The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

Want to do your body a world of good? It's as easy as expanding your grocery list.

Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.

Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription. 

Beets

These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor under-neath their rugged exterior.

Why they're healthy:
Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye\\\'s powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments -- called betacyanins -- that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice. 

How to eat them:
Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.

You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Cabbage

Absent from most American kitchens, this cruciferous vegetable is a major player in European and Asian diets.

Why it's healthy:
One cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories, and it's loaded with valuable nutrients. At the top of the list is sulforaphane, a chemical that increases your body's production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, Stanford University scientists determined that sulforaphane boosts your levels of these cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.

How to eat it:
Put cabbage on your burgers to add a satisfying crunch. Or, for an even better sandwich topping or side salad, try an Asian-style slaw. Here's what you'll need.

4 Tbsp peanut or canola oil
Juice of two limes
1 Tbsp sriracha, an Asian chili sauce you can find in the international section of your grocery store
1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
1/4 cup toasted peanuts
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped cilantro 

Whisk together the oil, lime juice, and sriracha. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving. The slaw will keep in your fridge for 2 days. 

Guava

Guava is an obscure tropical fruit that\\\'s subtly acidic, with sweetness that intensifies as you eat your way to the center.  

Why it's healthy:
Guava has a higher concentration of lycopene -- an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer -- than any other plant food, including tomatoes and watermelon. In addition, 1 cup of the stuff provides 688 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is 63 percent more than you'll find in a medium banana. And guava may be the ultimate high-fiber food: There's almost 9 grams (g) of fiber in every cup.

How to eat it: 
Down the entire fruit, from the rind to the seeds. It's all edile -- and nutritious. The rind alone has more vitamin C than you'd find in the flesh of an orange.You can score guava in the produce section of higher-end supermarkets or in Latin grocery stores. 

Swiss chard

Hidden in the leafy-greens cooler of your market, you\\\'ll find this slightly bitter, salty vegetable, which is actually native to the Mediterranean.

Why it's healthy:
A half cup of cooked Swiss chard provides a huge amount of both lutein and zeaxanthin, supplying 10 mg each. These plant chemicals, known as carotenoids, protect your retinas from the damage of aging, according to Harvard researchers. That\\\'s because both nutrients, which are actually pigments, appear to accumulate in your retinas, where they absorb the type of shortwave light rays that can damage your eyes. So the more lutein and zeaxanthin you eat, the better your internal eye protection will be.

How to eat it:
Chard goes great with grilled steaks and chicken, and it also works well as a bed for pan-seared fish. Wash and dry a bunch of Swiss chard, and then chop the leaves and stems into 1-inch pieces. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or wok, and add two garlic cloves that you've peeled and lightly crushed. When the oil smokes lightly, add the chard. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the leaves wilt and the stems are tender. Remove the garlic cloves and season the chard with salt and pepper. 

Cinnamon

This old-world spice usually reaches most men's stomachs only when it\'s mixed with sugar and stuck to a roll.

Why it's healthy:
Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. In fact, USDA researchers found that people with type-2 diabetes who consumed 1 g of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks (about 1/4 teaspoon each day) significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Credit the spice's active ingredients, methylhydroxychalcone polymers, which increase your cells' ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times. 

How to eat it:
You don't need the fancy oils and extracts sold at vitamin stores; just sprinkle the stuff that's in your spice rack (or in the shaker at Starbucks) into your coffee or on your oatmeal.

Purslane

Although the FDA classifies purslane as a broad-leaved weed, it's a popular vegetable and herb in many other countries, including China, Mexico, and Greece. 

Why it's healthy:
Purslane has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant, according to researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The scientists also report that this herb has 10 to 20 times more melatonin -- an antioxidant that may inhibit cancer growth -- than any other fruit or vegetable tested. 

How to eat it:
In a salad. Think of purslane as a great alternative or addition to lettuce: The leaves and stems are crisp, chewy, and succulent, and they have a mild lemony taste. Look for it at your local farmer's market, or Chinese or Mexican market. It's also available at some Whole Foods stores, as an individual leafy green or in premade salad mixes. 

