The 11 Best Foods...

Tara Parker-Pope, who writes the New York Times health blog Well, recently posted an article called The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating.

Here's a peek at the beginning of her post and the first four foods on the list:

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.

Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.

Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.

Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.

Read the rest here.

Did you catch the "bonus" healthful food there in her second sentence? Guava.

I like articles like this for the reminders about other delicious foods, not in my regular rotation, that are good for my health. And apparently many others did, too, because by Thursday night there were 764 comments, some with interesting preparation ideas.

After reading through the whole list, I counted that I have seven of these foods in my house right now. A couple more (beets, swiss chard) intrigued me and went on my shopping list. Or even better, maybe we can grow them.

How about you?

–  posted by Leslie Lang

Comments

[damon]

Dang Richard, I learn something from your blog every time I read it.

Mahalo,

Damon

[James Weatherford]

Tumeric and (un-canned) pumpkin in our rocky, on-and-off sunny wet-and-dry patch.

A 'sleeper' for (windward/mauka) Hawaii Island? Cinnamon ;)

[Leslie Lang]

James, I am interested in your comment about growing cinnamon here! From http://www.ehow.com/how_2104155_grow-cinnamon.html: "Today, it is also grown commercially in Brazil, Java, Madagascar, Vietnam, the West Indies and Zanzibar."

Do you grow cinnamon here, or know anyone who does? Maybe we'll try it.

Leslie

[James Weatherford]

Aloha Leslie,
We do not grow cinnamon at our home site, 80' elev, lower Hawaiian Paradise Park -- too hot, dry, rocky, and small. Recently acquired larger sites are ~500' elev in Puna and Ka'u, and doubt that will work for spice trees either.
Have seen cinnamon growing lush windward O'ahu (botanical garden mauka of Kaneohe), along with cloves. Cinnamon is really so simple (and labor intensive): section of bark harvested/stripped from young twigs and dried until it rolls up into a cinnamon stick!
Me thinks mauka Hamakua, Ka'u, Puna -- >2,000 ft elev with plenty water.
For example, mauka of Mountain View; way up Wood Valley?
Speculation.
But, that's how it get's started, isn't it? ;)

[Leslie Lang]

Yes, you're right! That's how it all happens. We'd love to hear about it if anybody is growing spice trees here on the Big Island.

Leslie