Top 10 must-have foods

Top 10 must-have foods

Healthy items to keep on your grocery list
Updated:
2009-10-17 20:59
Published:
2005-03-24 00:00
By 
Cary Galloway

Superfoods 1-5

If you want to improve your health and achieve optimal wellness, eating the right foods can help you reach your goals. The following energy- and immunity-boosting foods can keep you feeling great all year long.

1. Acai
Acai is the newest berry to hit the market and is packed with 10 times more antioxidant power than red grapes. Derived from the Amazon, this berry does more than simply boost immunity with its amazing antioxidant capacity. Acai provides the body with omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent cardiovascular disease, improve sports performance and improve the health of your skin and hair. This wonder berry is also full of calcium, iron and vitamin E, and it contains an abundance of amino acids, which contribute to muscle strength and development. Acai looks a bit like a blueberry and tastes like a blend of berries with a touch of chocolate. It is available in frozen smoothie packs and ready-to-drink smoothies. Acai berries can be difficult to find, but look for them at your nearest Booster Juice or Whole Foods Market location.

2. Avocados
Although avocados have often been criticized for their high fat content (30g per avocado), they contain monounsaturated fats, which have been proven to lower cholesterol. Avocados are rich in folate, potassium and fibre which all play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the American Journal of Medicine, avocados are dense in a substance called beta-sitosterol, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. To add some substance to your diet, try spreading a ripe avocado on your next sandwich instead of mayonnaise, or add it to sauces or soups to thicken them instead of using cream. Avocados are also delicious in salads, and are invaluable when you're making homemade guacamole (and who can eat fajitas without fresh guacamole?)

3. Walnuts
Along with a variety of other nuts, walnuts offer many benefits. More than any other nut, walnuts contain a large concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect against heart disease and reduce inflammation. These little brain-shaped nuts also contribute to improved cognitive health. Walnuts are a good source of protein and are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Add them to your favourite trail mix, toss them onto your salad and use them as a crust for your favourite fish. Feel free to crunch away on a handful a day.

4. Ginger
Ginger is a food that is often underestimated, but should definitely not be overlooked. It is used to spice up many sauces and marinades, especially in Asian cuisine, and it adds a wonderful zing to just about any dish. Ginger offers numerous health benefits and has been used for centuries. It is one of the most effective foods in relieving digestive problems by reducing inflammation and abdominal cramping. It also increases circulation, which is a bonus during our cold Canadian winters. This wonderful food helps to calm nausea, and it also helps arthritis sufferers by acting as an anti-inflammatory. So whether you chop it up and add it to your next stir-fry or brew it in a splash of tea, try to add ginger to your diet.

5. Beans
They come in all shapes, sizes and colours, but regardless of which ones you choose, beans pack a nutritious punch in any dish. Delicious and versatile, beans offer a form of soluble fibre, which helps to lower blood cholesterol, thereby, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They are rich in folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Beans add excitement and flavour to many soups, salads and rice dishes and are also tasty mashed up with a touch of olive oil to make a variety of delicious spreads.

Page 1 of 2

Advertisement
Send to a friend

E-mail it

Top 10 must-have foods

* marked fields are required.

Your Comments

Post a Comment

  • Lucille wrote:

    Aug 22, 2005

    2009-09-22 10:49 AM

    Great article....learned much...I am fructos intolerant and must keep my fruits and vegies at a minimum. Some vegies are low in fructos but still affect me dramatically and most fruit are so high in fructos that I avoid them entirely. This article has helped me know that there are other foods that I can eat to obtain all of the vitamins, nutrients, etc... that I need. Thank you.

  • NOREEN BARRIE wrote:

    Mar 21, 2005

    2009-09-22 10:49 AM

    I WAS JUST READING YOUR ARTICLE ON FLAX SEED - -IT IS PART OF MY DIET SINCE I FOUND MY CHOLESTEROL TO BE CLIMBING -- AND WITH EXERCISE IT IS COMING DOWN -- FLAX SEED CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN MOST BULK FOOD STORES IN BOTH COLORS. THANKS FOR MORE IDEAS ON HOW TO EAT IT. NOW I JUST HAVE IT ON MY TOAST IN THE MORNING

  • Terry Fan wrote:

    Jun 21, 2005

    2009-09-22 10:49 AM

    Thanks for the generally very good advice - I'm really glad there's a forum like this. I don't know about recommending soy though - recent studies have shown that unfermented soy can have many harmful effects because compounds in unfermented soy have a chemical structure similar to certain female hormones. Also, on another note, I think too much emphasis is still placed on consuming "low-fat" foods. Fat isn't the problem, infact most people don't get enough of the right essential fatty acids. Yes, they're fats, but as the name would suggest, they are also essential, and your body doesn't produce them. It's more about avoiding saturated and trans fats. None of this is new - I remember reading about the negative effects of hydrogenated oils and trans fats around twenty years ago, and yet from the way it's being handled in the press, you'd think they just discovered it! One more thing - you mentioned that consuming two glasses of wine a day can add all these additional calories that add up to and extra 20 pounds of weight-gain a year. That's a totally wrong-headed way to look at weight-loss and healthy eating habits in general. First of all, there are many proven health benefits to moderate alcohol consumption (especially red wine). Secondly, take it from me, you won't get fat from drinking two glasses of wine a day - just have an active lifestyle, eat the right foods and avoid the wrong ones, which can be quickly summarized as - processed/fast foods, foods with a high sugar content, fried foods, processed/hydrogenated oils, refined carbohydrates. If you totally avoid these foods and get enough exercise, you can basically eat what you want. I certainly do, and I'm 42 yrs. old, 5'11" and presently around 150 pounds. (And yeah, I drink wine too, sometimes even more than the recommended amount).

