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Nutritionist Reveals 27 SuperFoods That Will Change Your Life & Increase Your Lifespan
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To many of us, any kind of food is super. If we can satisfy our cravings and get full until the next time our stomach rumbles, we don’t care too much about the consequences of what we’re eating. If we happen to be eating a diet that’s rich in fast food grease and processed red meat, well so what? The ads say its good stuff and it’s quick and cheap, they must be right
!
Duh. What could be quicker and cheaper than eating a banana for example or tastier than a low fat blueberry or chocolate shake? Aw common, you’re kidding right?
Take the Food Test
Which common American favorite food contains a meat product that is “mechanically separated” i.e. smashed up whole, including bones and skin and forced through a sieve to make a paste?
If you get the answer right you can reward yourself with one of the same, providing yourself (in just a few easy mouthfuls) with 180 calories, and a quarter of your suggested daily amount of fat i.e. 15 grams of total fat, five grams of which are yummy saturated fat.
Have two if you’re feeling suicidal.
This favorite includes: corn syrup, 20% of your daily allowance of salt, potassium lactate, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, (the side effects of which can be dizziness, kidney stones, headaches and gastrointestinal problems) a smattering of maltodextrin, plus beef stock made from all those leftover cow bits. The sodium nitrate is the best ingredient so we left it until last. It’s also used in the production of fertilizer and fireworks!
The answer is (white processed bread roll please) – the hot dog!
Not looking so hot now are they?
So now are you interested in finding out which foods are the best for your body?
The ones that can ward off chronic disease, keep you mentally alert, fit AND keep your figure lean and trim?
Okay here goes. (oh and by the way, most of them taste much better than a hot dog) All of the foods listed below are superior sources of protein, are low in calories and full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
- Beans -
Yep, beans means farts, but by eating the right beans you’ll have a healthy heart and they’ll be good healthy farts. These legumes are all virtually fat-free and provide essential daily
doses of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber to keep your plumbing healthy.
If you want to lower your grocery bills, blood sugar levels and your bad cholesterol, beans will give you much more bang for your buck than any meat of any kind. Many nutrition experts call them the “perfect food.”
Let’s look at some of the different kinds of these “musical fruits”:
1. Black Beans
Black beans are great for your digestive tract, especially the colon. Without getting into the technicalities, they produce an acid that assists the colon in producing essential bacteria that keep it functioning properly, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Black beans contain vitamins K, A and C, potassium, folate, iron, magnesium, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin. They are also a rich source of dietary fiber which plays an important role in preventing cholesterol from becoming oxidized with the subsequent risk of heart disease.
The characteristic black skin of the bean also contains 8 different flavinoids. They are packed full of protein and one cup contains 15 grams of protein and fiber.
Black beans and rice is probably the most valuable dish the Cubans, Mexicans, Brazilians and Caribbean people have given us. That’s why their music makes you want to dance – it’s the beans! (ok, bad bean joke…sorry)
2. White Beans/Navy Beans
White beans are another great source of cheap, virtually fat-free nutritious protein and are high in fiber. The US Navy dished up tons of them during the beginning of the twentieth century to sailors – hence the name.
One cup of white beans will provide the following to a daily diet: folate, tryprophan (an essential amino acid), manganese, Vitamin B, phosphorous, magnesium and iron while providing 254 calories and over three-quarters of daily fiber intake, thereby helping to reduce cholesterol and lowering blood sugar levels. High spikes in blood sugar levels after eating are typical for most diabetics. Consuming legumes such as white beans can reduce those spikes.
One cup of cooked white beans will help the body flush out cholesterol. This soluble fiber becomes a gelatinous substance once it reaches the digestive tract. Cholesterol is carried by bile, produced by the liver and this fibrous gel helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They can also relieve digestive disorders such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and constipation.
The significant amounts of folate and magnesium also help reduce cardiovascular disease. If everyone ate just one cup of cooked white beans a day, heart attacks would be reduced by 10%!
White beans are a much better source of iron than red meat too because they are low in calories and nearly fat-free. Iron is a vital component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells. One cup of navy beans will provide nearly one quarter of iron intake and 29% of your thiamin intake. Thiamin is essential for brain cell and cognitive function.
