Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Are Your Foods Super?

The other day, while reading the newspaper (and ignoring my computer), I made a discovery that made me smile, put the paper aside, boot up my laptop, grab a handful of walnuts, and create this video:



WHAT ARE SUPER FOODS?

This is exciting news for me because I have been promoting healthy dietary choices on this blog and at livelife365.com for years, foods that if eaten regularly can help prevent disease, maintain your weight, and prolong your life. Through a lifetime of trial and error, a voracious appetite for reading and the accumulation of knowledge, extensive research, and just what makes me feel good, I’ve discovered dozens of wonderful foods that have helped me lose weight, stay fit, reduce many illnesses and maladies, and, hopefully, will allow me to live a long, happy life. The cool thing is that many of the foods that I have long advocated and devoured on a regular basis have been labeled SUPER FOODS for their ability to do all of those aforementioned amazing things.

Here are some of the SUPER FOODS that I eat all the time, and that I encourage you to try to add to your eating regimen:

BEANS (You Don‘t Know Beans)
BLUEBERRIES
BROCCOLI
OATS (Why Oatmeal Rules)
SOY (Why Soy?”)
SPINACH
GREEN TEA (Drink Green Tea Every Day)
TOMATOES (Fruit or Vegetable? Who Cares, Just Eat Tomatoes Every Day!)
ORANGES
PUMPKIN
WALNUTS
YOGURT
WHOLE GRAINS

OLIVE OIL
FLAX SEED


SALMON AND TURKEY are also considered SUPER FOODS, but are not on the list of foods I consume because I no longer eat animal protein—but that shouldn’t stop you! Back in the day, when I was a meat-eater, I ate tons of turkey and fish.

Why are these foods considered so SUPER? One thing they all have in common is that they are UNPROCESSED. Most of them are loaded with ANTIOXIDANTS and ANTI-INFLAMATORIES. Many of them are high in FIBER and MONOUNSATURATED FATS (the good kind!), and the best part: THEY ALL TASTE GREAT!

Many nutritional experts agree that a steady diet of these SUPER FOODS can:

* help reduce the risk of some cancers
* lower cholesterol
* manage hypertension
* lose weight and help maintain optimum weight
* reduce the risks of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
* enable you to live longer

The most encouraging thing I found while researching these SUPER FOODS was that the more digging I did, the more SUPER FOODS I discovered! And more often than not these foods satisfied my vegetarian lifestyle. Here are a few more SUPER FOODS:

KALE
KIWI
LENTILS
ONIONS
AVOCADOS
(Viva Avocado!”)
BUTTERNUT SQUASH

The point of all this is not to hit you over the head with all these so-called SUPER FOODS, but to encourage you to try to add as many healthier eating choices as possible to your daily diet. Why? Because as I often like to say, “Eat the right foods and the right amounts and you will enjoy a happier, healthier, longer life.”

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

For more excellent reading about SUPER FOODS and other healthy topics, please visit WebMD, an invaluable wealth of information that assisted me in the writing of this post.

36 comments:

Sandee said...

Yep, I knew this and most of these are in our diet. In fact we had turkey breast for dinner tonight since we are still meat eaters. Excellent post on what should be in our diets.

Have a terrific day Mike. :)

Anonymous said...

Great post, I just wrote a piece on superfoods for my local paper. I never understand why eggs don't seem to be on the list, though- has to be one of the best foods out there with all the nutrients packed in it!

Martin MY said...

My goodness Mike, every single one of those superfoods you mention, apart from the orange and the olive products are grown here on the farm (The oranges and olivies are imported from Greece only 50 miles away).
I always knew that the food here is 'super' and healthy and you just confirmed it.

Anonymous said...

Yay me! I need to add more beans and a couple of other things but I eat most of those super foods already! Now I just have to work on the portion control.....hmmmmm.
I LOVE turkey and salmon!!!! That's practically the only meat I DO eat.

Anonymous said...

I just discovered your blog and don't know about your background (like what could be a big career in tv journalism), so I wanted to commend you on your presence on video. I would love to put video on my blog one day and you are an inspiration. (Unless you tell me you are a tv journalist, then it's back to the drawing board for me.)

Anonymous said...

Fantastic video! My son is VERY allergic to walnuts so that one is off my list...but some of the others....Yes!. I am putting together a list. Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

Great list, Mike. Super foods from a super guy; I love it.

I already eat most of the foods on this list, but haven't done much with the green tea. I'm not really a tea drinker, but I think a nice cup at the end of the day would be great.

Thanks for the idea.........:)

Celene said...

Great information! I have had health issues so I knew most of these things. Unfortunately I don't always eat this well. I discovered a product called Vemma that is chocked full of plant based nutrients. It changed my life! Please visit my blog. I am going follow this blog. Great content and gives me a little kick in the pants to treat my body better. Blessings, Celene

Anna said...

Got to eat more of the super foods and not the stupor foods (carbs)! I have actually been better and have increased my water and green tea intake, so I'm getting there! Thanks for the info and encouragement Mike!

