The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating






Maybe you should be eating more beets, left, or chopped cabbage.

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of
healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his
favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always
available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The
150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite
foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our
shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden
   said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red
   pigments that may be cancer fighters.
   How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
   
2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
   How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
   
3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
   How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
   
4. Cinnamon: Helps control blood sugar and cholesterol.
   How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
   
5. Pomegranate juice: Lowers blood pressure and loaded with vitamin C and other antioxidants.
   How to eat: Just drink it.
   
6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants.
   How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
   
7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the
   pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are
   associated with lower risk for early death.
   How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
   
8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a
   can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are
   loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus,
   potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B
   vitamins.
   How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil.
   Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and
   onions as a spread.
   
9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
   How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
   
10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can
    degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen
    blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with
    better memory in animal studies.
    How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
    
11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
    How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    

You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.
In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds,
which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I
mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about
you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/the-11-best-foods-you-arent-eating/?em&ex=1214971200&en=49df7aef9ad8754e&ei=5087%0A