So eat your navy beans and…you’ll be able to remember to eat your navy beans.
3. Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
Garbanzo beans are definitely one of my most favorite legumes. I love hommus, humus, hummus or however you want to spell it, and the main ingredient in it is (you guessed it) garbanzo beans. My favorite version includes mashed garbanzo beans, olive oil (another super food), and tahini (made from sesame seeds) and I spread this thickly on whole wheat pita bread made by a Lebanese friend who owns a bakery. Food heaven with some salad and a portion of pickled pepperonici peppers.
The Greeks and Turks love garbanzo beans and the Romans ate buckets of them regularly. The only problem is they may cause an allergic reaction in some folks, possibly because of the large amount of molybdenum they contain. Perhaps that’s why the Greeks and Romans quit trying to conquer everything.
Garbanzos are packed full of nutrients, vitamins, dietary fiber and minerals. One cup of cooked chick peas without salt contains 27.42 grams of carbohydrates, 7.6 grams of dietary fiber 2.59 grams of fat and 8.86 grams of protein. They contain vitamins A, E and K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, folate and vitamin C. They also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.
They’re my kind of chicks. (rim-shot peas…I mean please)
The dietary fiber assists in lowering blood cholesterol levels and can reduce blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (bad cholesterol) levels which can lead to stroke and heart attack, and ease inflammation.
The fiber helps put bulk in your stool to make it easier to pass and will help you to shrink those nasty hemorrhoids.
4. Lentils
Red lentils are another versatile legume. They make great meaty-tasting meals and soups. They are used extensively in Indian cuisine and with the addition of just a few herbs and spices are a meal fit for a vegetarian king.
They help lower cholesterol, like all the other legumes mentioned above and can help manage blood-sugar disorders such as hypoglycemia and diabetes and provide vitamins, minerals and protein, with scarcely any fat and few calories.
One cup of lentils contains 28 grams of daily dietary fiber that will help with hemorrhoids, constipation, IBS and diverticulosis, along with the advantages of reducing cholesterol levels.
Red lentils are rich in folate, a B-vitamin that helps produce and maintain new cells, and are vitally important for pregnant women and infants. It can also prevent anemia by helping to create normal red blood cells.
They contain magnesium which is vital for healthy muscle, nerve and heart function. They help build and maintain bone strength, regulate blood sugar levels and maintain normal blood pressure. Just don’t throw in a pound of salt when you’re cooking any legumes…this can detract from the overall health of the meal and depending on what you are making, you may not need to add any salt at all.
The lowly lentil may look like not much but they’re also full of iron and molybdenum, the latter works in conjunction with a number of enzymes important in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism within the body.
- Grains –
Whole grains are another essential part of a healthy diet. They are low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and contain essential minerals and vitamins.
Any grain that has been refined has lost most of its nutritional benefit, germ and bran during the process. You’ve swapped longer shelf life for lower nutrition. (Scratching head and looking puzzled). Why would you do this and lose all that natural fiber, folic acid and iron? Like most breakfast cereals, these poor over-processed grains suffer terribly. Some cereal products have all their nutrients sprayed onto them plus a few more for good measure. That big long list on the side of the box was sprayed on with a garden hose. Forget it.
I’ll just take the oatmeal please, with a touch of demerara sugar or honey.
5. Barley
Nobody eats barley much these days, you sometimes find it at the bottom of a soup can. It clumps together, cowering, wondering why the heck a human is staring at it.
My grandmother’s generation on the other hand knew what to do with these friendly little grains and she could knock out a hearty soup with a cup of pearl barley, a carrot and an onion that would keep me climbing trees for the next 24 hours.
When prepared correctly it has a nutty flavor, and chewy, satisfying al dente consistency. No wonder barley beer tastes so darned good!
One cup of barley in a hearty soup will give you 54% of your dietary fiber and about the same of selenium, a trace element which helps the thyroid gland to function properly. Barley also contains copper, manganese, phosphorus, tryptophan and will provide your body with 270 calories.
