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Power
Foods
In
the best of all possible worlds, we'd always have the time to choose,
find and prepare healthful balanced meals. As a result, we'd be lean
and mean, full of energy, and stocked with the vitamins and minerals
we need to live well longer.
Right.
Let's face it, guys: In this most real of all worlds, eating properly
sometimes takes back seat to work, family, friends, or even play.
And when we eat on the run, nutrition is usually the last thing on
our minds. We eat what's easy, and it generally offers the minimal
daily requirement of little but fat and simple carbohydrates.
Next
time you're in rush at mealtime, instead of settling for a stomach-pounder
and fries, look for a power food—one that will get you going
and keep you there. Try:
Baked
Potatoes
Because
of french fries, too many people dismiss potatoes as healthful food.
Without the grease, potatoes are nonfat and loaded with complex carbohydrates,
potassium (a mineral important to blood pressure regulation), vitamin
C, and copper. (Stick to margarine or, better yet, salsa for toppings,
though.)
Bananas
They're
packed with fiber and potassium. Along with dried fruit, they make
ideal portable snacks.
Beans
Fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and folate (a B vitamin)
all in one package. Prefer whole beans to refried, which usually add
fattening oil.
Broccoli
All
the green vegetables are winners, but this one may be tops. Its list
includes fiber, vitamin C, folate, and the minerals magnesium and iron.
Corn
An unsung hero, this is an excellent source of fiber and
complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
Fruit
Fiber,
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals—almost anything except fat.
Dried fruits are a particularly intense source of energy. And in a
pinch, an apple can sub for a toothbrush.
Fish
Usually
a lower-fat source of quality protein than meat dishes. Stick with
baked, broiled or poached though, since the fish plays second fiddle
to fat when it's fried.
Pasta
A great source of complex carbohydrates that also offers
iron and B vitamins when it's enriched. Stick with tomato or marinara
sauce to keep fat low.
Peppers
Jalapeños and the hundreds of other types of chiles
are great sources of vitamin C, and the spiciness may raise metabolism,
enhancing weight loss.
Soup
Broth-based soups help you get your vegetables in a tasty
mixture. Unless meat or dairy is added, it's dependably low in fat.
Notice
anything that nearly all these entries have in common? They're basics—not
complicated recipes. For nutrition, simple may simply be the best.
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