Super Foods, Nutrients & Spices

I have a great book called SuperFoods Rx by Steve Pratt, MD and Kathy Matthews.  I’ve referred to it for a couple years and made this cheat sheet for my refrigerator.  The book has a lot of great info.  If you want to get one, the ISBN is 0-88723-472-0.

My list consists of 23 Super Foods and their Sidekicks, 14 Super Nutrients and 5 Super Spices.  Sidekicks are the next best food(s) to the Super Foods listed.

The 23 Superfoods:
1. Apples (Pears) – Polyphenols, fiber, vitamin C, potassium
2. Avocado (Asparagus, artichokes, or E.v. olive oil)- Monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber, magnesium, folate, vitamin E, carotenoids, glutathione, beta-sitosterol, chlorophyll, polyphenols, lutein
3. Beans (all beans, green beans, snap peas, green pease) – Low-fat protein, low glycemic – good for balancing blood sugar, fiber, B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, phytonutrients
4. Blueberries (Purple grapes, cranberry, boysenberry, raspberry, strawberry, currant, blackberrry, cherry) – phytonutrients, polyphenols, salicylic acid, carotenoids, fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, phytoestrogens
5. Broccoli (Brussel Sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok coy, mustard greens, swiss chard, rutabaga, kohlrabi, broccoflower, arugula, watercress, daikon root, wasabi, liverwort) – sulforaphane, indoles, folate, fiber, calcium, vitamin C, beta-carotene, lutein/zeanthin, vitamin K
6. Dark Chocolate (no substitute) – Polyphenols
7. Garlic (Scallions, shallots, leeks, onions) – Organosulfur with allicin, Saponins, polyphenols, selenium, arginine, vitamin C, potassium
8. Honey (no substitute) – Polyphenols, Salicylates, oligosaccharides
9. Kiwi (Pinapple, guava) – vitamin C, folate, vitamin E, potassium, fiber, carotenoids, polyphenols, chlorophyll, glutathione, pectin, low glycemic index!)
10. Oats (Ground Flaxseed or Wheat germ THEN Brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgar wheat, amaranth, quinoa, triticale, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, couscous) – High fiber, beta glucan, low calorie, protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, thiamine
11. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Canola Oil) – Monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, carotenoids, polyphenols, phytosterols
12. Onions (Garlic, scallions , shallots, leeks, chives) – selenium, frutans, vitamin E, vitamin C, potassium, diallyl sulfide, saponins, fiber, polyphenols
13. Oranges (Lemons, Grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes) – vitamin C, fiber, folate, limonene, potassium, polyphenols, pectin
14. Pomegranates (Plums) – Vitamin B6, vitamin C, polyphenols, potassium
15. Pumpkin (Carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell pepper) – alpha-carotene, vitamin C & E, beta-carotene, potassium, high fiber, magnesium, low calories, pantothenic acid
16. Wild Salmon (Alaska halibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, sea bass, oysters, clams) – marine-derived omega-3 fayyt acids, B vitamins, calcium, selenium, vitamin D, potassium, protein, carotenoids
17. Soy (tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, soy yogurt, edamame, miso, tempeh) – phytoestrogens, plant omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E, B vitamins, iron, potassium, folate, magnesium, selenium, saponins, phytates, phytosterols, lunasin, non-meat alternative
18. Spinach (Kale, collards, swiss chard, arugula, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine lettuce, orange bell pepper, seaweed) – phytonutrients, lutein/zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, plant omega-3, glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C & E, B vitamins, cacium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, polyphenols, betaine, coenzyme Q10
19. Green Tea – Flavonoids, fluoride
20  Tomatoes (watermelon, grapefruit, persimmons, papaya, strawberry guava) – Lycopene, vitamin C, alpha & beta-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, phytuene & phytofluene, potassium, B vitamins, chromium, biotin, fiber
21. Turkey Breast/Skinless (Chicken breast) – low fat protein, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, iron, selenium, zinc
22. Walnuts (Raw nuts – Almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews) – plant omega-3, vitamin E, magnesium, polyphenols, protein, fiber, potassium, plant sterols, B6, Arginine, Resveratrol, Melatonin
23. Organic Low or non-fat yogurt (Kefir, soy yogurt) – live active cultures, complete protein, calcium, riboflavin, B12, potassium, magnesium, zinc, linoleic acid, pre & probiotics

The 14 Super Nutrients:
1. Vitamin C
2. Folic Acid
3. Selenium
4. Vitamin E
5. Lycopene
6. Lutein/Zeaxanthin
7. Alpha-carotene
8. Beta-carotene
9. Beta Cryptoxanthin
10. Glutathione
11. Resveratrol
12. Fiber
13. Omega-3 Fatty Acid
a.  Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) = plant omega-3
b.  EPA/DHA = marine omega-3
14. Polyphenols

