The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (14 page)

An artichoke by itself is a balanced snack: It provides protein, fiber, and carbohydrates, and it contains 150 calories—the optimal number of calories to get the thermic effect of food that will help increase your metabolism. For a great unique snack, have a steamed artichoke with your favorite flavoring (mayo, hummus, or Italian dressing) as the fat source.

Livit Recipe

4 medium artichokes
OR
2 large artichokes

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons hummus
OR
low-fat Italian dressing
OR
reduced-fat mayonnaise

• Rinse the artichokes thoroughly, opening up the leaves to make sure any dirt is cleaned out from between them.

• On a cutting board, trim the stems to ½ inch in length, and cut ½ inch to 1 inch off each artichoke bud. With kitchen scissors, snip about ¼ inch off each leaf, removing the sharp, rough tips. Force a little minced garlic under each leaf.

• Fill a large steamer pot with water just up to the steamer insert so that your artichokes don't sit in the water while cooking. Carefully set the artichokes into the steamer insert, stem side down, and cover the pot. Heat over medium heat until the water boils, reduce to a simmer, and cook the artichokes for 30 to 45 minutes, until the leaves pull off easily. Be careful not to overcook. Artichokes should not be mushy—just tender enough to bite the meat off every leaf.

• Serve with hummus, dressing, or mayonnaise for dipping.

•
NOTE
My favorite part is the base of the artichoke, called the “heart,” hidden below the spiny “choke.” Pull the choke away, and spread the heart with your dip. It's delicious—and it may be the best source of antioxidants.

YIELD
2 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
153 calories, 30.9 g carbohydrate, 9.9 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 14.8 g dietary fiber

BEANS!

According to the Livitician, beans are the healthiest food on earth!

Low in fat, rich in fiber, and with a skin full of antioxidants, beans contribute to lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Beans are a great source of proteins and minerals, including the heart-healthy electrolytes calcium, magnesium, and potassium that are vital for controlling blood pressure and keeping you hydrated. They also provide folic acid and B
₆
, which help your heart by reducing levels of the stress hormone homocysteine.

As part of the Nurses' Health Study II, which involved more than 90,000 women, researchers found that women who ate beans and lentils at least twice a week had a 24 percent lower risk of breast cancer. And beans was the only food in the study—which also looked at blueberries, tea, and other healthy foods—that showed such a potent protective effect. Some beans, including small red beans, red beans, and pinto beans, showed antioxidant capacity as
good as, or better than, some of the most powerful antioxidant fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, cranberries, and artichokes.

In one study, eating half a cup of pinto beans per day for eight weeks lowered the participants' cholesterol by 8 percent. A review of 19 years of data from the National Nutrition and Health Examination Survey found that people who eat beans four times or more per week were significantly better protected against heart disease than those who ate them once a week or less.

A study using four years of data from the same survey found that beans might also keep you thin. Adults who averaged a serving and a half of beans (three-quarters of a cup) every day ate less total and saturated fat than non-bean eaters, and were 22 percent less likely to be obese. Teenagers and adults who ate beans had waist sizes that were smaller, too—a full inch for the teens, and three-quarters of an inch for the adults. The overall diets of the bean-eaters were one-third higher in fiber, and participants who were bean-eaters weighed about seven pounds less than those who did not eat beans.

Because much of the fiber in beans is of the soluble type, it can help stabilize blood sugar and keep cholesterol from accumulating in your system. The fiber, protein, and minerals combine to give beans a low glycemic index and keep you feeling full for several hours.

With all that going for them, it appears that the main reason people don't embrace the bean more fully is … gas. There are two culprits: complex sugars called oligosaccharides and fiber. The complex sugars require digestive enzymes to break them down that humans don't have—so when those sugars get to your large intestine, microbes do the work, releasing gas. Increasing fiber, though it has many health benefits for most people, does change the speed at which foods pass through the digestive system—again meaning more sugars may arrive intact in the large intestine, where the gas-producing microbes have their way.

Many people find that the flatulence is worst when they are first introducing, or increasing, the amount of beans in their diet, and that over time their bodies adjust. Others report that eating fewer fruits or sweets with their bean meals can help. Navy and lima beans may have the worst effect, so it may help to try some of the other types of beans instead.

According to the California Dry Bean Board, a growers' industry group, you can minimize the oligosaccharides without sacrificing nutrients by using the “hot-soak” method: In a 2½-quart or larger pot, heat five cups of water. Add one cup of beans. Bring the water to a boil, and let the beans boil two to three minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let soak for at least four hours. The longer the beans soak, the more the complex sugars are dissolved. When the beans have soaked long enough and it's time to cook them, discard the soaking
water; don't use it for cooking. After the beans have been cooked, you can reduce the oligosaccharides still more by rinsing the beans.

If that's too much effort, perhaps the best advice is what your mother probably told you—chew them thoroughly, and don't swallow a lot of air when you eat.

The older a dried bean is, the more slowly it cooks—if a bean is stale enough, it may never soften up enough to eat. Try to buy dried beans in stores where they are popular and don't sit too long—health food stores and ethnic groceries may have fresher beans.

Canned beans are the ultimate healthy convenience food. To reduce the flatulence-causing capacity of canned beans, drain and rinse them before cooking.

Acidic ingredients such as vinegar, tomatoes, and lemon juice can slow down cooking times, so leave these additions for the end of the cooking process, when the beans are already tender. The use of salt with beans is controversial: The California Dry Bean Board says that adding it to the pre-soak boil can help the beans absorb the water more evenly, but many cooks maintain that salt will lengthen the cooking time, as acids do. You can preserve the maximum amount of nutrients in beans by cooking them in a pressure cooker or steaming them. Beans are done when you can crush them easily with the back of a spoon against the side of the pot. Since beans can cook unevenly, you should test more than one.