Pomegranate juice

A popular drink for decades in the Middle East, pomegranate juice has become widely available only recently in the United States. 

Why it's healthy:
Israeli scientists discovered that men who downed just 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily for a year decreased their systolic (top number) blood pressure by 21 percent and significantly improved bloodflow to their hearts. What's more, 4 ounces provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

How to drink it:
Try 100 percent pomegranate juice from Pom Wonderful. It contains no added sugars, and because it's so powerful, a small glassful is all you need. (For a list of retailers, go to www.pomwonderful.com.)

Goji berries

These raisin-size fruits are chewy and taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. More important, these potent berries have been used as a medicinal food in Tibet for over 1,700 years.

Why they're healthy:
Goji berries have one of the highest ORAC ratings -- a method of gauging antioxidant power -- of any fruit, according to Tufts University researchers. And although modern scientists began to study this ancient berry only recently, they've found that the sugars that make goji berries sweet reduce insulin resistance -- a risk factor of diabetes -- in rats.

How to eat them:
Mix dried or fresh goji berries with a cup of plain yogurt, sprinkle them on your oatmeal or cold cereal, or enjoy a handful by themselves. You can find them at specialty supermarkets or at gojiberries.us.

Dried plums

You may know these better by the moniker "prunes" which are indelibly linked with nursing homes and bathroom habits. And that explains why, in an effort to revive this delicious fruit's image, producers now market them under another name.

Why they're healthy:
Prunes contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are particularly effective at combating the \\\"superoxide anion radical." This nasty free radical causes structural damage to your cells, and such damage is thought to be one of the primary causes of cancer.

How to eat them:
As an appetizer. Wrap a paper-thin slice of prosciutto around each dried plum and secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the plums are soft and the prosciutto is crispy. Most of the fat will cook off, and you'll be left with a decadent-tasting treat that's sweet, savory, and healthy. 

Pumpkin seeds

These jack-o'-lantern waste products are the most nutritious part of the pumpkin.

Why they're healthy:
Downing pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium. That's important because French researchers recently determined that men with the highest levels of magnesium in their blood have a 40 percent lower risk of early death than those with the lowest levels. And on average, men consume 353 mg of the mineral daily, well under the 420 mg minimum recommended by the USDA.

How to eat them:
Whole, shells and all. (The shells provide extra fiber.) Roasted pumpkin seeds contain 150 mg of magnesium per ounce; add them to your regular diet and you'll easily hit your daily target of 420 mg. Look for them in the snack or health-food section of your grocery store, next to the peanuts, almonds,  and sunflower seeds.

 

你可能错过的十种最好的食物

 

你可能错过的十种最好的食物

想令自己健康？这就像扩充你的杂货清单一样简单。

虽然有些人并不反对把一些植物的叶子做成烟，但大多数人不会想到去吃它们。这真是很遗憾，真的，因为一种命名为马齿苋的肉质草类不仅是美味，而且世界上最健康的食品之一。

当然，有很多超级食物从未在我们的购物车里面出现过。有一些是你没听说过，另一些则是你根本忘记了。这就是为何我们从这些食物中挑选了几个最好的，好让它们能在你的餐桌上有一席之地，而你也能马上升级你的健康水平——无需任何处方。

 

甜菜

这些看起来脏兮兮的根茎天生比任何蔬菜都要甜，这意味着在他们凹凸不平的表面下包含着多种多样的味道。

为什么健康：

把甜菜想象为红色菠菜。就像大力水手从中获得超级能量，这些深红的蔬菜是叶酸和三甲铵（folate and betaine）最好的来源。这两个营养成分可以降低您的血液中同型半胱氨酸的浓度，这种化合物可能对动脉有危害并提高您患心脏病的危险。另外，一种叫β-花青苷的天然色素，在小鼠实验中已被证明是癌症强有力的克星。

