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11 Foods We Should Eat, But Don’t

Posted July 7, 2008 at 01:30 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Diets

cabbage Doctors, health experts, and advertisements always emphasize the importance of healthy eating and make suggestions on how to improve our diets. Some of these suggestions include eating fruits and vegetables, nuts, yogurt, fish, and lean meats. Recently, Tara-Parker-Pope quoted in the NY Times Well Blog that there are many health-benefiting foods that people are not eating, but should. According to her report, “Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t.” Parker-Pope gives a brief explanation of eleven of Bowden’s favorite foods from his book, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.

Beets make the top of the list because, like spinach, they contain lots of foliates and have red pigments that may help fight cancer. Though many people do not like cabbage, it makes the list because it contains nutrients like sulforaphane that boost cancer-fighting enzymes. Swiss chard is a green vegetable that has carotenoids that are beneficial for aging eyes. Though cinnamon may be common in things like oatmeal and applesauce, it is normally not consumed on a regular basis, even though it may help control blood pressure and is an antioxidant. Many people are turned off when they hear the word prunes, but they are nothing more than dried plums, which have many antioxidants. Sardines are essential to a healthy, well-rounded diet because they are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and are loaded with calcium and other minerals and vitamins that are important to a healthy lifestyle. Turmeric spices have cancer-fighting properties and can be used in vegetable recipes. Frozen blueberries have been found to help enhance memory and may possibly help retain it while you age. Canned pumpkin is last on the list but not least, since it is a great source of fiber, may help boost our immune systems, and has few calories.

The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth discusses the foods and spices listed above in more detail and make suggestions on how to eat them. While ideas are made for eating these foods, they can be consumed pretty much any way we choose, whether they are eaten by themselves or added as an ingredient to our favorite dishes. The book also has many other healthy foods listed with explanations on why they are so good for our health. We may be able to combine two or more of these foods to benefit our health in multiple ways when we consume a meal. Just be sure not to combine these foods with ones that deteriorate our health, otherwise the benefits will be outweighed by the effects of eating bad foods.