The "super foods" you should eat - Democratic Underground

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Tue Aug-28-07 07:31 PM
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The "super foods" you should eat

Edited on Tue Aug-28-07 07:38 PM by bob_weaver

Sweet Potatoes
A nutritional All-Star — one of the best vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

Tomato Sauce
Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant, as well as vitamins A and C.

Skim or 1% Milk
Excellent source of calcium, vitamins, and protein with little or no artery-clogging fat and cholesterol. Ditto for low-fat yogurt.

Broccoli
Another nutritional all-star. Lots of vitamin C, carotenoids, and folic acid. It also supplies calcium, iron and magnesium. Cauliflower is equally nutritious. Broccoli contains indoles and sulforaphane, which have been demonstrated to have anti-cancer properties. Broccoli is more nutritious when eaten raw or steamed - boiliing in water causes some nutrients to leach out.

Wild Salmon
The omega-3 fats in fatty fish like wild salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks. And salmon that is caught wild has fewer PCB contaminants than farmed salmon.

Flax seed and Walnuts
Two good sources of omega-3 fats for vegetarians.

Crispbread crackers
Whole-grain rye crackers, like Wasa, Ry Krisp, and Ryvita — usually called crispbreads — are loaded with fiber and often fat-free.

Brown Rice
Enriched white rice is nutritionally weak. You lose the fiber, magnesium, vitamins E and B-6, copper, zinc, and phytochemicals that are in the whole grain. Try quick-cooking or regular brown rice instead.

Citrus fruits
All citrus fruits contain vitamin C, folic acid, bioflavonoids and fiber.

Butternut Squash
Every half cup has 5 grams of fiber and payloads of vitamins A and C.

Spinach or Kale
Loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, calcium and fiber.

Canatloupe
Rich in vitamins A and C, potassium and B6.

Raw almonds
All nuts are nutritious but also calorie-dense. Roasting nuts damages the oil in them. Nuts should be kept refrigerated until use.

Blueberries
Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.

Pomegranates and pomegranate juice
Potent source of antioxidants; much research has been done recently on its health benefits

Cranberries and cranberry juice
Excellent for urinary tract health

Beans (dry)
Dry beans are good sources of protein, iron, fiber, B vitamins and complex carbohydrates, with little or no fat

Sunflower seeds
Rich in protein, fiber and some vitamins. Roasting damages the oil in them

Garlic
Has antiseptic qualities and has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels

Oats (whole)
Whole rolled oats are rich in fiber and have a low glycemic index, which means they abosrb into the bloodstream more slowly and are safer for people monitoring their blood sugar levels.

Wheat germ
A source of Vitamin E useful for vegetarians. Raw wheat germ is more nutritous than toasted wheat germ

Tea
Any kind of tea (black, green, white) is rich in antioxidants

Dark chocolate
Yes, chocolate can be good for you, as long as it has 60% or higher cocoa content. This contains antioxidants and can lower blood pressure.

Eat a wide variety of fresh, whole foods, paying attention to your calorie intake each day. Foods to stay away from, or at least limit your consumption of, include sugar and foods containing sugar, high fructose corn syrup, foods high in fats especially saturated fats and trans fats, and refined carbohydrates such as foods made with white flour, white rice, etc.