25 healthiest, nutrient dense foods
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Vegetables are low in calories and loaded with fiber and micronutrients—vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals— so eat them in unlimited quantities (exceptions: starches such as potatoes, yams, and corn). Smart tip: Start lunch and dinner with a serving of raw vegetables, such as a large salad or crudités, to increase nutrient intake and help control appetite.
Nutrients: Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, manganese, magnesium, calcium, fiber Health boosts: May promote eye health (thanks to carotenoids, a group of pigments found mainly in green leafy vegetables, carrots, and tomatoes), fight cancer, and reduce diabetes risk (vitamin K improves insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control). Recipes: Garlicky Mustard Greens with Garbanzos Dandelion and Watercress Salad with Ginger Dressing Kale with Sesame Seed Dressing
Nutrients: Vitamin C, folate, calcium, fiber Health boosts: May help promote bone health and support immunity. Recipes: Braised Baby Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic Bok Choy Stir-Fry with Shrimp Baby Bok Choy
Nutrients: Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, manganese, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 Health boosts: Linked to reduced cancer risk, especially breast and colon cancers. Recipes: Mustard-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts Brussels Sprouts in Sage Butter Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Shallots
Nutrients: Vitamin C, fiber, folate Health boosts:Help with weight control; may boost the immune system. Recipes: Radish, Fennel & Dandelion Salad Black-Eyed Pea, Corn, and Radish Salad
Nutrients: Vitamins C and K, folate, protein, potassium Health boosts: May boost satiety and assist in weight management. Recipes: Seaweed Salad with Bean Sprouts and Tofu Chilled Tofu with Bean Sprouts
Nutrients: Vitamin C (three times as much as green bell peppers), vitamins A, B6, and K, fiber, manganese, folate Health boosts: May promote heart health. Vitamin C supports immunity; carotenoids may decrease risk of certain types of cancer, including lung cancer. Recipes: Grilled Red Peppers and Tomato
Eat at least four fresh fruits daily for the maximum variety of phytochemicals. Frozen fruit is a fine substitute, but avoid canned, which often contains added sweeteners. For weight loss and diabetes or prediabetes management, eat just two fruits daily, focusing on lower-sugar options such as berries, green or Granny Smith apples, melons, grapefruit, oranges, kiwifruit, and papaya. For healthy fruit recipes, go to deliciousliving.com and type your choice into the search box.
Nutrients: Vitamin C, potassium, fiber, folate, flavonoids Health boost: May have anti-inflammatory, anticancer effects and promote brain health; may lower cholesterol and improve the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diets. Recipes: Fresh Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar Strawberry Sunrise Shake
Nutrients: Antioxidants, flavonoids, potassium, fiber, calcium Health boost: Studies indicate that pomegranate juice has antiatherogenic (protects against plaque in the arteries), antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory effects that help fight heart disease, certain types of cancer, and brain degeneration. Recipes: Squash Tart with Fresh Pomegranate Juice
Nutrients: Vitamins A, B, and C, potassium, iron, folic acid, phosphorus, carotenoids, fiber Health boost: Lycopene, a potent antioxidant in tomatoes, may prevent certain cancers, protect skin from UV rays, and promote overall prostate health. Recipes: Indian-Seasoned Tofu with Tomatoes Quinoa and Salmon Stew with Tomatoes
Nutrients: Fiber, vitamins A and C Health boost: Plums help support immunity and may help slow development of artherosclerosis. Polyphenols from dried plums may promote bone strength and density by regulating growth factors linked to bone formation. Recipes: Curried Chicken with Dried Plums One-Pan Baked Chicken with Peaches and Plums Lettuce Wraps with Chicken in Plum Sauce
Nutrients: Manganese, vitamin C, fiber Health boost: Anthocyanins—red plant pigments—may protect eyes and improve heart health by preventing artery hardening and reducing blood pressure; ellagic acid, a phytochemical, helps kill certain types of cancer cells. Recipes: Raspberry Soup Apple, Raspberry, and Frisée Salad Melon and Berry Salad
Eat at least 1⁄2 cup of beans daily. Try adding them to soups, stews, and salads. Dried beans are the most economical; if you’re buying canned, look for unsalted and BPA-free varieties. To avoid gas or bloating, soak dried beans for 8 to 12 hours and slow cook with a piece of sea vegetable, such as wakame.
