Health & Wellness
Ten underappreciated ‘super foods’
Beans (also known as legumes), including kidney, black, white and red beans, chick peas and lentils, are a powerful source of protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as fiber and important vitamins and minerals. Eating beans has been proven to help reduce cholesterol levels, body weight, the risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and some instances of cancer. Add a variety of beans to your meal, whether they are fresh, frozen, canned or dried.
Celery
Celery is a simple, yet important vegetable, offering vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that can reduce cholesterol and protect against cancer. Add celery to soups, stews, meats, side dishes, and other meals.
Garlic
With a distinct flavor and fragrance, garlic contains anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties that protect against heart disease, reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, and provide anti-clotting features. It also offers vitamins C and B6, manganese and selenium.
Onion
W h e t h e r t h e y ’r e sliced, diced, chopped or pureed, onions have a pungent flavor and a lot of nutrition, containing fiber, minerals, and vitamins C and B6. There has also been research to learn more about onions’ polyphenol and sulfur compounds, which may reduce the risk of cancer and boost immune function and heart health.
Green and yellow vegetables, including green peas, are often associated with reducing the risk of heart disease. Garden, snow, snap, dried and other varieties of peas are also loaded with vitamins A, C, K and B, minerals, fiber and protein. They are a great source for eye-healthy compounds beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Include peas in a soup or stew, toss them into a salad or eat them as a snack.
Black pepper
This common spice is a great way to boost a meal’s flavor without adding calories. Also, capsaicin, the substance that gives pepper its heat, is known for its anti-cancer properties and inflammation reduction, which is the root of chronic disease. Use ground, cracked or whole versions of pepper.
Bell pepper
Bell peppers come in a variety of vibrant colors – green, red, yellow, orange, and purple. Peppers offer powerful anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, which can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of certain cancers. Enjoy cooked or raw peppers and their many health benefits.
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are a good source of vitamin E, which serves as an anti-oxidant and contains anti-inflammatory properties. They also offer B vitamins, heart-healthy polyunsaturated oil, manganese, magnesium, selenium and phytosterols, a compound known to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Add sunflower seeds to a fresh salad, mix them into chicken salad, sprinkle them over meat or grind them up for a spread.
Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are a rich source of copper, which can provide arthritis relief. They also contain calcium and magnesium, which may lower blood pressure, protect against osteoporosis and more. Mix them with steamed vegetables, sautéed fish or chicken or add sesame seeds to homemade bread.
Canned tomatoes
Canned tomatoes are not only a versatile ingredient, but they are also a powerhouse of anti-oxidants and nutrients, including lycopene, vitamin C, fiber, potassium and iron. Keep some in your pantry for pasta and rice dishes, soups, stews, casseroles, ethnic meals and other concoctions.
Move over fruits and vegetables. Popcorn might have more antioxidants and be more capabale of improving the immune system than many items in the produce aisle. Popcorn has been enjoyed as a snack for centuries. Although its inventor is unknown, popcorn ears have been found in Mexican caves dating back 5,600 years. Peruvian Indians in the 16th century were known to eat popcorn and also use it as a decoration on necklaces and headdresses. In North America, popcorn is largely associated with going to the movies. According to special collections at the National Agriculture Library, North Americans consume roughly 17.3 billion quarts of popped corn each year. People who enjoy popcorn as a snack may be happy to learn this crunchy food has many health benefits. According to recent information from researchers at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, popcorn contains more antioxidants than fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are known to help fight and protect against cancer, heart disease and other ailments. Although it was previously known that popcorn contained antioxidants known as polyphenols, the exact amounts of the phenols remained a mystery. Joe Vinson, a Ph.D. who presented the popcorn findings at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, found that there are twice as many phenols in popcorn per serving as there is in sweet corn or fruit. This is largely due to the high water content in fresh fruits and vegetables. Water content in foods can dilute polyphenols by as much as 90 percent, says Vinson’s research. Popped corn is very low in water so it has a much higher concentration of polyphenols. For those who want to add extra nutrient power to popcorn, consider mixing in dried fruits, like raisins and dried cranberries. Along the same premise, the low water content of dried fruits ensures the dried fruits See popcorn, next page
TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is the original weightloss support and wellness education organization. To find a local chapter, view tops.org or call (800) 932-8677.
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Do you know what’s in your fridge? Believe it or not, there are many ordinary foods in there that have extraordinary nutritional value. Whether it’s a vegetable or seed, these foods can add flavor and health benefits to any meal or snack. TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, examines 10 “super foods” that you already have at home.
Is popcorn the new super food?