The benefits of eating barley for regularity and cholesterol control are much the same as those in legumes. It keeps beneficial bacteria within the body happy. For postmenopausal women, 6 servings of whole grain weekly, including barley will also help slow the progression of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries). Barley contains, like oats, both soluble and insoluble fiber.
6. Oats
A bowl of oatmeal really will keep you going all morning, whereas a bowl of sogflakes plus two tablespoons of refined white sugar will soon find you slagging by around 10am.
Secretariat ate three bucketsful before winning the Triple Crown, so don’t tell me this stuff isn’t good.
If you find oatmeal boring add some of your favorite fruit to it…dried cranberries, apricots or nuts. It’s the breakfast of champions. So much so, Quaker is changing its signature, rather chubby guy, to someone just a little younger and leaner!
So what’s so darned good about oats? It’s one of two grains that contain insoluble and soluble fiber. Barley’s the other.
Huh?
Soluble fiber retains water in your body so you feel fuller longer. Meaning you don’t eat so much, maybe even skip that third morning bag o’ chips. Insoluble fiber helps you poop better and more regularly. That’s why Scotsmen wear kilts – it’s the porridge. (Can we say poop in Google-land? I’ll have to check).
Anyway, what you’ve heard from your mom and the oatmeal ads is true. It’s full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Don’t buy those awful instant ones though please. You can make a big old pot of oats and eat them all week, or put some steel oats on low in a crock pot before you go to bed. Add some low fat milk and honey or muscovado sugar and you’ll be good to go to work…and the bathroom.
Oats help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels and because you feel fuller longer they are a great aid to losing weight.
You can choose any kind of oats. Groats contain the whole kernel and will definitely clear you out fast. Steel cut oats are the same but chopped up finely. Oat groats have been steamed so they’re a bit mushier, after being sliced and rolled. Oat bran is just the outer layer of the oat.
Instant oats – well read the packet. Yes they’re convenient, they don’t taste nearly so good and have added sugar, salt and artificial flavorings which you don’t want.
You can make oatmeal cookies, muffins, breads and cakes with oats. Roll fresh trout, mackerel or chicken in them before cooking.
For a more nutritious breakfast cook them in low fat milk. It’s time everyone got their oats on!
7. Quinoa
Although quinoa isn’t a grain (it’s a seed) but it fits in well under the category of legumes and grains. It is unique and has the same cholesterol-lowering qualities that grains and legumes have. It’s also full of fiber. It has a crunchy, nutty flavor and is related to spinach of all things.
So what’s so special about quinoa? It contains nine essential amino acids and is one of the most complete kinds of protein you can possibly eat. Quinoa contains more amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phyto-nutrients than most grains. The most important amino acid contained in quinoa is lysine which is essential for healthy tissue growth as well as repair. The perfect super food for body builders and athletes!
Just a quarter of a cup of quinoa contains 160 calories, 6 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat (20 calories from fat and with zero saturated fat), 5 mg of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and zero sugar.
It is calcium-rich and contains iron, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and riboflavin. If you’re trying to reduce your carb intake, quinoa can be substituted for rice. It releases energy very slowly and retains water – helping you to feel “full” longer.
8. Brown Rice
There used to be a disease called beriberi that was prevalent among poor people in Asian countries and the Japanese Navy at the end of the 1800s. Those people were eating a diet of polished rice. That is, rice that has been milled, having the husk, bran and germ removed, leaving little nutritional value and removing essential thiamine.
The result was a lot of unhappy Asians who suffered from extreme weight loss, weakness and pain and often resulted in death.
Although with our Western diets we are never likely to become a victim of beriberi, this example shows what happens when we screw with food that should be eaten in its natural or near natural state.
Brown rice, a whole grain food, is far better for the body than any kind of processed rice. One cup of white rice and one cup of brown rice do come out to approx 200 calories each, so what’s the deal?
Brown rice contains more fiber, selenium and magnesium and, if you’re trying to lose weight, it keeps you feeling fuller longer.
Brown rice isn’t high on the list of super foods but it should be part of a balanced diet.
9. Dark Chocolate
If heaven is made of dark chocolate, I promise I’ll be good! Research is coming up with even more reasons to eat this delicious stuff. Fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate sounds sinful but it definitely isn’t (provided you don’t eat several pounds at a time that is!)
