. Having said that, it does appear that even within the realm of healthy foods, there is a special category of foods that have extra special properties that qualify them for super status.

Fun Fact: One analogy we could make between mere foods and their “super” counterparts would be to compare a mere “man” to “Superman". Unlike the average man, the man in blue tights has “super” powers, in that he is able to fly, has extraordinary strength and even x-ray vision. In the same way, super foods, in addition to having normal nutritional benefits, seem to have super powers in providing your body with extraordinary help in preventing sickness and disease.

There are two types of foods that are often given super food status. One category is made up of foods that are generally easy to find in grocery stores, in restaurants and even in your own backyard garden. These are the foods you would probably recognize as part of an ordinary healthy diet.

Avocados
Blueberries
Broccoli
Beets
Cayenne pepper
Cinnamon
Coconut and Coconut oil
Dark chocolate
Flaxseed
Garlic
Ginger
Green tea
Pomegranates
Turmeric
Walnuts
Wild Salmon

Then there is another category of super foods that are more exotic and less easily obtainable, except through specialty websites or health food stores. These are foods that either are not commonly produced, or that only grow in very specific parts of the world. These include:

Caveat: Just because a food has been designated, as “super” does not mean that you should consume large amounts. If you decide to include any of these foods in your diet, eat them in moderation, as you would any food. In addition, if you are taking any medications, be sure to consult with your pharmacist or doctor regarding interactions.

Although most health experts would agree that you can be perfectly healthy without eating any of these super foods, it certainly can’t hurt to include some of them in your diet. Adding a bit of turmeric to your soups or some blueberries to your breakfast cereal can only improve your ability to be healthy and stay well.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that there are also foods that are the opposite of nutritional foods. These are what are commonly called "empty calories."

As a rule, empty calories are deficient in nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals. Another way of saying this is that when a food’s caloric value far outweighs its nutrient value, it is not the best choice for a healthy diet.

Become an informed eater by clicking on the NUTRITION button and reading the general information there.

Check back whenever you have a question about your diet, meal planning, nutrition, specific foods or any healthy eating issues. Use the SITE SEARCH function to track down your particular concern.

Try some of the free recipes available on the site by clicking on the RECIPES button.

E-mail me if you can’t find what you are looking for, if you feel that any of the information on the site is not accurate, or just to say hello!

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