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Best Prescription for Living Longer in Your Kitchen
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A List of the
Healthiest Foods
By Stephenie Karony
Source:
aroundhawaii.com/leisure/reviews/stephenie_karony/
Q) I
know some foods are healthier than others. Can you please list a few foods
that you feel are the healthiest, and should be eaten weekly, and explain why?
A) I
sure will. I'll include some foods from each food group, minus the fat and
sweet section.
-
 The
first nutritional all-star is the yam or sweet potato. They're loaded with
carotenoids, an important phytochemical, vitamin C, the mineral potassium,
and plenty of fiber.
-
 The
next super food we'll look at is whole- grain bread. Whole grains have many
more vitamins, minerals, plant chemicals, and fiber than refined white or
wheat flour. Did you know that "wheat flour" on a list of
ingredients just means plain, nutritionally devoid white flour? If on the
other hand a label reads whole-wheat, it is a whole-grain food.
-
 Cantaloupe
has been called a food of the gods. This delicious melon supplies the body
with as much vitamin A and C as most people need in an entire day.
-
 No
list would be complete without that magic vegetable broccoli. It's packed
with vitamin C, carotenoids, folic acid, and contains some calcium. It's
also one of the "cruciferous" vegetables, which have been shown to
help guard against cancer.
-
 Oatmeal
is my cereal pick. Plain old-fashioned whole-grain oatmeal is still one of
the best nutritional deals around. It contains no added sugar or fat, it's
inexpensive, and it's loaded with protein. Stick with the original; the new
fancy processed varieties aren't nearly as healthy.
-
 We've
been taught since childhood that spinach will help make us healthy and
strong. Whoever started the rumor was right. Spinach contains naturally
occurring iron, carotenoids, calcium, and fiber.
-
 Skim
milk is high on my list of must eat, or in this case must drink, foods. Skim
milk is an excellent source of calcium and protein, and it contains
important vitamins and minerals. And skim milk has none of the
artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol found in whole milk. (This
only a personal opinion but I recommend light soy milk versus skim milk,
it's all we use).
-
 The
food that contains the most nutrition for the least cost is the nutritional
super-giant beans. They're low in fat, high in protein, and they contain
naturally occurring iron, folic acid, and fiber.
These
are a few of my favorites, and my family eats them regularly. Whole, natural
unprocessed foods are a lot less expensive than their refined and processed
counterparts. Who do you know that doesn't want to save money and get
healthier doing it?
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