Although there are several kinds of beans that are black, the black beans most widely used in American cuisine are those that are sometimes called turtle beans. Their dark color indicates a high concentration of anthocyanins, flavonoids known for their antioxidant effect. A half-cup serving of black beans has an ORAC score similar to that of plums, cranberries, grapes, and apples.

Black beans, like most other beans, are rich in fiber, protein, and minerals. They are also an especially good source of molybdenum.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of boiled black beans provides 113.5 calories, 20.4 g carbohydrate, 7.6 g protein, 0.5 g fat, 7.5 g dietary fiber, 5 IU vitamin A, 128 mcg folic acid, 305.5 mg potassium, 1 mg sodium, 120.5 mg phosphorus, 23 mg calcium, 1.8 mg iron, 60 mg magnesium, and 0.96 mg zinc.

Bringing It Home

Dried black beans should be a rich black-brown color, with smooth skins. When buying canned black beans, seek out organics and those with the least salt. When cooking black beans, remember that steaming and pressure-cooking preserve more antioxidants than conventional boiling.

For a complete protein, balance beans with grains like brown rice, tortillas, whole grain pasta, or corn. Black beans and corn are the basis of a delicious Southwestern salad, and a black bean and rice burrito may be one of the healthiest fast foods you can find.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cans (16 ounces each) organic black beans, rinsed and drained

½ lemon, juice only

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

1 quart water

2 green onions, thinly sliced, as garnish

• In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, until it becomes translucent. Add garlic, and sauté onion and garlic together for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is golden in color. Add the beans, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, parsley, pepper, and water to the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer. Remove about 1 cup of the soup to a small bowl. Using a potato masher or a wooden spoon, crush the beans in the bowl and return them to the pot. This will give some extra body to the soup. Cover, and let the soup simmer gently for 10 minutes.

• Top with green onions. Serve hot.

•
VARIATION
In addition to the onions, try topping the soup with nonfat plain Greek-style yogurt, soy yogurt, or ricotta cheese.

YIELD
8 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
252 calories, 43.2 g carbohydrate, 15.6 g protein, 2.7 g fat, 15.3 g dietary fiber

Butternut squash is another winter squash. It has a dense, smooth, orangey-colored flesh, evidence of its rich supply of carotenoids. Indeed, half a cup of baked butternut squash provides 9,368 mcg of beta-carotene. It is high in fiber; in the vitamins A, B
₆
, C, and folate; and in the minerals manganese, magnesium, and potassium.
Butternut squash is a package of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories—good for your heart, metabolism, and immune system. Its sweet taste and high fiber make it a filling and sustaining addition to fall and winter meals.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of baked butternut squash provides 41 calories, 10.7 g carbohydrate, 0.9 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 2.87 g dietary fiber, 7141 IU vitamin A, 15 mg vitamin C, 1 mg niacin, 20 mcg folic acid, 290 mg potassium, 4 mg sodium, 28 mg phosphorus, 42 mg calcium, and 30 mg magnesium.

As with other winter squash, you want a butternut squash that feels heavy and hard, with a creamy skin that is not shiny and lacks soft spots or dark spots. Remember that shiny squash were picked too soon, before they ripened to full sweetness.

As a winter squash, butternut keeps exceptionally well in cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated places. The refrigerator may be too humid, which could encourage mold or rot. Once a butternut squash has been cut open, it will keep for about a week in the refrigerator if you wrap it in plastic.

Butternut squash is also available both frozen and canned, and both these forms spare you the work of cutting and peeling. Be sure to read the package and opt for plain squash, not prepared side dishes or pie filling, which come already seasoned and may have other ingredients, such as butter or condensed milk. Some groceries also sell fresh pre-peeled squash cubes—a great time-saver!

For a balanced meal, serve butternut squash as your high fiber starch, with a piece of grilled chicken or fish and some steamed broccoli or green beans.

Livit Recipe

1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds)

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons agave syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Wash the outside of the whole squash and carefully cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp (for butternut squash, these are usually only in the globe at the base—not in the long neck), and peel it. Cut the squash flesh into 1-inch cubes.

• In a 9” × 13” glass baking dish, distribute the squash cubes evenly. Add water to the dish to provide moisture while the squash bakes.

• In a small bowl, combine the maple and agave syrups. Pour the syrup mixture over the squash cubes, and use a spatula to turn the cubes until all are well covered with syrup. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and steam-bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the squash cubes are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Serve hot.

•
VARIATION
This recipe can also be made with pre-peeled, pre-cubed squash, either fresh or frozen. You will need about 1¼ pounds of squash. It should be thawed, rinsed, and drained before being put into the baking dish.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
128 calories, 33.4 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 6.7 g dietary fiber

Corn plays two important roles: It is both a grain and a vegetable. Although some heirloom species can serve as a vegetable when harvested young (at the “milk” stage) and also serve as a grain when allowed to ripen further and dried, most of the corn we eat today has been bred for one use or the other. The sweet corn we eat as a vegetable, either in kernels or on the cob, has a relatively high sugar content, which helps it retain its sweet taste even if it has to travel far from the field. This corn is a good source of B vitamins, including thiamine, pantothenic acid, and folates; vitamins A, C, and E; and the minerals magnesium and phosphorus. It is also a relatively good source of some amino acids, though it is not a complete protein.