The Best Healthy Foods

This list, taken from the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource, contains the top ten foods that are healthy, tasty, and nutritious. They are in alphabetical order, not prioritized:

• Apples: plenty of fiber and vitamin C, our favorite antioxidant.
• Almonds: fiber (again), mono-unsaturated fat, riboflavin, magnesium, iron, calcium, and vitamin E (though that’s less called for, these days).
• Broccoli: an “ugh” for some, but tasty for others. Lots of fiber, calcium, potassium, folate, beta-carotene (again, less popular today), and vitamin C.
• Blueberries: a low-cal source of fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients (which may help prevent diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers). Claimed to help short-term memory and cellular aging. Great taste, less filling!
• Red beans: low-fat source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals.
• Salmon: the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, the hot nutrient a jour. It’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol, and has plenty of protein. Watch out for mercury – eat wild salmon.
• Spinach: vitamin A, folate, iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamins B6 and C, and phytonutrients.
• Sweet potatoes: not just for Thanksgiving! High in beta-carotene, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B-6, and potassium, AND low-cal, low-fat.
• Veggie juice: tomato juice, “Virgin Mary”, or V-8. They’re all rich in lycopene, which has been associated with a lowered risk of some cancers, e.g. prostate cancer. But watch our for it’s high sodium content!
• Wheat germ (as a sprinkle or in cooking): a good source of thiamin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.

Eat more of the good things, and much less of everything else, and you’ll be on the road to good health without making your life miserable.