superfood me

I remember, in college, I "learned" that blueberries support short-term memory, so I decided to eat as much of them as possible. Seriously.  While studying for organic chemistry, I ate.... pints of blueberries (and Alpine's frozen yogurt- but that's a story for another time).  I did well in that class, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I was studying than with the blueberry consumption while studying. 


I wasn't totally wrong about the blueberries though... there are some fantastic components in certain plants called phytochemicals (phyto= plant; chemical= chemical).  These are the compounds that give food color and taste (and other characteristics) and promote biological activity in the body beyond their simple nutritional benefits.  (Meaning- these foods do more than provide a source of vitamins and minerals and calories!)  There are tens of thousands of these that are known to exist, but just a small amount have been analyzed with research.  This poses a slight problem because often we see products containing some of these elements that manufacturers will label as 'preventing cancer' or 'sharpening brain function' in order to promote sales.  You must be aware that many claims about "superfoods" are not yet based on scientific evidence; no single food has magical health benefits! (Sorry- acai berry diet devotees!)  What we can say with reasonable certainty though is that diets rich in plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts) help lower blood pressure and risk for inflammation.


You can make easy, little changes in your diet to add nutritious elements.  (Even if there is no scientific evidence for why all of these functional foods are good for you- they are! So, why not eat them?!)  Personally, I now add flax seed (aids in digestion and heart health), spinach (glycoglycerolipids aid in preventing inflammation), and oatmeal (fiber) to my breakfast smoothies.  I feel great after drinking them, and it's a great way to start my day!!

Rachel's morning smoothie* (adapted from this article): 

-1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

-1/2 cup frozen blueberries, strawberries, blackberries (or whatever I have available)
-(1/3 of a banana if I have it!)

-2 tbsp uncooked old-fashioned oats
-1 tbsp flaxseed (they recommend ground, I only have whole- so I blend a lot!!)

-1 scoop of protein powder (strawberry flavor or vanilla flavor)

-handful of raw spinach

-ice and water

*There are many, many variations you can make to a smoothie to please your personal palate.  What I wanted to point out is the ease of adding in some other foods without changing the flavor!  (seriously- you won't be able to taste the spinach!!)


Here are some tips for adding these superfoods into your diet:

• Eat more whole fruit.  Eat more whole fruits, and include the skin, where the phytochemicals are located. Choose juices and raw, dried or cooked fruits and vegetables at mealtimes and snacks. (Be aware of juices with added sugars; dried fruit should be eaten in place of candy)
• Increase vegetable portions.  Double the normal portion of cooked plain, nonstarchy vegetables to 1 cup.  Eat a mix of colored veggies.  The more colors you eat, the more you vary the ingested phytochemicals.  (And, variety/diversity of these foods is most important)
• Use herb and spices.  Use herbs and spices in your cooking.  Not only are they great for you, but they make food super delicious!
• Replace some meat.  Replace meat with grains, legumes, and vegetables.  Oatmeal, soy meat replacer, or grated carrots mixed with ground meat and seasonings makes yummy meatballs or meat loaf.
• Add grated vegetables.  Add grated vegetables to chili or meatballs, celery and squash to tomato sauce, etc.  They do not make big changes in the taste of food!
• Add seeds to recipes.  Adding seeds or nuts is an easy way to increase the nutrition of your meals.  For example, you can add flax seeds to a chocolate chip cookie recipe or muffin recipe.  Here are some more flax seed examples from The New York Times.

Some of these "superfoods" include*: 

Chemical name	Possible effects	Food sources
Alkylresorcinols (phenolic lipids)	May contribute to protective effect of  grains in reducing risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers	Whole grain wheat and rye
Allicin (organosulfur compound)	Antimicrobial that may reduce ulcers;      may lower blood sugar	Chives, garlic, leeks, onions
Carotenoids (include beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, etc.)	Act as antioxidants and possibly reduce    risk of cancers and other diseases	Deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables (apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes)
Capsaicin	Modulates blood clotting (reduce risk of fatal clots)	Hot peppers
Flavonoids	Act as antioxidants; scavenge carcinogens; inhibit cell proliferation	Berries, black tea, celery, citrus fruits, green tea, olives, onions, oregano, purple grapes, soybeans/soy products, vegetables, whole wheat, wine
Genistein and daidzein (isoflavones)	Phytoestrogens that inhibit cell     replication in GI tract; may reduce risk of osteoporosis; risky for estrogen-sensitive cancers	Soybeans, soy flour, soy products
Indoles	May trigger production of enzymes that block DNA damage from carcinogens	Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, mustard greens, kale
Lignans	Phytoestrogens that block estrogen    activity in cells to possibly reduce risk of cancers in breast, colon, ovaries, and prostate; good for constipation and digestion	Flaxseed and its oils; whole grains
Montoterpenes	May trigger enzyme production to     detoxify carcinogens	Citrus fruit peels and oils
Phenolic acids	May trigger enzyme production to make carcinogens water-soluble (able to be excreted!)	Coffee beans, fruits, oats, potatoes, soybeans
Phytic acid	Binds to minerals, preventing free-radical formation and possible reduces risks to  cancer	Whole grains
Resveratrol	Acts as antioxidant; may inhibit cancer growth; reduce inflammation, LDL oxidation, and blood clot formation	Red wine, peanuts, grapes, raspberries
Saponins	May interfere with DNA replication; stimulate immune responses	Alfalfa sprouts, green vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes
Tannins	Act as antioxidants	Black eyed peas, grapes, lentils, red and white wine, tea

*Source: Webb, Frances Sizer., and Eleanor Noss. Whitney. "Chapter 2: Nutrition Tools." Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies. 12th ed. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011. 61-67. Print.