The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (31 page)

•In a medium saucepan, combine water, broth, amaranth, salt, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove pan from heat. Let it stand for 15 minutes, covered, to finish cooking. Stir in margarine and pepper. Serve.

YIELD
6 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
224 calories, 31.8 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 7 g fat, 7 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Barley was one of the first grains cultivated by humans. Whole barley contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Raw barley is also a good source of niacin and vitamin B
₆
, as well as the minerals phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and zinc. One cup of barley provides 14.2 percent of the recommended daily value for niacin. Barley also provides some lutein, which may help preserve vision.

Barley is very rich in fiber—nearly 16 percent dietary fiber by weight. Fiber helps prevent constipation, and it helps the colon stay healthy by helping intestinal flora produce butyric acid. Dietary fiber also reduces blood cholesterol levels, and whole grain barley contains enough soluble fiber that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized it as a food that can reduce the risk of heart disease. Taken together, barley's fiber and its B vitamins, which help preserve the health of blood vessels, make barley an especially heart-healthy grain.

Barley provides magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in glucose metabolism and the production of insulin. Studies have shown that barley may be even more effective in stabilizing glucose and insulin responses than oats. It appears to regulate blood sugar for up to 10 hours.

Health benefits of barley were observed as long as 2,400 years ago by Indian physicians who recommended substituting barley for white rice, along with losing weight and increasing activity, to treat the disease we now identify as type 2 diabetes. Barley is even mentioned by Islam's founding prophet, Muhammad, as effective against seven diseases—including grief.

Most of the benefits of barley come from the whole grain form—called “hulled” barley, because only the inedible husk has been removed. Hulled barley retains the healthful bran and germ. Unfortunately, the more widely available “pearled” barley has been steamed and polished to remove the bran. To get the benefits of barley, you'll have to seek out the hulled, whole grain form.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (COOKED BARLEY)
One cup of cooked, pearled barley provides 193 calories, 44.3 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g protein, 0.7 g fat, 6 g dietary fiber, 11 IU vitamin A, 3.2 mg niacin, 25 mcg folic acid, 146 mg potassium, 5 mg sodium, 85 mg phosphorus, 17 mg calcium, 2.09 mg iron, 35 mg magnesium, and 1.29 mg zinc.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (RAW BARLEY)
One-quarter cup of raw, hulled barley provides 163 calories, 33.8 g carbohydrate, 5.7 g protein, 1.1 g fat, 8 g dietary fiber, 10 IU vitamin A, 2.1 mg niacin, 9 mcg folic acid, 208 mg potassium, 6 mg sodium, 121 mg phosphorus, 15 mg calcium, 1.66 mg iron, 61 mg magnesium, and 1.27 mg zinc.

Bringing It Home

Make it a point to buy hulled barley, which is the least processed version. You may only be able to find it in health food and natural food stores. Pearled barley is more commonly found in supermarkets. Store barley away from moisture, heat, and light. In warmer months, keep it in a tightly covered glass jar in the refrigerator.

Livit Recipe

It's a breeze to make!

1 cup hulled barley, rinsed

2 cups water

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

½ cup diced fresh tomato

½ cup fresh spinach, washed and coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch fresh parsley, minced

Seasonings of choice (basil, onion powder, oregano, thyme), optional

• In a medium saucepan, combine the barley, water, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover tightly and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes. Check it at 30 minutes.

If all liquids have been absorbed, add up to ¼ cup water. The barley is done when it reaches a chewy texture.

• While the barley is cooking, lightly oil a nonstick pan. Use a paper towel to distribute the oil and soak up any excess. Add onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the bell pepper, carrot, tomato, and spinach. Continue sautéing until the vegetables are tender, stirring often to keep them from sticking and to allow them to cook evenly. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the vegetable mixture. Add the parsley. Add other seasonings, if using. Stir to combine. Cover the skillet and remove it from the heat.

• Once the barley has finished cooking, add the sautéed, seasoned vegetables to the cooked barley. Toss with a fork to distribute the vegetables and fluff up the grain. Serve hot.

•
NOTE
To mince parsley, put it in a glass and, using kitchen scissors, snip the parsley until it is finely minced.

•
VARIATION
For a more balanced dish, add lentils, garbanzo beans, or white beans for added protein. Adding hummus or part-skim cheese provides more fat.

YIELD
6 servings.

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
138 calories, 27 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 1.6 g fat, 6.7 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Rice has gotten a bad rap, partly because it is somewhat calorie-dense and partly because even brown rice turns out to have a surprisingly high glycemic index. But if you eat it with extra fiber and keep your portion size below one cup, rice is an acceptable food, even if you have diabetes. Balance brown rice with a protein food and lots of steamed vegetables, and it takes its rightful place in a healthy, nutritious meal.

