Each food group contains nutritious choices, and government dietary guidelines encourage variety by eating daily from each of the food groups--grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat/beans and oils.
Nuts, olives, some fish and avocados are foods that are naturally high in oils, the food group you should consume from the least. The five other food groups have an abundance of choices, some healthier than others. But since individual dietary needs vary, it is important to understand the attributes of certain foods so you can decide how many to include in your diet.
Oats
Oats are a whole grain which is naturally low in fat and calorie dense, meaning it provides a high amount of vitamins and nutrients per ounce. Dr. Michael Roizen's "The Real Age Diet" says eating just 2 ounces of oats each day can lower your cholesterol. Of all the whole grains, oats have one of the highest fiber contents, meaning you can feel fuller longer after eating something containing oats. Look for oats in granolas, oatmeal cereals and breakfast fruit shakes. Oats may also be baked into muffins and breads, or used in a stuffing or as a breading for poultry and fish.
Spinach
Spinach, like other dark green leafy vegetables, contains a host of cancer-fighting nutrients. It's also loaded with calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamins, including beta-carotene (vitamin A.) Spinach is a good source of iron, but since it contains oxalic acid in its leaves, that can inhibit your body's iron absorption. Increase absorption by eating spinach with a fruit or vegetable that contains vitamin C.
Blueberries
Blueberries are powerful because of their antioxidants, which protect your cells from the damage caused by free radicals. All cells form a byproduct known as "free radicals" when the body converts oxygen into fuel, and those free radicals cause cell damage that can lead to illnesses such as cancer, Dr. Michael Roizen writes in "The Real Age Diet."
In addition, recent research has shown blueberries can increase the acidity of urine, which helps destroy bacteria and prevent urinary tract infections.
A half cup of blueberries is just 40 calories. Add flavor--and nutrition--by stirring them into the batter of pancakes, muffins and breads, or tossing them onto cereals, salads or yogurts.
Yogurt
Yogurt is full of protein and calcium, but it also contains probiotics, healthy bacteria that help clean your digestive tract of harmful bacteria. One precaution: Yogurts contain natural sugar, but some may have sugars added, so check the label.
Egg
Part of the "meat and beans" food group, eggs are healthy because they are a complete protein, meaning they include all the essential amino acides in the correct proportions. They are low in saturated fat and calories (78 for a large chicken egg) but their yolks add cholesterol--so the American Heart Association recommends limiting egg yolks to two per week, especially if you have heart disease. One yolk contains about 200 mg of cholesterol, and government dietary guidelines say you should eat no more than 200 mg per day. Since egg whites are still a good source of protein and don't contain cholesterol, you can use just the whites when making omelets or scrambled eggs.
References
- "The Real Age Diet"; Dr. Michael Roizen; 2001
- "The Encyclopedia of Foods, A Guide to Healthy Nutrition"; Mayo Clinic, University of California Los Angeles, and the Dole Food Company; 2002
- American Heart Association: Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Well
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