The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (25 page)

• In a small bowl, mix the miso with ½ cup of broth until smooth.

• Increase heat under the pot of broth to moderately high. Once it is simmering, gently stir in the wakame and tofu. Simmer together for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stir in the miso mixture and add the scallions. Serve.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
55.8 calories, 3 g carbohydrate, 4.2 g protein, 2.3 g fat, 0.5 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Leeks are popular in traditional European foods because these plants, close relatives of onions and garlic, could be left in the ground during the winter and harvested as needed, providing a rare source of fresh winter produce. The Allium family, to which leeks, garlic, and onions belong, have long been recognized for their cardiovascular benefits. Allicin, the compound that gives these vegetables their characteristic aromas, has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, is an anti-inflammatory, and may help reduce fat deposits and hardening in blood vessels. Allicin breaks down into components that appear to be strong antioxidants. A diet rich in Alliums tends to lower both blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Leeks are a very good source of manganese and a good source of vitamin B
₆
, folate, vitamin C, and iron. This combination of nutrients helps stabilize blood sugar by slowing the absorption of sugars in the digestive tract and assisting in proper sugar metabolism.

Leeks are among the vegetables that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, which can cause problems for people with kidney disease, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, vulvar pain, or other conditions requiring a low-oxalate diet.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of cooked chopped leeks provides 16 calories, 4 g carbohydrate, 0.4 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 0.6 g dietary fiber, 25 IU vitamin A, 2 mg vitamin C, 12 mcg folic acid, 46 mg potassium, 6 mg sodium, 8 mg phosphorus, 16 mg calcium, and 8 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Leeks should be of medium size, firm, and bright green and white in color. Large leeks can be tough. True to their heritage as a winter vegetable, leeks are available year-round and are easiest to find in winter. Don't wash leeks before storing them in the refrigerator, where they will keep for about two weeks. Once they are cooked, they do not keep well; cook only what you will eat within a day or two.

Livit Recipe

2 pounds leeks, trimmed, with outer layers removed

1 tablespoon safflower oil
OR
canola oil

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons water

2 small carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices

2 tablespoons uncooked brown rice

1½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ lemon, juice only, as dressing

• Slice the leeks into ½-inch disks, then wash them carefully in a bowl of water to remove the dirt that often lodges between the layers. Pat them dry with paper towels.

• In a medium nonstick pan, heat the oil with the 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Stir in the leeks and carrots. Cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, stir in the rice, sugar, salt, and the 1½ cups of water. Cover, and allow the ingredients to simmer for another 30 minutes. Check occasionally to see if more water is needed. The final result should be neither watery nor dry.

• When the leeks and carrots are cooked, remove pan from the heat and allow it to cool. Transfer to a serving dish and dress with lemon juice. Serve cold.

•
NOTE
For a more balanced meal, serve a soup made from beans or lentils on the side, and add a whole wheat roll or sprouted grain toast.

•
VARIATION
To provide more complete protein, add some edamame (fresh steamed soybeans) to the final dish.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
193 calories, 38 g carbohydrate, 3.8 g protein, 4.3 g fat, 4.9 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Almost all of the lettuces are low in calories and high in fiber, and provide vitamins A, C, and K; B vitamins thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, and folate; carotenes, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin; and the minerals manganese, potassium, and iron. The traditional iceberg lettuce is the least nutrient-dense of the lettuces. Romaine is probably the richest nutrient source among them; it is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and folate, as well as the minerals manganese and chromium. It also provides vitamins B1 and B
₂
, potassium, molybdenum, iron, and phosphorus. Many of the leaf lettuces offer nearly as good a nutrient profile as romaine, so you don't need to give up variety.

The mix of minerals, fiber, and antioxidants in romaine help it lower blood cholesterol and reduce the formation of fatty plaques in arteries. The potassium and other minerals help lower blood pressure, and the B vitamins help support and increase your metabolism.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of shredded raw romaine provides 8 calories, 1.4 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 1 g dietary fiber, 1456 IU vitamin A, 14 mg vitamin C, 76 mcg folic acid, 162 mg potassium, 4 mg sodium, 26 mg phosphorus, 20 mg calcium, and 4 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Whatever lettuce you buy, it should be crisp, and it should not have wilted leaves or any mushy, dark, or slimy spots. In choosing a type of lettuce, keep in mind that the darker colored varieties, such as romaine, tend to be richer in nutrients than the paler ones, such as iceberg.

Romaine and leaf lettuces benefit from washing before they go into the refrigerator, as long as you also dry them well. Greens like arugula and watercress, which are sold with the roots still attached, should have those roots wrapped in a damp paper towel before they are stored in the refrigerator, but you should wait to wash them until just before they will be used.

Livit Recipe

1 package (6 ounces) baby romaine, washed and trimmed

½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 small avocado, diced

6 strawberries, sliced

½ English cucumber, cut into ¼-inch cubes

1 fresh lemon, halved

1 tablespoon slivered raw almonds

¼ cup dried cranberries

• Put the romaine, tomatoes, avocado, strawberries, and cucumber into a large salad bowl. Squeeze juice from the fresh lemon halves over the top. Add almonds and cranberries, and toss gently to combine. Serve.

•
NOTE
This is a side dish. Serve with 3 ounces of canned wild Alaskan salmon or tuna and ½ cup of mandarin oranges for a complete meal.

