They Don't Call Them Superfoods for Nothing

They Don’t Call Them ‘SuperFoods’ for Nothing

By Scott Heydt 

We must work smarter, not harder in our efforts to fuel our tanks and endure not only in our careers, but in our lives.  We must be as vigilant about our food choice as we are about our families and careers.  Healthy, strategic nutrition has been proven as a key to energy management , disease prevention, and weight maintenance. 

 The following is a list twenty-five SuperFoods taken from the book SuperFoods Healthstyle: Proven Strategies for Lifelong Health by Dr. Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews.  SuperFoods are not just good for you; they have scientifically proven health benefits that puts them leaps and bounds ahead of other foods.  I hope these suggestions bring lasting health and happiness to your life!

Dark chocolate

Try to get about 100 calories per day.  Be sure that this is worked into your caloric intake and not added on to what you are already eating.  You want to get the benefits but not add on weight as a result.  Look at the label for chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa solids (the darker the better).

Oranges

You can also substitute lemons, white and pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines and limes to get similar benefits.  Whole citrus fruits are better for you than the juices, which can be higher in sugar content.  If you do drink orange juice, be sure it has the pulp.

Beans

While all beans have benefits, the best are black beans, pinto, lima, kidney, sugar snap peas, and green beans.

Cinnamon

Try to sprinkle cinnamon on foods such as cereal, toast, yogurt, etc.

Oats

You can also substitute flaxseed, brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgar wheat, quinoa, kamut, wild rice, spelt, and couscous.  Try to meet a daily minimum of 10g of whole grain fiber.  Be sure that when you are buying whole grain products that you are looking for it to say 100% whole grain.  Next best is “Excellent Source” of whole grain followed by “Good Source.”  Be cautious of high fructose corn syrup in many supposedly “healthy” breads you buy in stores

Tomatoes

Try to get multiple servings per week.  Fresh tomatoes are best, but tomato juice, as long as it is low in sodium, can have some great results.  Ketchup is also a good source of lycopene, one of the main benefits of tomatoes.  Just be cautious of how much you use since it has added sugar

Kiwi

I realize this is a hard food to obtain and can be expensive.  Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t get your hands on this.  You can also substitute pineapple and guava.

Spinach

You can substitute kale, collards, turnip greens, arugula, romaine lettuce, orange bell peppers.  If ordering a salad, try to ensure that at least some of the greens are romaine or spinach.   Iceburg lettuce is basically just water and has few nutrients.  Raw spinach will give you the most nutrients, but steamed is still beneficial.  Try to avoid boiling these since it takes out many of the nutrients.

Soy

You can also substitute tofu, soymilk, soy yogurt, soy nuts, edamame (if you go out for sushi, try this!), and miso.  Try to get 10-15 grams daily.  Another source is to substitute soymilk for milk on cereal.  If you drink Starbucks coffee, they offer the option of putting soymilk in their drinks instead of milk for a minimal extra charge.

Honey

The darker the honey the better.  Try to get 1-2 teaspoons multiple times per week.  Have you ever tried to sweeten your coffee or tea with honey?

Fiber

I realize this isn’t a specific food, but fiber is the key to preventing numerous diseases and disorders.  Men should look to get 45g daily.  A serving of whole grains with fiber is equivalent to: 1 small bran muffin; 1 slice whole grain bread; 1 oatmeal cookie; 5 whole wheat crackers; 1 cup popcorn; 1 cup cooked oatmeal.

Tea

Black and green tea are best.  Drink 1-4 cups daily (this is one of the best superdrinks you can find!).  Be cautious of too much caffeine intake (try decaffeinated).

Avocado

You can also substitute asparagus and artichokes.  Avocado is an excellent source of essential “good” fats.

Blueberries

Quite possibly the single best SuperFruit.  You can substitute cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and purple grapes. 1-2 cups daily are recommended.  Blueberries are high in antioxidants and boost brain function.

Lowfat or Nonfat Yogurt

The live, active cultures benefit your digestion in countless ways. Be cautious of the sugar levels in some yogurts.  1-2 cups most days are sufficient.  The yogurt that covers raisins or chocolate is not the same…it must have live, active cultures

Wild Salmon

Substitutes are canned albacore tuna, sea bass, oysters, and clams.  3-4 oz, 2-4 times per week is recommended.  An adult should not eat more than 1 can of albacore tuna per week.  Be sure it’s wild caught.  Canned Alaskan salmon is a great choice.

Garlic

Use it “to taste” multiple times per week.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Make sure to buy the extra virgin kind.  This can be a simple change as opposed to using vegetable oil.  Tasty when combined with balsamic vinegar in salad dressing.

NOTE:  If you are eating salad, avoid the nonfat dressings.  You want to have some fat and some oil/vinegar to allow your body to access and absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables you are consuming.

Apples

You can substitute pears for lower sugar content.  An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Try to eat a variety of kinds of apples (make sure you eat the skin) to receive a variety of nutritional benefits (fuji and red delicious are best).

Pumpkin

You can also use carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and orange bell peppers. The orange coloring is the beta-carotene that is so important to your health.

Pomegranates

I realize this is also hard to obtain.  You can substitute by drinking some POM juice or by eating plums.

Turkey (Skinless Turkey Breast)

3-4 servings per week are recommended.  If you are buying turkey at the supermarket, be sure to ask for fresh roasted turkey meat instead of “turkey breast.”  ‘Turkey breast’ contains fillers and high amounts of fat and sodium.

Walnuts

Also beneficial are almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, mac nuts, pecans, hazelnuts and cashews.  A handful per day is recommended (a handful meaning enough nuts to cover the palm of your hand when the nuts are laying flat…i.e….not a pile of nuts).  Be sure that these are included WITHIN your daily caloric intake and not in addition.

Broccoli

Substitute Brussels sprouts, red and green cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips, bok choy, collards, rutabaga, broccoflower, watercress, wasabi, liverwort, daikon root, or arugula.

½-1 cup most days are recommended.  Try to eat mixture of raw and cooked (be sure broccoli is steamed and not boiled) since boiling removes many of the essential nutrients.

Onions

Feel free to substitute garlic, shallots, scallions, leeks, and chives.  Interestingly tidbit: if you can, try to let onions sit 5-10 minutes after cutting before you cook them.  This allows time for the compound thiopropanal sulfoxide to fully develop after being cut so you can reap the full nutritional benefits of the onion

In addition, the book goes on to discuss portion sizes.  Here are a few to consider:

½ cup chopped veggies (1/2 baseball)

1 cup raw leafy veggies (1 baseball)

1 medium piece fresh fruit (1 baseball)

¼ cup dried fruit (1 golf ball)

½ cup Pasta, rice, cooked cereal (1/2 baseball)

3 oz meat, poultry or seafood (deck of playing cards)

½ cup cooked dried beans (1/2 baseball)

1/3 cup nuts (level handful)

11/2 oz cheese (1 oz looks like 4 dice)

~Scott Heydt

"Live, Learn, Teach"

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