  • T. Collakou wrote:

    Jan 09, 2009

    2009-09-22 10:49 AM

    What about spinach!

  • Tara Barnett wrote:

    Aug 22, 2005

    2009-09-22 10:50 AM

    Re: Almond butter vs. Peanut butter: If you aren't willing to give up peanut butter, there are "all- natural" types on the market. We enjoy Adam's brand all natural peanut butter which you can get at some Walmart stores or I have also seen it at Costco. It is by far the best all natural brand that we have tried.

  • E wrote:

    Jan 09, 2009

    2009-09-22 10:50 AM

    Broccoli is listed as one of superfoods. And no argument there from me that it's a vegetable with exceptional nutritional quality. However, in the article the amount of Calcium in one cup of broccoli is stated incorrectly!! It's stated that there is more Calcium in a cup of broccoli than milk. INCORRECT!!!! 1 cup of broccoli has ~ 70mg, vs ~300mg in milk.

  • Tiffany Collakou wrote:

    Jan 09, 2009

    2009-09-22 10:50 AM

    Sorry, but soy is good for you soy "products" are NOT good for you. In fact they can cause quite a bit of harm: In the the way of having almost no nutrients (white foods! think people) and cause super weight gain. Try rice milk or goats milk, not soy, for dairy-free choices.

  • Anna Thi wrote:

    Jan 22, 2007

    2009-09-22 10:50 AM

    This was a really informative article. I used to be a gymnast and now I need to get back in shape for my paramedic courses. This would be a good start as to some of the things I should eat to maintain a healthy body. Thank you!

  • John wrote:

    Jun 15, 2007

    2009-09-22 10:51 AM

    What, no hulled hempseeds on this list? why not? oh well, good list nonetheless....

  • mary wrote:

    May 08, 2006

    2009-09-22 10:51 AM

    I disagree with your #9 superfood being listed as SOY. I have hypothyroidism and must not eat any soy products.

  • leanne wrote:

    Mar 23, 2006

    2009-09-22 10:52 AM

    although flax seeds are really good for you, you will need to grind the seeds immediately before eating to get the healthy omega 3 oil. Also is soy healthy, however, it must be fermented as your digestive tract does not have the enzyme to digest otherwise.

  • Stephen wrote:

    Jun 29, 2005

    2009-11-18 3:00 PM

    Thank you very much for this info as I had a little problem with my heart and now I know alot more things that I can do to increase my health and take better care of my heart Thanks again.

  • Marilyn wrote:

    Aug 22, 2005

    2009-11-18 3:00 PM

    Re Soy milk, tofu, etc. It amazes me that in all the print and media coverage of soy products and their benefits that very very seldom do you see warnings to people with thryroid deficiencies. I am on medication for an underactive thyroid (as are many, many people) and soy is actually dangerous to such thyroids. It would be good to see this acknowledged more often, the omission of this important fact makes one doubtful of how accurate the coverage of other foodstuffs is. Thanks for the opportunity to vent!

  • Rob Cross wrote:

    Oct 23, 2006

    2009-11-18 3:01 PM

    I find the best way to have ground flax seeds is to mix it with juice before I drink it. Flax seeds don't taste strong enough to make the juice taste any different, and doing it that way is a good way to make sure you take in some of it every day.

  • Wilhelmina wrote:

    Jun 15, 2007

    2009-11-18 3:01 PM

    Thank you very much for this interesting article. I will try to follow it. Very informative

  • Joanne B. wrote:

    Jan 15, 2007

    2009-11-18 3:01 PM

    There are several errors in the information provided in this article. The amount of calcium in broccoli that is usable by the body is only one-third of that contained in one cup of milk. Also, if the broccoli is boiled (probably the most common method of cooking this vegetable), all of the vitamin C - a water soluble vitamin - is lost in the water. It should also have been stressed that flaxseeds are useless unless ground, as whole flaxseeds are undigestible. I understand this article was well-meaning - on the whole, it provided your readers with alot of beneficial information - but there is already too much misinfomation about nutrition being circulated and I'm certain that homemakers.com's objective is not to contribute to that misinfomation.

  • Anne Roche wrote:

    May 02, 2005

    2009-11-18 3:02 PM

    Thank you for the article on super foods. Needed a reminder for shopping. This one filled the bill.
Add Comment

All fields are mandatory.

Advertisement

Sign up for Insider Access,
Our Free E-Newsletter

Contests, recipes, member-only perks and more! Get Homemakers.com's monthly newsletter.

Newsletter

get your
Download of the Month

Personal health notes

Use our printer-friendly sheets to keep a record of your health and wellness issues.

Download now!

how to
Follow Homemakers Online

Contests

more contests

Partners

Weblocal.ca Find. Rate. Share.

Find Local Businesses

Find Local Businesses

Advertisement Advertisement

Transcontinental Media contact information

Médias Transcontinental
Street Address
1100 Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest
Extended Address
24th floor
Locality
Montréal
Region
QC
Country
CA
Postal Code
H3B 4X9
Latitude
45°29' 55" N
Longitude
73°34' 13" W
Work
+1 514 392 9000
Fax
+1 514 392 1489