Dr. Goldberg - Power Foods

Here’s a great article presented by Dr. Goldberg of the AdvoCare SciMed Board on the importance of “power foods”.

Power Foods

In the best of all possible worlds, we’d always have the time to choose, find and prepareHealthy pyramid 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.

Dr. Goldberg