Superfood of the Week

Beans

2008-08-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

Beans are one of the menu items that all the longest lived healthiest people on the planet have in common. They have tremendous healing power. They're high in protein, low in calories, rich in phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals, and most of all, fiber. (Want to know how to get more fiber in your diet? Simple: eat beans!) Especially rich in antioxidants are red, black, kidney, adzuki and pinto beans. And some studies show that eating even two portions a week reduces the risk of cancer.

Cherries

2008-03-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Cherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-cancer compounds that don't show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Cherries also contain anthocyanains which act like natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing pain and inflammation. That's one reason why they're so great for gout. My favorite "healthy" desert- frozen cherries mixed with full fat yogurt. Tastes like Cherry Garcia only way better for you.

Raspberries

2007-12-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

This high fiber powerhouse gives you an amazing 8 grams of dietary fiber for a measly 64 calories per cup. They're also loaded with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C and bone-building vitamin K. And those who are watching carbs will be delighted to hear that they only contain 7 grams of "net" carbs. Even better, raspberries are a great source of a phytochemical called ellagic acid which has been shown in animal research and laboratory models to inhibit the growth of tumors

Mangoes

2007-12-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

Mangoes are a "high-volume" food, meaning they contain a high percentage of water, so you get a lot of food for a relatively few number of calories (135 for a whole mango)! Mangoes have a lot of potassium, vitamin A and beta-carotene, plus they have some vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, as well as a smattering of other nutrients. They're believed to be a rich source of enzymes, making them ideal to use as a tenderizing agent and perfect for marinades. And one mango contains more than 3 1/2 g of fiber.

Kale

2007-10-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

Kale is definitely a superstar vegetable, even though most people don't know what it is. (It's a green, weird-looking leafy vegetable that is actually a form of cabbage. Now you know.)

Kale is the highest ranked vegetable on the ORAC scale, a measure of antioxidant power. (It's value is 1770; the next best vegetable is spinach with a rating of 1260.)

It's a member of the brassica family of vegetable royalty and, like other members of this family (cabbage, for example), contains powerful phytochemicals like cancer-fighting indoles which have been found to have a protective efect against breast, cervical and colon cancer.

It also contains sulforaphane which helps trigger detoxifying liver enzymes, helping the body to rid itself of chemicals and free radicals that may cause cellular and DNA damage.

Whole foods makes a really tasty raw kale salad with dried cranberries and pine nuts. It's also great stir fried in some coconut oil (I use Barlean's).

Mackerel

2007-08-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

A relative of the tuna, the Atlantic mackerel is found in the Atlantic's cold waters, where it swims in large schools and can live up to an astonishing 17 years (as long as a cat!) It's a sleek, oily fish with a forked tail and contains two kinds of meat- the red outer meat and the light inner meat. Not only is mackerel high in omega-3 fatty acids, it's also low in environmental contaminants. According to the Oceans Alive website, Atlantic mackerel come from marine fisheries rather than fish farms and has relatively low "by-catch", meaning fishing for them doesn't hurt other species. Three ounces of Atlantic mackerel contain 3 grams of heart healthy monounsaturated fat and about 1 gram of omega-3, while the same amount of Pacific mackeral has 6 grams of monounsaturated fat and 1 gram of omega 3. Either way you can't go wrong. Both have a fair amount of the cancer-fighting trace mineral selenium and three ounces of either variety contain 20 grams of protein!

Coconut

2007-07-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fights fat and disease at the same time!
Coconut actually contains a very healthy form of fat called MCTs. MCT’s stands for medium-chain triglycerides. Although MCTs are indeed a form of saturated fat, they have some very unique properties. MCTs are very digestible. They bypass the liver and go right into the gut for absorption. This makes them ideal for people with digestive problems, like ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome.

MCTs also have antiviral and antimicrobal properties. Specifically, coconut and coconut oil contain a fatty acid called lauric acid, which has been found to be quite effective in fighting a number of bacteria. This makes coconut and coconut oil very effective for supporting the immune system. Because of its antiviral and antimicrobal properties, people with HIV and AIDs have used coconut and coconut oil to help build immune support.

Incorporating coconut into the diet is really simple. You can pour the oil over salads or rub chicken with it before baking. It’s great to use as a cooking oil for sautéing also. My favorite new dish is scrambled eggs with sliced apples and spinach all stir fried in some extra-virgin coconut oil. You can also use unsweetened coconut flakes on oatmeal, or flake fish with it. And coconut meat already chopped up is now available in many groceries, and some even sell the milk right out of a coconut shell complete with straw.

Coconut oil is now available in health food stores everywhere, but make sure to get a 100% cold-pressed organic brand. My favorite: Barlean’s.