Chocolate is full of antioxidants that protect your body and promote good health. Dark chocolate has more antioxidants ounce for ounce than do blueberries or even green tea.
Ongoing studies suggest that the antioxidants reduce the risk of a number of illnesses including heart disease and some types of cancer. These antioxidants promote healthy blood flow, healthy cholesterol levels and can reduce blood pressure.
30 minutes after eating one 40 gram serving of dark chocolate the two main antioxidants in chocolate, epicatechin and catechin, become elevated. They peak two hours after consumption and are cleared from the body after about six hours.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which can damage cells. Mom told you to eat your veggies, do we have to tell our kids to go eat some dark chocolate? Sounds crazy, but small amounts will actually do them good!
10. Eggs
Eggs are great. They’re easy to cook and you can include them in hundreds of different recipes, including dark chocolate cake! Hit me, I must be dreaming!
Eggs have had their ups and downs over the years but they are still a great source of protein. They contain loads of different vitamins, potassium, and B vitamins such as folic acid
much needed for the healthy growth of human eggs.
Yolk or white? Truth is, most of these nutrients are found in the yolk, and the question of cholesterol in eggs has left most of us confused. Not all cholesterol is bad. The body has to have a balance and diabetics appear to be the ones who should avoid eating more than one egg a day. This is obvious when you consider eggs in waffles, eggs in pancakes and eggs combined with anything else such as flour. It’s not really the egg that is, per se, to blame.
Now, before continuing, an egg that is plucked fresh from a healthy, drug-free, born to run chicken is going to a darned site better than anything that comes out of a stressed-out, boxed-up drug-laden bird. Free range organic eggs cost about $1 a dozen more than battery eggs – one measly buck will bring you much more nutritious eggs and some very happy chickens. Problem is if everyone ate free-range eggs a chicken farm the size of Texas would be needed. If your local authority allows you to raise your own poultry, you should try it.
The best way to eat eggs is unscrambled, when the yolk is broken and exposed to high heat most of the nutrition is lost. Poached or soft boiled eggs are the best.
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To many of us, any kind of food is super. If we can satisfy our cravings and get full until the next time our stomach rumbles, we don’t care too much about the consequences of what we’re eating. If we happen to be eating a diet that’s rich in fast food grease and processed red meat, well so what? The ads say its good stuff and it’s quick and cheap, they must be right
!
Duh. What could be quicker and cheaper than eating a banana for example or tastier than a low fat blueberry or chocolate shake? Aw common, you’re kidding right?
Take the Food Test
Which common American favorite food contains a meat product that is “mechanically separated” i.e. smashed up whole, including bones and skin and forced through a sieve to make a paste?
If you get the answer right you can reward yourself with one of the same, providing yourself (in just a few easy mouthfuls) with 180 calories, and a quarter of your suggested daily amount of fat i.e. 15 grams of total fat, five grams of which are yummy saturated fat.
Have two if you’re feeling suicidal.
This favorite includes: corn syrup, 20% of your daily allowance of salt, potassium lactate, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, (the side effects of which can be dizziness, kidney stones, headaches and gastrointestinal problems) a smattering of maltodextrin, plus beef stock made from all those leftover cow bits. The sodium nitrate is the best ingredient so we left it until last. It’s also used in the production of fertilizer and fireworks!
The answer is (white processed bread roll please) – the hot dog!
Not looking so hot now are they?
So now are you interested in finding out which foods are the best for your body?
The ones that can ward off chronic disease, keep you mentally alert, fit AND keep your figure lean and trim?
Okay here goes. (oh and by the way, most of them taste much better than a hot dog) All of the foods listed below are superior sources of protein, are low in calories and full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
- Beans -
Yep, beans means farts, but by eating the right beans you’ll have a healthy heart and they’ll be good healthy farts. These legumes are all virtually fat-free and provide essential daily
doses of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber to keep your plumbing healthy.
If you want to lower your grocery bills, blood sugar levels and your bad cholesterol, beans will give you much more bang for your buck than any meat of any kind. Many nutrition experts call them the “perfect food.”