Misc Notes:
- Calcium must be consumed with vitamin D (Northern U.S. may not provide enough sunlight for vitamin D production) and preferrably Magnesium for effect.  Not many product other than milk, soy milk and various fish have vitamin D; so, making sure you get enough of this vitamin is important.  Isagenix has a great product called IsaCalcium that contains Calcium, Vitamin D and Magnesium that tastes like strawberries.  My kids love it straight or mixed with Want More Energy which is a great alternative to Gatoraid which has HFCS in it.
- Good Potassium sources are sweet potatos, clams, figs, pumpkin, cantaloupe, banana, lima beans, avocado, spinach, salmon, oysters, prunes, oats, tomato paste, pomegrante juice
- Fiber daily intake requirements: 45 grams for men and 32 for women (Kashi Go Lean & All-Bran cereals have higher fiber than most)

Super Spices:
1. Cinnamon – balances/lowers blood glucose and improves colesterol levels, antibacterial can stop candida growth
2. Cumin – iron rich, anticancer properties
3. Oregano – antibacterial properties & potent antioxidant
4, Thyme – increases healthy fats in brain, healing abilities in chest/repiratoty problems
5. Tumeric (curcumin) – anti-inflammitory

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My Recommendations:

• When purchasing fruits and veggie or foods that contain fruits (like yogurt) and veggies, it’s best to buy organic to lessen the pesticide burden.
• Meats and dairy should be without nitrates, nitrites, antibiotics and/or hormones.
• Avoid items with high frustose corn syrup (HFCS) as some companies still use an older processing method that could expose you to mercury.  HFCS is in EVERYTHING from soda to bread.  So you must read your label!  Google search ”IATP Not So Sweet – Missing Mercury and High Fructose Corn Syrup 2009-01″ and you will find details on the matter.
• Avoid processed foods because they have a lot of artificial properties and, generally, a low nutrient value unless fortified.  Don’t you just love the thought that the nutitional value of the food was so bad to start with that it had to be fortified so that value could be placed into the product?!  Should we really be eating things that aren’t nutrient-dense to being with?
• Do not buy anything that says “sugar free”, “no sugar added” or “low fat” as many times this foods have artificial sweeteners in them.  (Ex. soda, gum, cookies, jams, candy)  When your body consumes artificial sweetener, your brain gets tricked into expecting a rush of sugar energy which never appears; so, you end up craving more food and sugar because you’ve consumed the artifical sweetener.  Bottom-line, it will cause you to gain weight vs. lose weight.  Yes, I know that it’s counter to what we all think!  Google search  ”A Role for Sweet Taste: Calorie Predictive Relations in Energy Regulation by Rats” for that study.
• Soda is so, so bad for you.  Search the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine for “Teenaged Girls, Carbonated Beverage Consumption and Bone Fractures 2000-06“.   I thought that I also had a study about how carbonated water disables the immune system for up to 12 hours but I can’t find it.  But I’m sure there’s enough info here to make your head spin and convince you not to consume these highly processed foods.
• Stick to Whole Grain items verses enriched flours as they are much more nutritious and less processed.
• Avoid white sugars, white flours, white pastas (highly processed).
• If a product’s label has a long ingredients list and you can’t pronounce a lot of them, then pass it by.

If you’re eating alot of the foods on the “Do Not Eat” list, you’re probably wondering if there is anything out there that you can have.  Believe it or not, once you adjust your thinking and habits, you’ll realize that there are a lot of healthy foods available that taste good, too.  You just have to be willing to search for them and read, read, read labels.  Here are some of my favorites:

1. Whole Grain Cereals (Some Kashi brands may be good options)
2. YoBaby Yogurts (because they use organic fruits with lower pesticides)
3. All Organic Fruits & Veggies (to lower your pesticide intake)
4. Trader Joe’s Ham Steaks, Meats and lunchmeats (because most are nitrate/nitrite/atibiotic free)
5. Amy’s Organic Food line (except canned items because the cans are lined with BPA)
6. Health is Wealth foods
7. Dr. Praeger’s Food line
8. Cascadian Farms Organic foods
9. Kirkland Organic Multi grain bread (from Costco)
10. Green Tea with Honey vs. coffee and sugar or sweetener
11. Beans are great for you and they are so cheap, too.
12. Oatmeal raw with blueberries and soaked for 5 minutes in milk or soy milk.  (I grew up thinking that you had to cook oatmeal, but you don’t.)
13. Raw nuts (Walnuts soaked in water are great.)
14. Vital Choice (because their fish is in cans that are not lined with BPA –a known hormone disruptor– and they harvest fish in a certain way so that their harvest has a lower mercury contamination)
15. Pumpernickel pretzels
16. Whole Grain pasta
17. Isagenix Bars and, of course, the entire Isagenix product line.