Tasty Tuesday ~ Superfoods

Ten Super Foods ~ From Dr. Fuhrman's book Disease Proof Your Child.

**I have not read nor am I endorsing this book - I just liked the list of superfoods**



(Here's the list - my comments are in italics)



Avocados are a clean, healthy source of healthy fatty acids. They are rich in cholesterol-lowering phytosterols and high in the powerful anti-oxidant glutathione. Avocados are healthy anti-cancer food. Use it in place of butter, mash it with bananas for young children, and use it in lots of avocado-based dressings and dips.

(just bought and ate my very first avocado. I ate some *really* bad guacamole in high school - plus then ate one bite a few years back - and it just wasn't all that good. This time, I ate avocado chunks in my salad. Interesting texture, not bad taste at all. I'll keep buying 'em.)


Blueberries/Blackberries are packed with tannins, anthocyanidins, flavonoids, polyphenols, and proanthcyanidins that have been linked to prevention and reversal of age-related mental decline. They also have powerful anti-cancer effects. Use frozen organic berries in the winter when fresh ones are not available.

(nope, we don't eat these that much....but I don't *dislike* them, so I'll add them to my grocery list)


Cantaloupes are another vitamin powerhouse. With only 56 calories a cup, one gets a huge amount of vitamin C and beta-carotene as well as folate, potassium, fiber, thiamin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6.

(hmmmm.....cantaloupe.......my diet right now just has limited fruits - more veggies)


Carrots/Beets are colorful root crops that add beauty and flavor to dishes. Shredded raw in salads, cooked, or in soups, they are high in fiber and antioxidants compounds such as cartonoids abd betacyanin, a powerful cancer protective agent found to inhibit cell mutations.

(carrots, yes, shredded in salads, fed to kiddos who refuse other raw veggies - beets, not so much, I wouldn't know what to do with them)


Flax Seeds are rich in lignans and omega-3 fatty acids, and scientific studies have confirmed that flax seeds have a positive influence on everything from cholesterol levels and constipation to cancer and heart disease. Use ground flax seed in oatmeal, or add them to whipped frozen bananas, stewed apples, and cinnamon and nut balls. Keep in mind that the scientifically documented benefits from flax seeds come from raw, ground flax seed, not flax seed oil.

(happy to announce that this is one of those small changes I made not that long ago - lots of flax seed, on salads, in smoothies, in bread and baked goods, in oatmeal)


Green Lettuce is exceptionally low in calories, but contains an abundance of phytonutrients, plant proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eat salad with lettuce every day.

(as of recently, I try to have a salad every day for lunch - really, quite yummy)


Kale is a fantastic high-nutrient green vegetable to add to soups and to serve chopped.

(I'm sorry, kale? What?)


Sesame Seeds are one of the most mineral-rich foods in the world and a potent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, vitamins, and fiber. They are also rich in anti-cancer lignans that are uniquely found in sesame seeds alone. Grind some unhulled sesame seeds into a powder to sprinkle on salads and vegetables. Toast lightly and mix with eggplant, chickpeas, scallions, and garlic for a healthy and delicious dip.

(I will add this to my grocery list - I could grind them in my coffee grinder, I guess. I'll have to figure out how to add them to our diet in other ways too)


Strawberries are high in folic acid, flavonoids, iron, and vitamin C. They provide a good source of dietary fiber and potassium yet contain only 60 calories per cup. Use strawberries and frozen strawberries frequently. Try a fruit smoothie by blending together a banana, orange juice, and frozen strawberries.

(we are big smoothie drinkers around here. If I had my way, everyday would start off with a smoothie and every lunch would big a large, healthy salad - it's just dinner and late night eating that I have a real problem with)


Tomatoes have been a hot topic in recent years because their consumption has been linked to dramatic reduction in the incidence of common cancers. One of the tomatoes' heavily investigated anti-cancer phytochemicals is lycopene, which has been shown to be protective against cancer, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancers.

(ok, I just don't enjoy eating raw tomatoes. I'm talking just take a tomato, slice it, eat it - even if it's a small, supposedly "sweet" tomato. Whatever...... I add them to my salads occassionally and hope that my red sauce dinners will cover the rest)





Well, I think I'm actually doing fairly well - for a bad food addict, that is. Someday I will get rid of my diet coke, some day.........maybe this summer I'll work on drinking filtered water. For some reason, I just can't bring myself to drink lots of tap water - just doesn't taste right. Even here, so close to Lake Huron, where you'd think the water would be better. Hmmmm.....

*Michigan Momma*