Anonymous said...

I must read your stuff more often, instead of just dropping by. This is great info, thanks.

Unknown said...

sandee: sounds goods...except the turkey, but that's just me...

sagan: did not find eggs on my list, but they are misunderstood...

martin: wow, that's amazing; you live in a fantastic area

casbah kitty: portion control is key, but at least you eat healthy...good for you

frenchee: you flatter me, thanks...no career on tv as of yet...

mark: sorry about your son's allergy, maybe almonds?

lisa (iowaavenue): awesome to see so many already consuming the super foods...now about that green tea...

blessings: will have to check out that vemma...

anna: hang in there and good luck (my carb prob are potato chips, by the way)

morten: thank you for dropping by...


peace,

mike

Faisal Admar said...

i love smoked salmon which usually served in a hotel buffet :)

by the way, i don't know whether you have written about this but may i know why you change from meat-eater to vegetarian?

who knows, i might as well change?

Anonymous said...

Good inspiring post!
I eat everything on that list, especially broccoli (yum!) and olive oil =)

Anonymous said...

Mike, check out this info on soy:
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm

great list...stay healthy!

Anonymous said...

I love avocados. In the Dominican Republic my dad had an avocado tree that grew the biggest fruits I had ever seen and they were delicious with a beautiful shade of green inside and out. I miss those but I'll settle for what I can get here. Thanks for this handy list of super foods.

Cascia Talbert said...

I try to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. I should eat more soy especially now that I am pregnant again. Thank you for writing this very informative post!

Jackie said...

Thanks for entering and playing along. Good luck!!

when you become the next Food T.v. star I can say hey that guy visited my blog!!:-)

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

You just made my day as I eat quite a lot of these. I could use some of the others so I guess I better get going.

Unknown said...

faisal: lots of reasons for my change to veghead, mostly to reduce saturated fats...

leo: a man after my own heart...love that olive oil

rebecca: i will read up on my soy, thanks...

spindiva: peeling open a perfect avocado is better than a christmas present

cascia: thanks for the great comment...

shinade: look out, alton brown!

heidi the healthnut: i don't have to worry about what you eat, you are VERY HEALTHY!


peace,

mike

Faisal Admar said...

i read somewhere that vegetarian could live longer, but if i'm not mistaken the oldest person in the world does eat meat?

what say you?

Femin Susan said...

Hello……
This is amazing!! Excellent post on what should be in our diets.I am so glad to found your blog!

kRiZcPEc said...

thanks for sharing the tips, I would say Japanese cuisine is super! And I love those on the list super food, cheers

Anonymous said...

Where's the chocolate and pizza in your list?? To me, those are super good foods!

Umi Admar said...

Hai mike

I like to read everything that you wrote, but mostly i like is about Oats. Will you give more about oats foruse as guideline.

Unknown said...

faisal: i say, there's always the one person who eats whatever they want, drinks all the time, and smokes who lives forever, but the rest of us still need to do all that we can to live live...365

femin: thanks for the kind words

kriz: lots of asian diets are high in super foods

karen: you're right, i need miss those. how can you have a super foods list without pizza?

umi: my favorite oat are the rolled oats in oatmeal...


peace,
mike

Anonymous said...

Hi Mike! I like your post.
Very inspiring. We are what we eat.
To gain a healthier life, we should consume healthy foods.
Have a great life everybody!

Anonymous said...

Found a few I don't currently have in my diet. Thanks! Dance and superfoods have gotten me back on the road to healthy living and considerable weight loss has been the bonus!!

Paul Eilers said...

Super foods make us feel super!

I try to eat what makes me feel good and productive. I absolutely cannot stand it when I struggle to get going and get things done.

And the usual culprit is when I have not eaten right.

Thanks for the tips. I absolutely love it when these super foods are in season!

Anonymous said...

Hi!
Thanks for the tips on your super food! Reading your site make me wanna be a veggie...
See you around.

Unknown said...

general health: true, we are what we eat...

mati: how about dancing with super foods?

paul: you got that right, when i eat poorly i feel poorly...

lunaticq: go for it, try the veggie life and let me know how it works out for you...

peace,
mike

Anonymous said...

A fantastic weekend..yes? :)

Anonymous said...

Aren't walnuts amazing? I knew I was going to be eating a late lunch one day last week, so I put six of the little buggers in my pocket. Sure enough, around 11:30 the hunger pangs set in, but after sneaking those walnuts I was ready to go for another hour. Super food! Try miracle food!

-Sarah :)

Sam said...

Hi Mike,

It's good to know that I am eating most of super foods that are listed in your post. It's good to be healthy!

Have a great day!!!

Unknown said...

mark: yes, it was...too short

passionategreen: nuts bring a lot to the table: fiber, protein, and are great healthy snacks

sam: yes, it is good to be healthy...


peace,

mike

Anonymous said...

Great article.. Keep posting

shonstuart said...

food is very important for human body and the food should be good and helpful...