Superfoods: What You Need to Know

Much has been written lately about superfoods and your body's need for these vital ingredients. Even mainstream publications like Parade, the Sunday newspaper supplement, ran a one-page article about 6 superfoods. Despite this plethora of information, many people are still unclear on what a superfood is, how they affect the body, and how to change their diets to include them.

Superfoods are nutritional items that have one or more ingredients with a strong health benefit, such as boosting your immune system, reducing cholesterol, fighting cancer, or lowering your risk of heart disease. I'm sure you all remember your mother telling you that carrots were good for your vision, or grandma saying that you needed the iron in her creamed spinach; they were on the right track. But not all superfoods are fruits or vegetables, although the majority does have a close connection (olive oil and coconut milk come to mind). You won't have to hunt down superfoods in some obscure health food market on the edge of town; most are available at any grocery store, are easy to grow in your garden, and can be found on the menu at restaurants.

So, how do these superfoods work? Omega-3 fatty acids—found in fish, soy, and walnuts, among others—help to break up fat and plaque in our arteries, thereby lowering blood pressure. They can also improve the elasticity of the artery walls, meaning a reduced risk of hardening of the arteries, and the Omega-3s help lower cholesterol by reacting positively with lipoproteins. Anti-oxidants, consisting of vitamins A, C, E and beta carotene, protect cells from the damage by neutralizing free radicals, helping to thwart cancer, aging, and cardiovascular disease. Research isn't always so clear on how all superfoods work, but studies have certainly proven that they do work.

Having a well-rounded diet is important to your overall health, and paramount when deciding what to eat. A balanced diet is a good start. The idea is that superfoods can easily be included in your everyday diet, and that you can increase the amount of certain types of superfoods depending upon your health needs. There is a huge and diverse list of these types of foods, most of which have more than one beneficial property. Here are my Top 10 superfoods, all of which should be easy for you to include in your diet:

My Top 10 Superfoods

Nuts: benefits vary by nut type, but raw nuts are the most beneficial-the majority contain anti-oxidant properties, and they are helpful in fighting diabetes and heart disease

• Snack on raw almonds, throw a handful of walnuts in a salad, coat your fish with ground nuts before baking or sautéing

Fish: Salmon, albacore tuna, lake trout, mackerel, herring and sardines all contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight against heart disease, provide anti-inflammatory benefits, preserve memory, and keep cholesterol in check.

• It is recommended that you include an Omega-3 fish in your diet at least twice per week. Good old tunafish salad works, as does grilling/baking/broiling/steaming your favorite fish.

Blueberries: these little blue orbs of goodness are antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties, fight heart disease and cancer, and lower cholesterol.

• Add a handful to your hot or cold morning cereal or toss into a cup of yogurt or a yogurt-based smoothie for breakfast. Great in a fruit salad (maybe add some nuts?), fruit pie, or fruit crisp. Get them while they are in season and freeze in small batches for use in winter pancakes and muffins.

Green Tea: Favored in Japan and grown primarily in China, green tea is unfermented, unlike black teas like oolong and pekoe. An anti-oxidant, green tea is heart-healthy, and can help in the reduction of cholesterol.

• Green tea can be served hot or cold. Instead of having that second cup of coffee, substitute a hot cup of green tea. With summertime in full swing, you can make a batch of iced tea easily. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add 4 teabags. Steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove teabags, add 4 cups of water and refrigerate.

Yogurt: This cultured product comes from a variety of sources: cow, goat, soy. The most beneficial is that with live cultures, sometimes labeled as probiotic, that is good for the gut and helps fortify the immune system. Yogurt can also improve cholesterol, help arthritis, and fight against cancer.

• Serve alone, with fruit and/or granola, or add to a fruit smoothie. Plain yogurt can substitute for sour cream and crème fraiche (think baked potatoes, Indian curries, salad dressing).

Oats: High fiber in oatmeal contributes to the lowering of cholesterol, and is a heart-healthy breakfast containing phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties. Oats are also full of nutrients, trace elements, and are a source of protein.

• Irish and steel-cut oatmeal, which take longer to cook, have the most benefit (due to lack of processing and increased fiber/nutrient content), but good old-fashioned Quaker Oats 5-minute or 1-minute oatmeal is a healthy breakfast. (Instant oatmeal really doesn't count, given its pulverized state and overly sweet additives.) Make it on the stove or in the microwave, and add in chopped fresh fruit, chopped crystallized ginger, agave or maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon and you'll have a happy tummy. Throw a cup in your cookie dough or when mixing up meatloaf.

Dark Chocolate: My favorite of the bunch, this sweet treat is a known anti-oxidant, helps lower blood pressure, and releases those "feel good" endorphins, not to mention it tastes great.

• There are fat and calories in chocolate, but if your sweet tooth is unrelenting, then the darker the better (65% or higher cocoa content). Bittersweet and dark chocolate comes in small squares by Scharffen Berger and Ghiardelli, among others, and are the perfect size. It also melts easily for dipping those strawberries, or shave some over that bowl of fresh fruit.

Soy: Soy products can reduce your cholesterol and risk of heart disease, assist in easing the symptoms of menopause, and studies have show soy to be helpful in the prevention of certain types of cancer. They are high in protein, good source of calcium, and some soy products have Omega-3 fatty acids.

• Easy soy products to include in your diet would be tofu, soy milk and edamame. Tofu is a blank canvas, with very little taste and can be cubed very small and added to most dishes, including salads, soups, stir-fries, and even scrambled eggs. It also can be marinated and broiled, baked and fried. Ask for soy milk in that next latte or chai drink, and keep some on hand at home to put in coffee, on cereal, or in smoothies. Edamame are a perfect snack, ever so slightly salty, they pop out of their pods right into your mouth. Satisfying and healthy.

Dried Beans and Peas: Legumes fight against heart disease and cancer, can lower cholesterol and be beneficial to those with diabetes.

• Generally, dried beans and peas have fallen out of favor due to the length of time they take to cook. Certain types, such as split peas and lentils (see my recent column) cook very quickly, and others can be cooked overnight in a crock pot, eliminating the need for stirring and constant maintenance. Red beans and rice, baked beans, and split pea soup, are examples of tasty, healthy and nutritious uses of legumes. Even better, they usually run $1-1.50/pound, meaning they are cheap eats as well.

Olive Oil: A monounsaturated oil, it is an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, and offers protection against heart disease.

• Olive oil can do almost anything your standard vegetable oil can do, with the exception of deep-frying. Use in salad dressings, to sauté or fry, toss with pasta. Tasty, flavored olive oils can be drizzled on fresh tomatoes, used as a dipping sauce for bread (replacing butter), and to add flavor to sautéed vegetables.