Some of the foods in this list may seem like a no-brainer and may already be a staple in your diet, however, others may be in front of your face, but missing from your daily routing. Not to mention that these items are cheap and easy to find in any grocery store. Each food also packs vitamins and minerals that fight heart disease and various types of cancer. Do you need any more reasons to add these foods to your meals?
Avocados: This green, creamy fruit can be found in your local grocery store year-round. Avocados are often referred to as a “superfood” because of their high amounts of monounsaturated fats. A healthy fat proven to lower amounts of “bad” cholesterol, LDLs, while raising “good” cholesteral, HDLs.
Leafy Greens: Many yellow and green vegetables are good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, phytochemicals that accumulate in the eyes and help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older people. Leafy greens are also rich in beta carotene. Greens should also be a staple of your diet because you can find them fresh even in the frigid winter months.
Garlic: A recent study showed that less than one clove a day may cut prostate-cancer risk in half, and other research links garlic to a lowered incidence of stomach, colon and possibly breast cancers. These are great benefits on top of the fact that garlic is one of the most commonly used ingredients in the world. Try adding fresh garlic to your meals instead of garlic powder or salt for an added health kick.
Almonds: Substances in almond skins help prevent LDL “bad” cholesterol from being oxidized, a process that can otherwise damage the lining of blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk. Almonds are also a fantastic source of lean protein, along with being a great food to snack on between meals to keep our metabolism in check.
Beans: Beans are a great food to eat everyday for many reasons. They are a great source of lean protein, offer a large amount of fiber, are very cheap and canned beans stay stay fresh for ages.
Whole Grains: Whole grains are essential to your diet because they supply your body with complex carbs that act as a source of sustained energy. They also contain antioxidants, phytoestrogens and phytosterols that are protective against coronary disease. The fiber in whole grains also has its benefits, and most of us fail to get the amount of fiber recommended for a healthy diet.
It’s possible that America’s biggest threat isn’t terrorism, economy woes or public health care. Instead, our most real threat is an epidemic spreading through the nation’s youth, childhood obesity. It’s estimated that one in five children are obese, marking the first time in recent years that children have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
It’s commonplace for first ladies to find a public health issue to address. Nancy Reagan and her campaign on drug use is a great example of this. Currently, Michelle Obama is aggressively settting her sights on childhood obesity with her campaign named “Let’s Move.” Obama has set an ambitious goal of eliminating childhood obesity within a generation. 
Currently, in our nation, one in three children are at risk of becoming obese. Not to mention that the percent of obese children has tripled in the past 30 years. Our nation also spends a staggering $150 billion each year on treating obesity related diseases.
Obama is striking childhood obesity from various angles including; giving parents support to influence their children’s lifestyles, healthier nutrition choices in schools, getting children more active and making healthy food more accessible. Obama has a comprehensive wealth of information on how to stop or deter obesity in children. The site tackles 4 major aspects of healthy living; healthy choices, healthier schools, physical activity and accessible and affordable food.
The first ladies’ site comes complete with a plethora of social media outlets including; blogs, youtube, facebook and PSA videos. Let’s move even has a section that is devoted to informing children about living healthy. Complete with downloadable books, planners and videos. Let’s move has also teamed up with the NFL’s Play 60 campain. Play 60 is aimed at getting children to play for at least an hour everyday, in an effort to fight childhood obesity.
Go to letsmove.gov to view the first ladies’ campaign first hand.
Thanksgiving shouldn’t be the only day you eat sweet potatoes, add this nutrient rich vegetable to your diet for a sweet surprise during the colder months. A distant relative of the potato, sweet potatoes pack tons of vitamins and minerals to help meet or exceed your daily recommended value of nutrients, with as little as a single 4-ounce potato.
A single serving of sweet potato (approx. 1/2 cup), contains a myriad of health boosting vitamins such as 390% daily value (DV) of vitamin A, 40% DV of vitamin C, 18% DV of fiber and 13% DV of potassium, not to mention containing significant amounts of iron, magnesium, beta carotene and lutein.
Sweet potatoes are a great starch component to use when the weather is cold and frightful, because their peak growing season is from fall through winter. Aside from their great health benefits, choose sweet potatoes over their regular spud brethren to add new color and taste to your meals. When shopping for sweet potatoes look for taut papery skins, as well as uniform size, shape and color. While the intensity of orange in sweet potatoes varies by type, look for a deeper color, for that indicates more beneficial carotenoids.
Unsure of how to cook, prepare or season sweet potatoes? Here’s a simply sweet, and healthy twist on a baked potato.
Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
- Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.)
- Meanwhile, in a medium microwaveable bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt; microwave on High until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.)
- When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.
For more information on sweet potatoes and several satisfying recipes visit:
http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_food_guide/sweet_potatoes
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