Superfoods: Foods that pack a nutritional punch

January 7, 1:33 PMChicago Food ExaminerRebecca Wheeler

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It’s a New Year and many of us are focusing our efforts on eating healthy, exercise and/or losing weight. Seems that nutrition and food politics have been in the news a lot in the last few years, but unfortunately the public often ends up confused and doubtful of what to believe due to conflicting reports (low fat, low carb-what to do?), and political interests at play in the ‘business’ of nutrition.

Yet there’s one thing we know for sure that we don’t need a study or government official to tell us. It’s what our Grandmas told us, and it holds true today: eat more fruits and vegetables. Eat foods without nutrition labels; whole foods that don’t require artificial anything to taste good, that don’t need trans fats so they can be cheaply produced and sit on the shelf of some dingy gas station store for years.

This is why I love the concept of Superfoods. They are all whole foods that we know intuitively are good for us. We feel good when we eat them, and they are all packed with vital nutrients that nourish us. The term Superfoods is thrown around a lot these days, and there are a few lists out there. The list below if from the book, Superfoods Rx by Steven Pratt and Kathy Mathews.  I like their approach because they highlight a list of 14 foods and each food has ‘sidekicks’, which are foods that are closely related to the Superfood on the list. If you like the science of nutrition, there is much to study with these foods. If you just want to eat well, there are many easy ways to include these foods into your diet. My next post is all about quick, easy ways to get more Superfoods in your diet. For now-here’s the list of 14 Superfoods, with a brief glimpse into what makes each food a nutritional powerhouse. The book contains a whole chapter on each food.

• Beans: high fiber, low-fat, low calorie, help regulate blood sugar
• Blueberries: Contain more disease-flighting antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable
• Broccoli: Good source of iron. One of the most nutrient dense foods. A powerful cancer preventative food
• Oats: high fiber, low calorie. Help regulate blood sugar and lower cholesterol
• Oranges: high in antioxidant Vitamin C and flavanoids, good source of fiber
• Pumpkin: Loaded with phytonutrients and carotenoids, high fiber, low calorie
• Wild salmon: one of the best sources for Omega 3 fats, vitamin D
• Soy: Great source of protein, plus vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients
• Spinach: Packs a whopping synergy of nutrients and phytonutrients, low calorie
• Tea -- green or black: contains flavanoids and is virtually calorie free
• Tomatoes: lycopene, vitamin C, low calorie
• Skinless turkey breast: low fat protein, good source of selenium
• Walnuts: good source of plant derived Omega 3 fats, vitamin E, polyphenols
• Yogurt: contain live active cultures (probiotics) that are great for digestive health, good source of calcium