如何吃：

要吃新鲜的和生的，而不是去吃罐头。加热甜菜会降低其抗氧化能力。如果做一个简单的沙拉，只要将甜菜清洗和剥开，然后用切丝板宽的一面切丝，再舀一汤匙的橄榄油和挤半个柠檬。你也可以吃叶和茎，这里充满了维生素，矿物质和抗氧化剂。只要切断靠近叶片生长部位的茎，再洗干净，就可以直接用在沙拉中。它也可拿来做一个小菜：加些切片的大蒜和一汤匙橄榄油，用中高火快炒。炒至叶片萎缩，茎变软。加些盐，胡椒及柠檬汁，再撒上些新鲜干奶酪，调味即可。

 

卷心菜

在美国人的厨房很少见，但这种十字花科蔬菜在欧洲和亚洲的饮食中却是重要角色。

为什么健康：

一杯切碎的白菜只含22卡路里，但它却充满有价值的养分。在这营养成分清单上的第一条是1-异硫氰基-4R-（甲基亚硫酰基）丁烷（sulforaphane），一种可以增加您的身体产生一种用于消灭会破坏细胞自由基的分子的酶的化合物，从而降低您患癌症的风险。事实上，美国斯坦福大学的科学家认为这种化合物比其他植物更能增强这些抵抗癌症的酶的活性。

如何吃：

把卷心菜放在您的汉堡中，从而增加爽快的咬劲。或者，做一个三明治或尝试一个亚洲式卷心菜沙拉。

材料与方法：

4大勺花生或芥花籽油

两个青柠的果汁

1大勺亚洲辣椒酱（你可以在您的杂货店的国际食品区找到）

1头卷心菜，切碎或辗碎

1/4杯烤花生

1/2杯辗碎的胡萝卜

1/4杯切碎的芫荽叶

以上的材料和油、柠檬汁、辣酱一起搅拌，将其余的成分和调味料一起在大碗中搅拌，然后冷藏20分钟。这种沙拉可以在您的冰箱存放2天。

 

番石榴

番石榴是一种不出名的热带水果，酸的很巧妙，当你吃到中心时会越来越甜。

为什么健康：

番石榴比其他任何植物性食物含有较高浓度的番茄红素（lycopene），这种抗氧化剂对前列腺癌有抵抗作用。此外，1杯番石榴汁含有688毫克的钾，你会发现这比一个半生熟的香蕉高出63％。另外番石榴可能是终极的高纤维食品：每杯含有近9克的植物纤维。

如何吃：

整个番石榴，从果皮到种子都可以食用，它所有部分都有营养。其果皮比橙肉含有更多的维生素C。您可以在高级超市或者拉丁杂货店找到番石榴。

 

瑞士牛皮菜

在超市的绿叶菜的冷柜里，你会发现这种来自地中海，味道稍苦且咸的蔬菜。

为什么健康：

半杯煮熟的瑞士甜菜提供了大量的叶黄素和玉米黄质（lutein and zeaxanthin），各约10毫克。哈佛大学研究人员认为，这些被称为类胡萝卜素的植物化学物质，可以保护受老化损伤的视网膜。这是因为这种色素会积聚在视网膜，吸收损害眼睛短波光线。因此，吃更多的叶黄素及玉米黄质（lutein and zeaxanthin），会从内部保护眼睛。

如何吃：

瑞士甜菜和烤牛排和鸡是好搭配，也可以铺在煎鱼的下面。清洗再弄干瑞士甜菜，然后把叶和茎切成到1英寸大小。在大煎锅或炒锅里加一汤匙的热橄榄油，再放两瓣压碎的大蒜。当油起烟时，把瑞士甜菜放进去，煎5至7分钟，直至叶片和茎变软，再把大蒜挑出，用盐和胡椒调味。

 

肉桂

这种古老的香料，通常只有在和糖混合塞在肉卷里时，才被大多数人吃到。

为什么健康：

肉桂有利于控制你的血糖，降低你患心脏病的危险。事实上，在美国农业部的研究人员发现，患有type-2糖尿病的病人一天吃1克肉桂（约1/4茶匙），坚持6周后，不仅血糖，而且他们的甘油三酯和低密度坏胆固醇都有所降低。这归功于香料的活性成分――甲羟查耳酮聚合物，它们使细胞代谢糖的能力提高了20倍。