Brown rice is the whole grain version of rice, with more fiber and more nutrients than its paler counterpart. Just one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88 percent of the recommended daily value for manganese. This mineral is involved in the metabolism of protein and carbohydrates, as well as the synthesis of a number of enzymes, proteins, fatty acids, and hormones. Brown rice is also a good source of selenium, a trace mineral that is involved in many antioxidant reactions in the body and that plays a role in thyroid health. Brown rice is high in fiber, which helps you feel full after eating and speeds the passage of foods through the digestive tract. This may help maintain both a healthy body weight and a healthy colon.

In the late 19th century, it was observed that people who ate brown rice were less likely to get beriberi than those who ate exclusively white, polished rice. This led to an analysis of the differences between the two and helped lead to the discovery of vitamins.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of cooked long grain brown rice provides 216 calories, 44.8 g carbohydrate, 5 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 3.5 g dietary fiber, 8 mcg folic acid, 84 mg potassium, 10 mg sodium, 162 mg phosphorus, 20 mg calcium, 84 mg magnesium, 1.23 mg zinc, and 1.77 mg manganese.

Bringing It Home

Most whole grains, including brown rice, contain more oils than refined white grains, so there is a greater risk that they will become rancid. Therefore, it is important to keep track of the “use by” date on brown rice or, if buying it in bulk, buy it from a store where the turnover is high enough that the rice is relatively fresh. At home, keep it in a tightly closed container, away from heat, moisture, and light. Stored properly, it should keep about six months. In warmer months, you may wish to move your rice to the refrigerator. Just make sure it's in a tightly sealed container, to keep the moisture out.

Livit Recipe

1½ cups water

½ cup brown rice

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 small onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (15 ounces) organic black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 ounces) Mexican-style tomatoes
OR
Italian-style stewed tomatoes, with liquid

1 ounce yogurt cheese

• Bring 1½ cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Once the water is boiling, add ½ cup of brown rice. Allow the water to return to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 45 to 55 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is tender but not brown. Add the beans and the tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the yogurt cheese, and stir until the cheese has melted.

• To serve, scoop a heaping
cup of rice onto each plate. Make a well in the center of the rice, and fill it with a quarter of the black bean mixture.

•
NOTE
For a more balanced meal, add steamed vegetables on the side.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
256 calories, 48 g carbohydrate, 11 g protein, 2 g fat, 10.5 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Buckwheat has a long culinary history in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the groats are used in the staple dish kasha. Technically, buckwheat is a pseudograin and not related to wheat at all, with seeds (the groats) that are similar to sunflower seeds. Buckwheat is commonly used in noodles in Japanese, Korean, and Northern
Italian cuisine. It lacks gluten but is high in protein, antioxidants, vitamins B
₁
and B
₂
, and the minerals iron, zinc, and selenium.

Buckwheat contains rutin, a glycoside related to quercetin. Like quercetin, rutin appears to have properties that protect blood vessels, inhibiting platelet aggregation and acting as an antioxidant. It is being investigated for its potential in protecting the eyes from diabetic retinopathy, a serious complication of diabetes that can lead to blindness. Rutin helps lower the risk of heart disease as well. One cup of buckwheat provides almost 86 milligrams of magnesium—a mineral that relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure—the perfect combination for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Buckwheat also contains a form of inositol that appears to lower cholesterol and increase insulin sensitivity. This compound is being studied for its potential role in fighting polycystic ovary disease (PCOD) and type 2 diabetes.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of cooked buckwheat groats provides 182 calories, 39.5 g carbohydrate, 6.7 g protein, 1.2 g fat, 5.3 g dietary fiber, 28 mcg folic acid, 174 mg potassium, 8 mg sodium, 139 mg phosphorus, 14 mg calcium, 101 mg magnesium, and 1.21 mg zinc.

Bringing It Home

Buckwheat is available in many forms: whole buckwheat, hulled buckwheat groats, buckwheat flour, buckwheat noodles, buckwheat flakes, and even buckwheat waffle mix! Buckwheat is also a common component of multi-grain products. Buckwheat groats, noodles, and pancakes turn up in every corner of the world. Enjoy experimenting with Japanese soba, Russian blini, Polish kasha, and Acadian ployes.

Keep buckwheat away from light, heat, and moisture. Whole buckwheat will keep about a year. Buckwheat flour's lifespan is shorter, but it will keep for four to six months if stored in the refrigerator.

Livit Recipe

1 tablespoon soybean oil
OR
canola oil

1 large onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

¾ cup whole buckwheat groats

1 can (35 ounces) chopped tomatoes, with liquid

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon mild chili powder

Freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated

• In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, pepper, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.

• Stir in the buckwheat groats and the tomatoes with their liquid. Add the oregano, cumin, chili powder, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the groats are tender but chewy.