Let’s look at some of the different kinds of these “musical fruits”:
1. Black Beans
Black beans are great for your digestive tract, especially the colon. Without getting into the technicalities, they produce an acid that assists the colon in producing essential bacteria that keep it functioning properly, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Black beans contain vitamins K, A and C, potassium, folate, iron, magnesium, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorus, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin. They are also a rich source of dietary fiber which plays an important role in preventing cholesterol from becoming oxidized with the subsequent risk of heart disease.
The characteristic black skin of the bean also contains 8 different flavinoids. They are packed full of protein and one cup contains 15 grams of protein and fiber.
Black beans and rice is probably the most valuable dish the Cubans, Mexicans, Brazilians and Caribbean people have given us. That’s why their music makes you want to dance – it’s the beans! (ok, bad bean joke…sorry)
2. White Beans/Navy Beans
White beans are another great source of cheap, virtually fat-free nutritious protein and are high in fiber. The US Navy dished up tons of them during the beginning of the twentieth century to sailors – hence the name.
One cup of white beans will provide the following to a daily diet: folate, tryprophan (an essential amino acid), manganese, Vitamin B, phosphorous, magnesium and iron while providing 254 calories and over three-quarters of daily fiber intake, thereby helping to reduce cholesterol and lowering blood sugar levels. High spikes in blood sugar levels after eating are typical for most diabetics. Consuming legumes such as white beans can reduce those spikes.
One cup of cooked white beans will help the body flush out cholesterol. This soluble fiber becomes a gelatinous substance once it reaches the digestive tract. Cholesterol is carried by bile, produced by the liver and this fibrous gel helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They can also relieve digestive disorders such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and constipation.
The significant amounts of folate and magnesium also help reduce cardiovascular disease. If everyone ate just one cup of cooked white beans a day, heart attacks would be reduced by 10%!
White beans are a much better source of iron than red meat too because they are low in calories and nearly fat-free. Iron is a vital component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells. One cup of navy beans will provide nearly one quarter of iron intake and 29% of your thiamin intake. Thiamin is essential for brain cell and cognitive function.
So eat your navy beans and…you’ll be able to remember to eat your navy beans.
3. Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
Garbanzo beans are definitely one of my most favorite legumes. I love hommus, humus, hummus or however you want to spell it, and the main ingredient in it is (you guessed it) garbanzo beans. My favorite version includes mashed garbanzo beans, olive oil (another super food), and tahini (made from sesame seeds) and I spread this thickly on whole wheat pita bread made by a Lebanese friend who owns a bakery. Food heaven with some salad and a portion of pickled pepperonici peppers.
The Greeks and Turks love garbanzo beans and the Romans ate buckets of them regularly. The only problem is they may cause an allergic reaction in some folks, possibly because of the large amount of molybdenum they contain. Perhaps that’s why the Greeks and Romans quit trying to conquer everything.
Garbanzos are packed full of nutrients, vitamins, dietary fiber and minerals. One cup of cooked chick peas without salt contains 27.42 grams of carbohydrates, 7.6 grams of dietary fiber 2.59 grams of fat and 8.86 grams of protein. They contain vitamins A, E and K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, folate and vitamin C. They also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.
They’re my kind of chicks. (rim-shot peas…I mean please)
The dietary fiber assists in lowering blood cholesterol levels and can reduce blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (bad cholesterol) levels which can lead to stroke and heart attack, and ease inflammation.
The fiber helps put bulk in your stool to make it easier to pass and will help you to shrink those nasty hemorrhoids.
4. Lentils
Red lentils are another versatile legume. They make great meaty-tasting meals and soups. They are used extensively in Indian cuisine and with the addition of just a few herbs and spices are a meal fit for a vegetarian king.
They help lower cholesterol, like all the other legumes mentioned above and can help manage blood-sugar disorders such as hypoglycemia and diabetes and provide vitamins, minerals and protein, with scarcely any fat and few calories.
One cup of lentils contains 28 grams of daily dietary fiber that will help with hemorrhoids, constipation, IBS and diverticulosis, along with the advantages of reducing cholesterol levels.
