shy super foods:
top 5 media-shy nutrition powerhouses grown right here in ontario
By Dr katie thompson aitken
What do you think of when you hear the word “super food?” Most of us think of exotic foods, curated from far away places, touted in magazines and on television for their super powers. “Eat these,” says Oprah; it will cure your ailments, you will be happy and healthy, they will make you look younger. We often extract them and bottle them up, adding them to all kinds of food products hoping to get in on the magic.
The nutritional power of eating a whole foods diet is rarely overstated. And one of the reasons many super foods get the spotlight is that they are nutritional powerhouses, chock full of good things we need to stay healthy. But you may be surprised to learn you don’t have to travel the world to find foods with amazing healing benefits. “Super foods” grow everywhere, including our own back yards! Here is a list of my favorite local super-foods; these “shy” super-foods grow right here in Guelph, yet miss out on the media attention that their glamorized cousins attract, but pack just as much of a nutritional punch!
Apple
We all know apples are good for us, but just how good they are can come as a surprise. The fiber in apples benefits a host of things in our bodies from a digestive system to our cholesterol. Additionally, apples are high in quercetin, which is beneficial for our immune systems.
Cabbage
The humble cabbage has been playing second fiddle recently to its limelight-loving brother, kale, but in many ways cabbage is just as much of a super food! Like kale it’s incredibly nutrient rich and is full of glucosinolates, a type of molecule known for anti-cancer effects. To add power to this already impressive food many traditional ways of eating cabbage (such as saurkraut and kim chi) are fermented. When prepared traditionally and unpasteurized, these foods become a source of beneficial probiotics! How super is that?!?
Cranberry
Like all berries, cranberries are full of antioxidants. These berries are just as good for you as the exotic berries that get all the attention. On top of the anti-cancer, anti-aging benefits we all look for in our antioxidant rich foods cranberries are uniquely beneficial to the urinary system and can be used to treat and prevent urinary tract infections.
Egg
Super foods don’t have to be plants! This protein powerhouse is quick-cooking and reasonably portable. Contrary to pop-culture nutrition wisdom, eating eggs has actually been shown to improve blood cholesterol measures. Additionally they’re a great source of choline, a nutrient required to maintain the integrity of every cell in our bodies! Eggs (especially from free-range hens) also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
Dandelion
Did you know that the dandelion “weeds” growing in your yard are actually food, and a medicinal food! Dandelions are a tonic to the urinary stem, digestive system, and liver. The bitter leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and can even be dried and then steeped as a tea!
P.S. Spring is on its way, and we’ve got more on the topic of “Weed or Medicine?” coming right up!
Check out Dr. Liz’s annual Medicinal Plants Workshop this June 23rd at the University of Guelph Arboretum!
The nutritional power of eating a whole foods diet is rarely overstated. And one of the reasons many super foods get the spotlight is that they are nutritional powerhouses, chock full of good things we need to stay healthy. But you may be surprised to learn you don’t have to travel the world to find foods with amazing healing benefits. “Super foods” grow everywhere, including our own back yards! Here is a list of my favorite local super-foods; these “shy” super-foods grow right here in Guelph, yet miss out on the media attention that their glamorized cousins attract, but pack just as much of a nutritional punch!
Apple
We all know apples are good for us, but just how good they are can come as a surprise. The fiber in apples benefits a host of things in our bodies from a digestive system to our cholesterol. Additionally, apples are high in quercetin, which is beneficial for our immune systems.
Cabbage
The humble cabbage has been playing second fiddle recently to its limelight-loving brother, kale, but in many ways cabbage is just as much of a super food! Like kale it’s incredibly nutrient rich and is full of glucosinolates, a type of molecule known for anti-cancer effects. To add power to this already impressive food many traditional ways of eating cabbage (such as saurkraut and kim chi) are fermented. When prepared traditionally and unpasteurized, these foods become a source of beneficial probiotics! How super is that?!?
Cranberry
Like all berries, cranberries are full of antioxidants. These berries are just as good for you as the exotic berries that get all the attention. On top of the anti-cancer, anti-aging benefits we all look for in our antioxidant rich foods cranberries are uniquely beneficial to the urinary system and can be used to treat and prevent urinary tract infections.
Egg
Super foods don’t have to be plants! This protein powerhouse is quick-cooking and reasonably portable. Contrary to pop-culture nutrition wisdom, eating eggs has actually been shown to improve blood cholesterol measures. Additionally they’re a great source of choline, a nutrient required to maintain the integrity of every cell in our bodies! Eggs (especially from free-range hens) also have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
Dandelion
Did you know that the dandelion “weeds” growing in your yard are actually food, and a medicinal food! Dandelions are a tonic to the urinary stem, digestive system, and liver. The bitter leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and can even be dried and then steeped as a tea!
P.S. Spring is on its way, and we’ve got more on the topic of “Weed or Medicine?” coming right up!
Check out Dr. Liz’s annual Medicinal Plants Workshop this June 23rd at the University of Guelph Arboretum!