In my last article I talked about my ten favorite healthy
foods and received lots of positive feedback.
The truth is there are many healthy foods to eat. So, I decided to discuss another ten foods to
include in your healthy diet. Again, they
are in no special order. They are all
healthy foods that I recommend you eat on a regular basis, unless you are
allergic.
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable. Other crucifers include cabbage, cauliflower,
kale, bok choy, and Swiss chard. They
are all good for you. Broccoli is a
great source of protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, folate,
magnesium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, and vitamin A. It contains isothiocynanates that fight
cancer and carotenoids that reduce macular degeneration. Also, it is one of the vegetables least
contaminated by pesticides, so you don’t have to buy it organic.
Garlic is a wonderful herb to add to foods. Not only does it keep away vampires, but it
has been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, protect against
cancer, and can be useful in weight control.
According to Jonny Bowden in his book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,
over 1,200 studies have shown garlic to be fat-lowering, anti-clotting,
antihypertensive, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and an antioxidant.
If you are going to eat a starchy vegetable sweet potatoes
are the ones to have. They are a great
source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin A, potassium, and calcium. One sweet potato contains one-half of the
daily requirements of vitamin C. They
also contain quercetin, a strong anti-inflammatory. As a starchy vegetable they will raise blood
sugar levels, so diabetics or pre-diabetics, are advised to limit their
consumption.
Eggs, yes eggs, and yes the whole egg. They are a great source of protein containing
all nine essential amino acids.
“Essential” in nutrition talk means your body does not make it so you
must eat it. They have vitamins and
minerals that help the eyes, brain, and heart.
They have also been found to be protective against breast cancer. Don’t worry about the cholesterol – but that
is for another article!
Whey protein comes from milk. It is a dairy product, so some
people may be sensitive to it. I have it
almost every morning as part of my nutritious breakfast. However, you must be very careful with your
selection of this product. You want a
good quality whey protein. Look for whey
protein isolate as opposed to whey protein concentrate. Also, you’d like the whey to come from cows that
were not given growth or other hormones and fed on natural grass pastures. Many “health” powders contain artificial
flavors and artificial sweeteners – so beware.
Looking for healthy drinks?
Of course water is number one, but I also like unsweetened cranberry
juice and tea. One of the country’s
leading nutritionists, Ann Louise Gittleman utilizes unsweetened cranberry
juice at the core of her Fat Flush diet.
The key here is unsweetened. It
contains many vitamins and is helpful in relieving urinary tract
infections. How does it do this? It prevents bacteria from adhering to bladder
cells. Tea is another healthy drink. Both green tea and black tea are known for
fighting cancer, while black tea improves blood vessel function and can lower
cholesterol.
Olive oil is a healthy fat.
It is best used in salad dressings along with vinegar. Please buy extra virgin olive oil, it is the
healthiest form. “Extra virgin” means it
is from the first pressing and has limited processing. Olive oil is high in healthy fats,
particularly oleic acid, which is good for the heart.
Brown rice is a whole grain and a healthy alternative to
white rice. I also like the pasta made
from it – a healthy alternative to refined and processed white pasta. As a whole grain it is a great source of
fiber, the B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium.
For a red meat alternative try free-range buffalo. It is an excellent source of protein and has
less fat than beef. And, being
free-range there are no hormones, antibiotics, or chemicals added. Being grass fed, it is source of omega-3
fatty acids, ideal for those of you who aren’t fond of fish.
So, there you have it, ten more foods that are part of a
healthy diet. If you’d like more ideas
about healthy foods I strongly recommend Jonny Bowden’s book that I referred to
above. He also has a great
newsletter. You can subscribe at
www.jonnybowden.com.
Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and
Educator. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment,
call (262) 389-9907, e-mail bernie@brwellness.com
or go to www.brwellness.com.