Red lentils are rich in folate, a B-vitamin that helps produce and maintain new cells, and are vitally important for pregnant women and infants. It can also prevent anemia by helping to create normal red blood cells.
They contain magnesium which is vital for healthy muscle, nerve and heart function. They help build and maintain bone strength, regulate blood sugar levels and maintain normal blood pressure. Just don’t throw in a pound of salt when you’re cooking any legumes…this can detract from the overall health of the meal and depending on what you are making, you may not need to add any salt at all.
The lowly lentil may look like not much but they’re also full of iron and molybdenum, the latter works in conjunction with a number of enzymes important in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism within the body.
- Grains –
Whole grains are another essential part of a healthy diet. They are low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and contain essential minerals and vitamins.
Any grain that has been refined has lost most of its nutritional benefit, germ and bran during the process. You’ve swapped longer shelf life for lower nutrition. (Scratching head and looking puzzled). Why would you do this and lose all that natural fiber, folic acid and iron? Like most breakfast cereals, these poor over-processed grains suffer terribly. Some cereal products have all their nutrients sprayed onto them plus a few more for good measure. That big long list on the side of the box was sprayed on with a garden hose. Forget it.
I’ll just take the oatmeal please, with a touch of demerara sugar or honey.
5. Barley
Nobody eats barley much these days, you sometimes find it at the bottom of a soup can. It clumps together, cowering, wondering why the heck a human is staring at it.
My grandmother’s generation on the other hand knew what to do with these friendly little grains and she could knock out a hearty soup with a cup of pearl barley, a carrot and an onion that would keep me climbing trees for the next 24 hours.
When prepared correctly it has a nutty flavor, and chewy, satisfying al dente consistency. No wonder barley beer tastes so darned good!
One cup of barley in a hearty soup will give you 54% of your dietary fiber and about the same of selenium, a trace element which helps the thyroid gland to function properly. Barley also contains copper, manganese, phosphorus, tryptophan and will provide your body with 270 calories.
The benefits of eating barley for regularity and cholesterol control are much the same as those in legumes. It keeps beneficial bacteria within the body happy. For postmenopausal women, 6 servings of whole grain weekly, including barley will also help slow the progression of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries). Barley contains, like oats, both soluble and insoluble fiber.
6. Oats
A bowl of oatmeal really will keep you going all morning, whereas a bowl of sogflakes plus two tablespoons of refined white sugar will soon find you slagging by around 10am.
Secretariat ate three bucketsful before winning the Triple Crown, so don’t tell me this stuff isn’t good.
If you find oatmeal boring add some of your favorite fruit to it…dried cranberries, apricots or nuts. It’s the breakfast of champions. So much so, Quaker is changing its signature, rather chubby guy, to someone just a little younger and leaner!
So what’s so darned good about oats? It’s one of two grains that contain insoluble and soluble fiber. Barley’s the other.
Huh?
Soluble fiber retains water in your body so you feel fuller longer. Meaning you don’t eat so much, maybe even skip that third morning bag o’ chips. Insoluble fiber helps you poop better and more regularly. That’s why Scotsmen wear kilts – it’s the porridge. (Can we say poop in Google-land? I’ll have to check).
Anyway, what you’ve heard from your mom and the oatmeal ads is true. It’s full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Don’t buy those awful instant ones though please. You can make a big old pot of oats and eat them all week, or put some steel oats on low in a crock pot before you go to bed. Add some low fat milk and honey or muscovado sugar and you’ll be good to go to work…and the bathroom.
Oats help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels and because you feel fuller longer they are a great aid to losing weight.
You can choose any kind of oats. Groats contain the whole kernel and will definitely clear you out fast. Steel cut oats are the same but chopped up finely. Oat groats have been steamed so they’re a bit mushier, after being sliced and rolled. Oat bran is just the outer layer of the oat.
Instant oats – well read the packet. Yes they’re convenient, they don’t taste nearly so good and have added sugar, salt and artificial flavorings which you don’t want.
You can make oatmeal cookies, muffins, breads and cakes with oats. Roll fresh trout, mackerel or chicken in them before cooking.
For a more nutritious breakfast cook them in low fat milk. It’s time everyone got their oats on!