如何吃：

您不需要去维生素药店去买它昂贵的油和提取物。只需在你的香料架上，放一些到您的咖啡或者燕麦片里。

 

马齿苋

虽然美国食品及药物管理局把马齿苋归类为阔叶杂草，但它在许多国家却是一种受欢迎的蔬菜和草药，包括中国，墨西哥和希腊。

为什么健康：

马齿苋与任何可食性植物相比，有最高含量的欧米加-3脂肪酸。根据得克萨斯州圣安东尼奥大学的研究人员的研究，它有益心脏健康。科学家还认为，这种药草有比其他植物多10至20倍的褪黑激素：它是一种可能抑制癌细胞增长的抗氧化剂。

如何吃：

做成沙拉。把马齿苋想成是生菜的一个伟大的替代品：叶和茎是脆的，耐嚼，多汁，而且它们有淡淡的柠檬味。在你当地的农贸市场、中国或墨西哥市场寻找它。它也作为单独的绿色叶菜或做成沙拉在一些天然食品店出售。

 

石榴汁

石榴汁是一种几十年来在中东流行的饮料，最近才在美国广泛上市。

为什么健康：

以色列科学家发现，男人一年每天只需喝2盎司的石榴汁，就可以减低他们的收缩压（最大数）21％，并且显着改善心脏血流量。另外，4盎司的果汁就可以提供每日所需维生素C的50%。

如何喝：

请尝试百分之百的石榴汁，不额外添加糖分。因为它是如此营养丰富，一小杯就有你所需的一切了。

 

枸杞果

这些葡萄干大小的果实口感好，味道介于蔓越莓和樱桃之间。更重要的是，这种有效的浆果已在西藏被用来作为药物超过1700年。

为什么健康：

枸杞果有最高的ORAC等级，这是一种由Tufts大学的研究人员设立的衡量水果中抗氧化剂能力的标准。虽然现代科学家刚刚开始研究这个古老的浆果，但他们发现，枸杞果所含的糖份可以降低患糖尿病的危险。

如何吃：

将干的或新鲜的枸杞果与一杯纯酸奶混合，再把他们洒在你的燕麦片中，或自己干吃一小撮。你可以在专业的超市或者在gojiberries.us.买到。

 

李子干

你可能更清楚“prunes”这个名字，自然联想到护养院及浴室习惯。这就是为什么制造商为了振兴这个美味水果的形象，会想换一个名称来打开市场。

为什么健康：

李子干里的果酸（neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids）含量极高，是抗击“超氧阴离子自由基(superoxide anion radical)”特别有效的抗氧化剂。这讨厌的自由基会导致你细胞的结构性破坏，这种损害被认为是患癌症主要原因之一。

如何吃：

可以作为开胃菜。用一张纸厚度的意大利熏火腿包住每个李子干，用牙签扎住。在400°F的焦炉烘烤10至15分钟，直到梅子变软，火腿变脆。大部分的脂肪会在烘烤中去除，接着你会得到品尝到香甜、可口以及健康。

 

南瓜籽

这些做南瓜灯剩下的废物是南瓜最有营养的部分。

为什么健康：

吃南瓜籽是获得镁最简单的方式。这点很重要，因为最近法国的研究人员确定，血液中镁元素水平高的男性早逝的危险比镁元素水平低的低40％。一般情况下男性每天获得353毫克矿物质，这比美国农业部建议的420毫克标准要低。

如何吃：

全部吃掉，包括壳。（种子壳提供额外的纤维）烤南瓜子每盎司含有150毫克的镁。把它们添加到你的食谱中，你就会很容易达到每日必须的420毫克矿物质标准。它们可以在小吃店和杂货店找到，通常和花生、杏仁、葵花籽摆在一起。