I’ve been reading a lot about Super Foods lately – those nutritional dynamos that are supposed to cure everything from heart disease to irregularity. The problem with Super Foods is that everyone has a different list of what constitutes “must haves” for your diet.
My interested in Super Foods was originally peaked a while back when I read an article on ABC News that listed their Super Foods recommendations. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to dig up the link or remember all their recommendations. I do know that Brazil Nuts were on the list because it prompted me to head to the local peanut shop and pick some up.
Then, as I have been slowly working my way through my overflowing magazine rack, I came across articles in Fitness and Body+Soul Magazines about their picks for foods that are Super.
Fitness Magazine tells me that grapes, pumpkins, corn, honey, mushrooms, cabbage, eggs and pistachios should all make regular appearances on my breakfast/lunch/dinner plate. I must admit that after searching for Super Foods online, this list seems somewhat unusual. For one thing, the foods seem so, well, ordinary. It seems like most of the online lists include such exotic fare as acai, goji berries, kale and tofu. By comparison, corn seems a bit ho hum. I think those of us focused on healthy eating sometimes want to re-invent the wheel, and it takes the fun out of it to think that such “boring” stables as corn and cabbage could in fact be super.
My interested in Super Foods was originally peaked a while back when I read an article on ABC News that listed their Super Foods recommendations. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to dig up the link or remember all their recommendations. I do know that Brazil Nuts were on the list because it prompted me to head to the local peanut shop and pick some up.
Then, as I have been slowly working my way through my overflowing magazine rack, I came across articles in Fitness and Body+Soul Magazines about their picks for foods that are Super.
Fitness Magazine tells me that grapes, pumpkins, corn, honey, mushrooms, cabbage, eggs and pistachios should all make regular appearances on my breakfast/lunch/dinner plate. I must admit that after searching for Super Foods online, this list seems somewhat unusual. For one thing, the foods seem so, well, ordinary. It seems like most of the online lists include such exotic fare as acai, goji berries, kale and tofu. By comparison, corn seems a bit ho hum. I think those of us focused on healthy eating sometimes want to re-invent the wheel, and it takes the fun out of it to think that such “boring” stables as corn and cabbage could in fact be super.
Also, I’ve often heard that corn isn’t much more than a filler so it was surprising to see it make the Fitness list. However, they back up their claim by stating that corn is full of fiber, Vitamin B, sterols and folate. So I guess I need to give those ears a little more respect.
As for Body+Soul Magazine, the cover of their March 2008 issue promises “45 Super Foods for Long Life.” Not sure exactly where the 45 foods come from since they don’t actually provide a list. However, they do provide 10 key categories of foods to achieve longevity: healthy greens, whole grains, berries, olive oil, tomatoes, nuts, red grapes, fish, tea and herbs and spices. Within each category, they provide examples which may add up to 45 foods but I’m too lazy to count right now.
The article accompanying Body+Soul’s list can be summed up as eat more plants, eat less sugar, get your omega 3’s, get fresh and eat consciously. Sounds like solid advice for us all.
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