The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating

[steven johnson]

Here's an interesting list of nutritional sources with healt claims. Bon apetite!

Beets

Swiss chard

Cinnamon

Pomegranate juice

Dried plums

Pumpkin seeds

Sardines

Turmeric

Frozen blueberries

Canned pumpkin


The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating

[dkf]

1. Sardines?

Interesting

[panader0]

2. mercury-free sardines that is.

[Lasher]

5. The article says to eat sardines that have been packed in oil.

I buy the ones that are packed in water. I like them better and I don't see how it's a good thing to have that oil in there if its not needed.

[Cirque du So-What]

6. Perhaps it's due to properties of the oil

that preserve omega-3 fatty acids or certain enzymes.

[Lasher]

14. Well that's OK for some folks I guess.

But I need to watch my weight, and one way I do that is to avoid oily food when it's practical. I do get some olive oil because I use it in cooking. I think it's better for you than generic vegetable oil, et. al, and foods fried in it sit lighter on my stomach. I had to stop eating fried green tomatoes, for example, because they just seemed so greasy. But then I switched to olive oil and I could enjoy them again, just like in the cast iron stomach days of my youth.

Sorry for rambling just a tad.

[Cirque du So-What]

21. All things in moderation

I wouldn't recommend a daily serving of sardines packed in oil to anyone - much less pregnant women or small children (AS IF you could BRIBE a kid to eat sardines!) due to concerns over mercury. Sodium content could be a concern for sensitive individuals as well.

If the nutrition labels are to be believed, a 1-can serving of Bumble Bee sardines in oil has only 10 more calories (1-2 g more fat) per serving than those packed in water. The oil content could be reduced further with careful draining. I'd prefer that processors use olive oil instead of cottonseed oil, but it's more expensive, so it ain't gonna happen. Besides, olive oil breaks down more readily than other highly-processed vegetable oils, so it may not be feasible for that reason.

It's important to remember that many nutrients are fat-soluble, requiring oils or other fats for transport through the digestive tract. A truly fat-free diet would lead to malnutrition. Again, all things in moderation.

[BonnieJW]

44. I think mercury is a worry in larger fish.

The smaller ones don't have time to absorb it like a tuna, for example.

[Th1onein]

16. I eat about two or three cans a week of sardines packed in oil

I'm not a health food addict, but I crave those sardines, and always have. I eat 'em on crackers. They're delish.

[Lasher]

32. I do the same, except mine are packed in water as I said.

I used to put vinegar on them but nowadays I use a little salt and just eat them out of the can. Yummy!

[Orangeone]

24. Small fish like sardines

usually don't have mercury, fish further up the food chain accumulate mercury.

[hlthe2b]

3. Nah... cinnamin daily, frozen blueberries with yoghurt most AM,

Turmeric in Indian foods I eat at least once weekly and I had sardines in a nicoise salad last week (though I don't really like them).... The others I eat infrequently, but only beats is an absolute near zero...


Interesting lst though...

[notadmblnd]

13. I love beets. I ate so many once that I scared myself

everything came out the other end blood red and I do mean everything.

[jtrockville]

15. I roasted some beets yesterday. Got a surprise this morning!

I love beets.

[OnionPatch]

26. Beets are amazingly delicious when they're roasted.

I spent half my life thinking I hated beets because I didn't like the pickled, canned kind. Now they're one of my favorite veggies. I love them roasted, chilled and sliced on a salad with some walnuts and goat cheese....:P

[hlthe2b]

19. I have had good borscht before....

but, that is about the extent of my beet-eating...

[Frustratedlady]

20. Try pickled beets. Yummmmmm!

[BonnieJW]

45. Try beets raw in a salad!

They are wonderful. I scrub them and put them in some salad dressing to marinate. They are so crunchy and sweet.

[elocs]

4. Well, I did give my cat canned pumpkin this morning. n/t

[noamnety]

7. "canned" pumpkin, "frozen" blueberries

That reads really funny if you have a garden, like I should toss out my own squashes that are steamed and frozen, and buy it in a can instead.

I am doing surprisingly well off that list, ate a pomegranate last night, had plum pierogi last week, had cabbage 4 nights this week, grow my own beets, swiss chard, blueberries and winter squash (pumpkiny enough), and use a ton of cinnamon and turmeric in cooking. Sardines, though, are just not gonna happen. Blech.

[tridim]

25. Frozen blueberries are beautiful!

And still dirt cheap at Costco.

And yes, I have a garden with a few bushes. I produce about half a bag per year, not enough IMO. I'm glad there are high quality frozen berries available.

[noamnety]

27. I'm not knocking the frozen ones.

Just thinking it might make more sense to list "blueberries" and in the small text, add "frozen if they aren't in season locally."