Nutrients: Protein, fiber, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium Health boost: Folate may improve colon, breast, and brain health and lower blood pressure. Recipes: Green Lentils and Seasoned Walnuts Curried Lentils Grilled Salmon with Lentils and Curried Mint Yogurt
Nutrients: Iron, fiber, protein, folate, manganese, magnesium Health boost: Some of the best sources of antioxidants, as indicated by their dark color; may protect against colorectal cancer and slow tumor growth. Recipes: Cuban Black Bean & Rice Soup Tex-Mex Bean Salad Black Beans Cakes with Orange Basil Salsa
Nutrients: Protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate Health boost: Promote heart health; help manage weight. Recipes: Oriental Bean Cakes
Nutrients: Folate, fiber, manganese, protein, iron, tryptophan, phosphorus Health boost: Promote heart health; may help prevent diabetes. Recipes: Kidney Bean & Butternut Squash Soup Baked Winter Squash with Heirloom Beans and Hominy
Not all whole-grain products are good foods, says Fuhrman. Breakfast cereals and some breads, for example, lose much of their fiber and micronutrients during processing. Choose coarsely ground grains, which the bloodstream absorbs more slowly, and always look for “whole” on the package (or the Whole Grains Council’s 100 Percent Whole Grain stamp). Whole grains should appear among the first items in the ingredient list. For a cooking guide, go to deliciousliving.com and type cooking whole grains into the search box.
Nutrients: Fiber, protein, calcium, iron Health boost: Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber, can slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream to help fight diabetes. Oats also lower cholesterol and may reduce risk of heart disease and cancer. Recipes: Quick Apple-Cranberry Oatmeal Mixed Whole-Grain Breakfast
Nutrients: Fiber, manganese, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus Health boost: May improve blood glucose control; helps control weight and manage cholesterol, and may decrease asthma risk. Recipes: Puffed Brown Rice Tabbouleh with Red Cabbage
Nutrients: Fiber, protein, vitamin B1 Health boost: When grain seedlings sprout, enzymes convert some of the fats and carbohydrates into vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; sprouted-seed breads are more filling and have less of a spiking impact on blood sugar than other breads. Recipes: Sprouted Spelt and Seed Bread
Nutrients: Fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin E Health boost: Look for hulled barley, which contains more nutrients than pearl barley. The FDA recently confirmed the qualified health claim linking whole-grain barley to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease; soluble fiber lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood glucose levels. Recipes: Barley and Spinach-Stuffed Bell Peppers Lima Bean, Mushroom and Barley Soup
Nutrients: Protein, calcium, lysine, iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, phosphorus, fiber Health boost: Bolsters heart health; may protect against certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. Recipes: Quinoa and Wild Rice Quinoa & Pecan Salad with Dried Cranberries Quinoa with Mixed Vegetables
Despite being high in calories, nuts and seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, which promote brain and heart health. Most women should limit intake to 1 ounce per day and men to 2 ounces (about a handful), especially when trying to lose weight. Increase servings if you need to fuel athletic efforts.
Nutrients: Selenium, calcium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin A, iron Health boost: One of the richest sources of selenium, Brazil nuts may bolster immunity, reduce the risk of cancer, and promote liver health. Recipes: Fresh Vegetable Rolls with Mango and Tamarind Sauce
Nutrients: Vitamins B1, B5, and E, manganese, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, folate Health boost: May help prevent cardiovascular disease and alleviate arthritis symptoms. Recipes: Soy Nut Trail Mix
Nutrients: Lignans (phytoestrogens), fiber, omega-3s, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) Health boost: May prevent colon, breast, skin, and lung cancers; can help treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; may decrease cholesterol levels, arterial plaque formation, and diabetes risk. Recipes: Fresh Ricotta with Arugula and Flaxseed Pizza Buckwheat-Flaxseed Blueberry Pancakes
Nutrients: Protein, calcium, vitamin B3, iron, zinc Health boost: May decrease breast cancer risk. Recipes: Carrot Salad with Sesame Seeds
Nutrients: Protein, iron, zinc, omega-3s, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus Health boost: Help reduce cholesterol; may promote prostate health. Recipes: Luscious Beet Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Nutrients: Protein, iron, zinc, omega-3s, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus Health boost: Help reduce cholesterol; may promote prostate health. Recipes: Luscious Beet Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
In an ideal world, we wouldn’t go first to a pharmacist to address maladies ranging from the common cold to cancer; instead, we’d create grocery shopping lists aimed at fostering optimal health. Good nutrition may not cure disease, but a growing body of research shows it could do something even more powerful: help prevent disease. “By choosing foods wisely, we can control our health destiny,” says Joel Fuhrman, MD, author of Eat for Health (Gift of Health, 2008). “But we can’t make small, moderate changes to the average diet and expect prevention; we need to make aggressive, radical changes.”
Fuhrman developed a comprehensive nutrient-per-calorie ranking system, which he calls the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI). The charts on the following pages list the top ANDI-ranked foods by category. Use them as guides to make the healthiest eating choices for you and your family.
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