Scientists are continually adding to what we know about the health benefits of various foods. For example:
Whole Grains: Don’t like broccoli? Eat whole grains instead. University of Minnesota researchers have discovered that whole grains deliver an army of phytonutrients that do almost as much as fruits and vegetables.
Cherries: They’re an all-natural pain reliever that may even relieve the intense pain of gout (if you can eat a couple of dozen of them). Scientifically, cherries reduce C-reactive protein in the blood, which the body produces in response to acute inflammation, according to the Western Human Nutrition Research Center at Davis, Calif.
Yogurt: Those that contain “live” or “active” cultures help fight illness and disease. It is the most popular food containing probiotics. New studies found that yogurt greatly improves a person’s ability to fight off pneumonia.
Salmon: Eating salmon reduces blood pressure and cholesterol. Salmon helps prevent heart disease because of its healthy content of omega-3 fatty acids. Now researchers at the University of California report that a higher intake of omega-3s preserves bone density, keeping bones stronger. If you don’t like salmon, eat more tuna or sardines.
Cabbage: Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli have anti-cancer properties. But new studies show cabbage is in a class by itself. In addition to its tendency to protect against breast cancer, the sulforaphane in cabbage protects against lung, stomach, and colon cancers. Sulforaphane stimulates cells to eliminate cancerous substances. Eat cabbage by itself or add it to soups and salads.
New discoveries about healing foods
Freshwater fish have omega-3s
If you’re a fisherman or have friends who share their catch with you, here’s good news. Ocean-going fish may be rich in those important omega-3 fatty acids, but salmon, tuna, mackerel, and herring are not the only sources.
Freshwater game fish have omega-3s, as well. Lake Superior lake trout actually are richer in this nutrient than Atlantic salmon or Atlantic mackerel. The trout has 3 grams per 3.5-ounce serving as opposed to 1.84 for the salmon and 1.2 for the mackerel.
Other freshwater game fish with omega-3s include whitefish with 1.6 grams per 3.5 ounce serving, chub with 1.5, herring with 1.1, bass with 0.9, smelt with 0.5, walleye at 0.4, and northern pike with 0.1 ounces per serving.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say it’s true that the content of most game fish isn’t as high as that of ocean-going cold-water fish. But fish, as long as it’s not fried or prepared with a lot of added fats, is still a better choice than meat. Meat is typically higher in undesirable saturated fats and cholesterol.
A little fat makes vegetables more nutritious, helps prevent cancer
Having corn on the cob with dinner? Adding a little butter will increase the level of nutrients your body will absorb. Having a salad for lunch? Adding full-fat salad dressing will have the same effect.
Many of the healthful compounds in vegetables are fat-soluble. That means your body can’t absorb them very well unless fat is present at the same time.
Researchers at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus checked for nutrients that were especially important for cancer prevention. Some of affected nutrients:
Lutein and zeaxanthin found in spinach and kale are important for eye and heart health.
Lycopene, the red carotenoid found in tomatoes and watermelon, is a potential cancer fighter.
Alpha and beta carotene, the orange pigment in carrots and cantaloupe, help to reduce cancer rates.
Vitamin E found in mango, broccoli, and spinach is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
When some avocado was added to salads, blood tests showed the absorption of lutein was 18 times greater than without the fatty avocado. Absorption of lycopene increased by 4.4 times, and the increase in beta carotene absorption was 2.6 times.
Fortunately, the amount of fat in the entire meal can aid nutrient absorption. Nutritionists say you should choose at least one food per meal with a high fat content. That means if you have a small steak or hamburger with dinner, you’ll be fine.
All you need for dinner: beef barley soup
Some say it’s strictly a Southern dish. Others say it’s a truck stop favorite. Whichever the case may be, when travelers know where to find good beef barley soup on a frequently traveled route, they plan to stop at that restaurant for sure.
There’s no need to save the pleasure for your travels, because you can put the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and have a great dinner ready when you get home from work.
The health benefits of beef, onions, carrots, and celery are well known, but few people realize the powerhouse hidden in those little grains of barley.
Barley is one of the richest sources of the antioxidant tocotrienol, a form of vitamin E which reduces free radicals that damage the body, say researchers at the University of Toronto. In fact, they have 50 percent more power than other forms of vitamin E.
In addition to stopping free radical oxidation, this nutrient works in the liver to reduce the body’s production of dangerous cholesterol.
Barley also contains lignans, compounds that have antioxidant ability, providing even more protection. And barley is rich in fiber content.
Though pearl barley found in grocery stores is a healthful food, its nutrients have been decreased by refining. It still makes a great soup, but hulled barley is richer in B vitamins. It is found in health food stores.
Beef Barley Soup
If your crockpot is large, this recipe can be doubled.
Cut one pound of lean stew meat into 1/2-inch cubes. (If chuck roast or chuck steak is on sale, that can be used.)
Put it into the crockpot and add 1/2 cup chopped onion, 2 ribs of celery, 2 medium carrots, 3/4 cup barley, 1 bay leaf, 6 cups of beef broth, 1 teaspoon salt, or salt and pepper to taste.
Cook beef and barley soup on LOW in the crockpot for 6 to 8 hours. Taste, and add any additional salt and pepper you need to please your taste buds. Remember that barley expands to four times its original size. Be sure your cooker is large enough.
Greens are the biggest bargains for health
Like everyone else, you have read it in many directions for good health: Eat plenty of dark, leafy greens. But what are they, and what do you do with them first?
They include kale, Swiss chard, (the queen of all greens), dandelion greens, beet greens, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens. But unless you live in the South, you’ve probably done little more with greens than sprinkle spinach on a salad.
If that’s the case, you’re missing out on wonderful side dishes and main dishes.
We won’t dwell on the health benefits because they’ve been so widely documented, from their huge vitamin and mineral content to those very important phytochemicals. They are important for cancer prevention.
In parts of the world, where vegetarianism is a way of life, people meet their daily calcium needs not by drinking milk but by eating greens.
To cook any kind of greens, clean them well, cut them up, and boil for about 4 minutes. Even better, put them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. For large-leafed greens like Swiss chard, run a sharp knife alongside the stem and center rib, separating the leaf from the stem.
Sauteing in olive oil and with garlic cloves and red-pepper flakes is also recommended.
Try this delicious recipe.
Creamed Swiss chard with onions
In a large no-stick skillet over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add 1 medium onion, sliced.
Cook stirring frequently for 5 to 6 minutes or until softened.
Add 1 pound of Swiss chard, cut into bite-size pieces. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chard starts to wilt.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and gradually add 1 cup of canned evaporated skim milk.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg. Stir to mix.
Makes 4 servings.