•
VARIATION
For a more complete meal, add a half cup of black beans, a half cup of defrosted frozen corn, and 1 ounce of sliced fresh mozzarella cheese to the salad. To add more flavor, you can add any of these ingredients without adding calories: apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar, lemon pepper, or your favorite herbal seasoning.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
131.6 calories, 17.5 g carbohydrate, 2.9 g protein, 7.9 g fat, 6.3 g dietary fiber

Benefits

There was a time when the only mushrooms you could get in United States supermarkets were white “button” mushrooms. Now, we have access to a wealth of different tasty fungi. Shiitake, straw, crimini, enoki, and portobello are among the most common. Most share similar nutrition profiles: Many species are high in fiber and protein and provide several B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Brown mushrooms appear to provide more antioxidants.

White button mushrooms provide vitamin D, one of the very few non-animal sources for this vitamin. Vitamin D is essential to calcium metabolism and bone health. Deficiency in vitamin D is implicated in a variety of conditions, from chronic pain to Parkinson's disease, including coronary and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D also appears to play a role in the immune system, and it produces a hormone that has been effective against cancer cells in laboratory tests. White mushrooms may provide some major components of vitamin B
₁₂
, though whether this is in a form that can be used by the body remains uncertain.

Shiitake mushrooms have a long history of medicinal use in China. Ming Dynasty physician Wu Juei wrote that shiitakes were a tonic against a variety of ills, including premature aging. In modern times, a compound found in shiitakes called lentinan has been investigated for its potential tumor-inhibiting capabilities, as well as its antiviral and antibacterial properties. It appears to stimulate the production of white blood cells and other components of the immune system used to fight disease. Another compound in shiitakes, lenthionine, keeps blood platelets from sticking together and may help prevent blood clots and stroke. Ergothioneine, found in shiitakes and several other mushrooms (notably oyster and maitake mushrooms), is an antioxidant, but it behaves differently than other sulfur-containing antioxidants (such as those in Allium and Brassica foods). Mushrooms are the richest source of this compound, which scavenges free hydroxyl radicals and may help protect against nitric oxides and regulate metal-carrying enzymes.

Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent source of selenium and a very good source of iron. They are also a good source of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin C.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (RAW MUSHROOMS)
One-half cup of raw mushrooms provides 9 calories, 1.6 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 0.4 g dietary fiber, 1 mg vitamin C, 1.4 mg niacin, 7 mcg folic acid, 130 mg potassium, 36 mg phosphorus, 2 mg calcium, and 4 mg magnesium.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS)
One ounce of dried shiitake mushrooms provides 83 calories, 21.1 g carbohydrate, 2.7 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 3.2 g dietary fiber, 1 mg vitamin C, 4 mg niacin, 46 mcg folic acid, 430 mg potassium, 82 mg phosphorus, 3 mg calcium, and 37 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Many grocery stores now carry several types of mushrooms, both fresh and dried. (Some people prefer the taste of dried, reconstituted shiitakes in soups and stews, where they may add a more “meaty” texture.) They are also easy to find in Asian groceries. Fresh mushrooms should be firm and plump, not withered or dry, but also not wet or slimy. Refrigerate, but allow them to breathe. They should last about a week.

Mushrooms can be cleaned with a mushroom brush under running water, or gently peeled with a paring knife. Trim away the woody bottom of the stems.

Livit Recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil

1½ pounds crimini mushrooms, cleaned, with stems removed and caps quartered

1 pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, with stems removed and caps quartered

1 portobello mushroom, cleaned, with stems removed and caps quartered

1 small onion, minced

1 tablespoon flour

¼ cup sherry

1 cup vegetable stock

1 cup mushroom stock

1½ teaspoons salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 or 6 sprigs fresh parsley, trimmed, rinsed, dried, and minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
OR
1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cover the bottom of the skillet with a single layer of mushrooms and sear them. Continue until you have seared all the mushrooms, adding oil if needed. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside.

• In the same pan, sweat the onion until it is soft. You may need to add more oil to keep the onions from sticking. Add the flour, stirring gently, and cook for a few minutes. Add the sherry to the floured onions. Cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the stock, mushrooms, salt, and garlic. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to the consistency of a sauce. Season with the parsley and thyme, and add pepper.

•
NOTE
To cut fresh herbs, put them in a glass and use kitchen scissors to snip them until they are minced. If using all fresh herbs, you need about 4 tablespoons total. If using dried herbs, you need about 2 tablespoons total.

•
VARIATION
Instead of 1 cup vegetable stock and 1 cup mushroom stock, you may use 2 cups of vegetable stock.

YIELD
6 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
143 calories, 20.2 g carbohydrate, 5.6 g protein, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Mustard greens are another leafy member of the Brassica genus. An excellent source of the three antioxidant vitamins, A, C, and E, mustard greens are also a very good source of magnesium, which helps with muscle cramps and may help keep the smooth muscles lining the airways relaxed, which can be helpful to persons with asthma. Mustard greens are known to play a vital role in keeping blood pressure low. They are also an excellent source of calcium. The balance of calcium and magnesium is important to maintaining hydration as well as to healthy bones and blood pressure. Like other green leafy vegetables, mustard greens are full of fiber, carotenes, and vitamin K.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One-half cup of chopped, boiled mustard greens provides 11 calories, 1.5 g carbohydrate, 1.6 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 1.4 g dietary fiber, 2122 IU vitamin A, 18 mg vitamin C, 51 mcg folic acid, 141 mg potassium, 11 mg sodium, 29 mg phosphorus, 52 mg calcium, and 11 mg magnesium.