You sip a mug of green tea every morning, snack on almonds at work, and eat skinless chicken breast for dinner… are you a little bored with the same ol’ same ol’?
You’re a model eater, but not eating a wide selection of foods deprives you of certain nutrients, and eventually you’ll grow tired of always having the same types of foods, which will make that order of fries even harder to resist. To cover all your nutritional bases–and invigorate your taste buds–swap some of your old favorites for these eight power foods.
BEEN THERE: Broccoli
DO THIS: Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli rabe has the same green florets and name as broccoli, but it’s an entirely different vegetable. Popular in Italy (where it’s called rapini), this dark leafy green has a slightly bitter taste. It contains a quarter of the kilojoules of its cruciferous cousin–only nine per cup–and twice the amount of vitamin A. “Broccoli rabe is also a good source of folate, vitamin K, and beta-carotene,” says Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. And, like broccoli, it’s high in sulforaphanes, compounds found to have a protective effect against stomach, lung and breast cancers.
SERVING TIP Rabe with smaller leaves has a milder taste than its larger-leaved counterparts. Blanch in salted boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Remove and pat dry. To cook, sauto a clove of crushed garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 4 cups of broccoli rabe and cook until heated through, or about 5 minutes. Toss with whole-wheat pasta, finely chopped figs, and toasted pine nuts.
BEEN THERE: Brown Rice
DO THIS: Amaranth
The ancient Aztecs believed that eating amaranth could give them superpowers, and for good reason: This nutty-tasting grain is one of the only non-meat sources of all nine essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. The body uses these amino acids to create muscle. Plus, for about the same number of kilojoules as brown rice, you get nearly double the protein and three times as much fibre. “Amaranth is also high in many nutrients that women need, like iron, zinc, and calcium,” says Lorna Sass, author of Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way.
SERVING TIP: “Amaranth isn’t a true grain, but its tiny seeds cook into a fluffy pilaf or polenta-like porridge,” says Sass. She recommends boiling 1 cup of amaranth with 1 3/4 cups water, covered, for about 9 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Add a little olive oil, minced parsley, and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. (To make porridge, simmer for 20 minutes with 3 cups of water and a pinch of cinnamon.) Popped amaranth also makes a satisfying low-kilojoule snack: Heat 2 tablespoons in a skillet over high temperature and stir until most of the grains have popped into puffy kernels. Season with sugar and cinnamon.
BEEN THERE: Almonds
DO THIS: Walnuts
Almonds are the ideal snack: They’re portable, filling, and if you’re tired of your old standby, throw some walnuts into the rotation. Though they do contain more fat per 28-gram serving than almonds (18 grams versus 14), the majority of fat in walnuts is omega-3 fatty acids. “They’re one of the few plant-based sources of these healthy fats,” says Steven Pratt, author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life. Most people are deficient in omega-3s, which help protect against depression, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. Research shows that eating walnuts regularly can cause LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels to drop by as much as 16 percent. What’s more, a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who ate about 10 walnuts with a meal high in artery-clogging saturated fat experienced less harmful inflammation in their blood vessels than those who didn’t have the nuts.
SERVING TIP: Toasting walnuts brings out their flavor. Place 28 grams (about 7 nuts) on an ungreased sheet and bake at 180 C for 5 to 10 minutes, or cook in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Chop and toss into pancake or muffin batter, or sprinkle on top of a salad or low-fat yoghurt.
BEEN THERE: Oranges
DO THIS: Kiwis
Proof that good things do come in small packages: When Rutgers University scientists analyzed 27 different fruits, they found that kiwifruit was the most nutritionally dense, meaning it had the highest concentration of vitamins and minerals per kilojoule. Compared with an orange, for example, a large kiwi contains 20 percent more potassium. “And next to dark leafy greens, kiwis are one of the top sources of the antioxidant lutein, which is important for your vision and heart health,” says Pratt. In fact, Norwegian researchers found that healthy adults who ate two kiwifruits a day for a month lowered their triglycerides–blood fats that can lead to heart disease–by 15 percent. Experts say that the effect may be due to the fruit’s high levels of antioxidants.
SERVING TIP: If peeling a kiwi seems like too much work, simply slice lengthwise into four wedges and eat it like an orange. “Since the skin is edible, you can also toss the entire fruit into the blender to add a little citrus flavor to a smoothie,” says Pratt. Store kiwis in the fridge away from apples and pears; these fruits emit ethylene gas, which can cause kiwis to go bad.
BEEN THERE: Green Tea
DO THIS: White Tea
These silvery, feathery leaves actually come from the same plant as green and black teas, but they’re harvested earlier. “Green tea has grassy undertones, while the white variety has a sweeter, more delicate flavor,” says Bowden. But taste isn’t the only reason to give white tea a try: According to a preliminary study done at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, it may be more powerful than green tea in protecting against cancer. Other research suggests that it may also fight germs that lead to viruses and infections.
SERVING TIP: Although there are white tea bags and drinks on the market, Bowden recommends buying loose leaves such as Yinzhen Silver Needle White Tea. “The leaves are less processed, so it’s healthier,” he says. Steep them in water that’s hot but not quite boiling for about 2 minutes.
BEEN THERE: Salmon
DO THIS: Mackerel
You opt for salmon because it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids. But mackerel contains even more of these healthy fats. Another bonus of choosing this fish is that it’s low in contaminants like mercury and pesticides. The Environmental Defense listed Atlantic mackerel as one of its top seafood choices for health and environmental reasons. (Because these fish are a fast-growing species, they’re not at risk of extinction like many other types.) If you prefer fillets, the Atlantic kind has firm, white flesh. The oilier Pacific variety, usually found in cans, has a flavor that’s similar to canned salmon.
SERVING TIP: Rinse and toss canned mackerel into salads or casseroles. Or whip up some mackerel burgers by combining it with crushed whole-wheat crackers, an egg, and seasoning; cook in a skillet over medium-high heat. You can substitute Atlantic mackerel fillets for any recipe using white fish, like mahimahi or bass.
BEEN THERE: Spinach
DO THIS: Swiss Chard
Swiss chard has a flavor similar to spinach, but with the crunchiness and bite of beet greens. Like spinach, it is low in kilojoules and contains vision-protecting lutein, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. But Swiss chard has more than twice the amount of vitamin K. In fact, just 1 cup of the dark leafy greens provides nearly 300 micrograms, or more than three times the recommended daily dose for the nutrient. Foods high in this bone-building vitamin are especially important for women: One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who consumed more than 109 micrograms of vitamin K a day were nearly a third less likely to suffer from a hip fracture later in life than those who got less.
SERVING TIP: Make a healthy omelet using Swiss chard: In a large skillet, sautl 1 cup of the greens in 1 tablespoon olive oil and a little garlic; set aside. Pour 4 egg whites into a pan. Cook for about a minute, and spoon the Swiss chard mixture into the center. Fold over, heat through, and serve.
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