“Super foods.” We’ve all heard about these amazing foods that are not only nutritious but they boost energy, help regulate blood sugar, provide anti-aging benefits and are protective against cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers. The really good news here, folks – most of these foods taste GREAT, are inexpensive and easy to prepare!
While there appears to be widespread excitement around Super Foods, I found no reference to the concept on the CDC, USDA, FDA or the American Journal of Nutrition websites which leads me to suspect that this is more of a media term than a scientific one. Even still, my common sense tells me there is value in paying attention to how much of these foods I am consuming since the list jives so well with all the other nutrition advice we hear (eat whole foods, eat lots of fruits and veggies, eat plenty of fiber, etc.) And the more of these foods that find their way into my daily diet the less room there is for all the other stuff that I ought to be staying away from. (But enough about that because I am not at all into talking about shouldn’ts especially when it comes to food…)
Among the various lists I did find, (from Web MD, American Institute for Cancer Research, American Diabetes Association, and many others) everyone appears to agree on:
•dark leafy greens
•berries
•sweet potatoes
•whole grains
•beans
•nuts
•salmon (or other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids)
Other foods that came up pretty consistently include:
•lowfat yogurt or skim milk
•garlic
•tomatoes
•bell peppers
•citrus fruit
•olive oil
To help you incorporate some of these super foods into your diet, here’s a short list of easy ideas that are inexpensive and quick to prepare, don’t require a complicated recipe, and call for ingredients that you might typically find in your pantry or fridge.
1) Make a breakfast smoothie made with frozen mixed berries, a couple tablespoons of lowfat, plain or vanilla yogurt and some orange juice (includes 3 Super Foods)
2) Serve instant oatmeal with blueberries, toasted walnuts and lowfat milk (ncludes 4 Super Foods)
3) Pack a sweet potato for lunch and cook 6-8 min. in microwave, about the same time it takes to micro a frozen lunch entrees (includes 1 Super Food)
4) Toss cooked whole grain pasta with a sauce made by sautéing minced garlic in a couple of Tsp. olive oil over medium heat until fragrant (~30 secs.) then adding a can of diced tomatoes and some steamed broccoli florets, fresh basil , a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. (includes 6 Super Foods)
5) Cook 1 cup of brown rice in 2 cups low sodium chicken stock. Let cool to room temperature, then add 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained), diced red onion, diced red and yellow bell pepper, minced garlic, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice and salt and 
pepper – all quantities to taste. Mix everything together and enjoy this as a lunch salad, a side to grilled chicken or fish, or as the filling in a tortilla with salsa and cheese. (includes 5 Super Foods)
This week we have been focusing on encouraging you to treat yourself right, adding a superfood to your diet is an easy way to continue the love! Try one of these ideas and you can pat yourself on the back for setting AND meeting such healthy nutrition expectations!! And while I had to dig a bit, I did find one ‘super food’ list that included both dark chocolate and red wine so my last suggestion is my best – have a couple of squares of a high quality dark chocolate and a nice glass of red wine and enjoy the tail end of Valentine’s week!