7. Quinoa
Although quinoa isn’t a grain (it’s a seed) but it fits in well under the category of legumes and grains. It is unique and has the same cholesterol-lowering qualities that grains and legumes have. It’s also full of fiber. It has a crunchy, nutty flavor and is related to spinach of all things.
So what’s so special about quinoa? It contains nine essential amino acids and is one of the most complete kinds of protein you can possibly eat. Quinoa contains more amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phyto-nutrients than most grains. The most important amino acid contained in quinoa is lysine which is essential for healthy tissue growth as well as repair. The perfect super food for body builders and athletes!
Just a quarter of a cup of quinoa contains 160 calories, 6 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat (20 calories from fat and with zero saturated fat), 5 mg of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and zero sugar.
It is calcium-rich and contains iron, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and riboflavin. If you’re trying to reduce your carb intake, quinoa can be substituted for rice. It releases energy very slowly and retains water – helping you to feel “full” longer.
8. Brown Rice
There used to be a disease called beriberi that was prevalent among poor people in Asian countries and the Japanese Navy at the end of the 1800s. Those people were eating a diet of polished rice. That is, rice that has been milled, having the husk, bran and germ removed, leaving little nutritional value and removing essential thiamine.
The result was a lot of unhappy Asians who suffered from extreme weight loss, weakness and pain and often resulted in death.
Although with our Western diets we are never likely to become a victim of beriberi, this example shows what happens when we screw with food that should be eaten in its natural or near natural state.
Brown rice, a whole grain food, is far better for the body than any kind of processed rice. One cup of white rice and one cup of brown rice do come out to approx 200 calories each, so what’s the deal?
Brown rice contains more fiber, selenium and magnesium and, if you’re trying to lose weight, it keeps you feeling fuller longer.
Brown rice isn’t high on the list of super foods but it should be part of a balanced diet.
9. Dark Chocolate
If heaven is made of dark chocolate, I promise I’ll be good! Research is coming up with even more reasons to eat this delicious stuff. Fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate sounds sinful but it definitely isn’t (provided you don’t eat several pounds at a time that is!)
Chocolate is full of antioxidants that protect your body and promote good health. Dark chocolate has more antioxidants ounce for ounce than do blueberries or even green tea.
Ongoing studies suggest that the antioxidants reduce the risk of a number of illnesses including heart disease and some types of cancer. These antioxidants promote healthy blood flow, healthy cholesterol levels and can reduce blood pressure.
30 minutes after eating one 40 gram serving of dark chocolate the two main antioxidants in chocolate, epicatechin and catechin, become elevated. They peak two hours after consumption and are cleared from the body after about six hours.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which can damage cells. Mom told you to eat your veggies, do we have to tell our kids to go eat some dark chocolate? Sounds crazy, but small amounts will actually do them good!
10. Eggs
Eggs are great. They’re easy to cook and you can include them in hundreds of different recipes, including dark chocolate cake! Hit me, I must be dreaming!
Eggs have had their ups and downs over the years but they are still a great source of protein. They contain loads of different vitamins, potassium, and B vitamins such as folic acid
much needed for the healthy growth of human eggs.
Yolk or white? Truth is, most of these nutrients are found in the yolk, and the question of cholesterol in eggs has left most of us confused. Not all cholesterol is bad. The body has to have a balance and diabetics appear to be the ones who should avoid eating more than one egg a day. This is obvious when you consider eggs in waffles, eggs in pancakes and eggs combined with anything else such as flour. It’s not really the egg that is, per se, to blame.
Now, before continuing, an egg that is plucked fresh from a healthy, drug-free, born to run chicken is going to a darned site better than anything that comes out of a stressed-out, boxed-up drug-laden bird. Free range organic eggs cost about $1 a dozen more than battery eggs – one measly buck will bring you much more nutritious eggs and some very happy chickens. Problem is if everyone ate free-range eggs a chicken farm the size of Texas would be needed. If your local authority allows you to raise your own poultry, you should try it.
The best way to eat eggs is unscrambled, when the yolk is broken and exposed to high heat most of the nutrition is lost. Poached or soft boiled eggs are the best.
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