It relates to what people perceive to be the normal state of food - fresh, or processed in some way. I have the same question about plums, dried ones are listed, but it's not like they have more nutrients because they are dried. Why not just list plums?

[Name removed]

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[niyad]

8. actaully, I eat everything on the list except dried plums--eat those fresh.

cinnamon balances blood sugar, very handy thing to know.

[Cirque du So-What]

9. With the sole exception of pomegranate juice

I consume all those foods, albeit sporadically. Hardly a day passes without some cinnamon, however. I will make an effort to include those foods more frequently - along with overcoming my miserly nature, biting the fiscal bullet & purchasing pomegranate juice.

[jpak]

10. I eat most of those on a regular basis

I make pumpkin pies from scratch - & save, roast and eat the seeds. Squash (with homemade maple syrup) and squash seeds too. All homegrown or local.

I also make my own pickled beets - yum

Cabbage and Swiss Chard - in the summer and fall - homegrown or fresh local. Kale too... A friend makes me a pile of homebrewed sauerkraut each fall from his cabbage patch - much better than the commercial stuff.

Maine Sardines - yup! Out of the can or in sandwiches. I also freeze 5-10 pounds of smelt I catch during the winter ice fishing and 30-40 pounds of Maine cod, haddock and cusk from summer deep sea fishing trips.

Frozen blueberries the garden - I freeze 40-50 cups each summer. Local strawberries too (30-50 cups each year) using organic sugar. I use Maine wild blueberries for pies (finest kind).

and I love turmeric and my own hot chile peppers in scrambled (local) eggs.

Now I'm hungry...

:D

[msongs]

11. chard is extremely easy to grow nt

[abluelady]

12. Do pomegranate martinies count?

I love them and drink them whenever they're offered!:blush:

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. We eat all except the sardines...but plenty of Salmon and Tuna.

[liberalmuse]

18. I still have PTSD from beets.

My mom made me eat all of the big gob of beets she'd put on my plate. I'd be retching until tears ran down my face. I guess I'll have to try them as the article suggests - raw. Thanks for posting! These days I'm trying to eat the foods that pack the biggest nutritional punch.

[noamnety]

28. I hated them as a kid. Could not eat them.

I think that's one of the things where taste buds might change as we age. I'd try one roasted before raw, personally. Some days I love the raw ones, others not so much. And if you can grow them yourself, I find fresh ones way more appealing than store bought.

[juno jones]

40. May I suggest juicing them and using them in smoothies

They blend pretty well with fruit in that context.

To say I am not a beet fan would be understatement, however, my former chef used to roast them-par boil for 3 minutes, drain, cool, toss in salt, pepper, oil, and a dash of balsamic vinegar, then roast them in a 350 oven. They were pretty good. She also did brussel sprouts that way as well. Yum.

[tango-tee]

41. Yum!

With just a tad bit of brown butter drizzled over them... delicious!

[juno jones]

43. Oh gods yes! Brown butter!

This week I plan to cook off one of the hubbard squash from my garden and turn it into one of my favorite dishes- squash ravioli with brown butter.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

[ananda]

22. There's a reason for that.

Most of them are totally repulsive, like beets, sardines,
pomegranate, and pumpkin.

I already get turmeric in a supplement, and I eat a handful
of FRESH blueberries every morning. They're ok.

[shirlden]

23. I eat them all

but prefer fresh pumpkin when I can get it and have more Kale than Chard. The Pom I drink every day. It is clearing out my plugged up carotid arteries.(really) The sardines, maybe once or twice a month.
Doing raw food bread this morning in my dehydrator. It freezes well. Nothing better for lunch than homemade hummus, homegrown sprouts, and living bread. Micky D not welcome in my kitchen.

[lady lib]

29. Pumpkin is a fruit, not a vegetable.

I'm just saying...:)

As for the list, I actually do eat most of those foods and find them quite delicious!

[OffWithTheirHeads]

30. Beet lovers, if you have not tried it yet, eat the greens too!

prepare them the same way you would do Chard.

Stir fry them in a little Bacon with red wine vinegar and minced garlic. I love beets but I love the greens even more.

[starroute]

31. Does anybody know a good way to use more turmeric?

Unlike a lot of spices, turmeric seems to show up only in hardcore curry dishes. At there other things it can be tossed into (Mexican? Chinese?) without getting intrusive?

[Alongtheway]

33. Popcorn

It's great on popcorn with cumin and olive oil. Messy, though.

I've used it in yogurt before, also with cumin and with some black pepper and other things.

I was using it in scrambled eggs for a while.

[Melissa G]

34. Take it in caps. It helps joint pain and flexibility.

Yogi's use turmeric in 'golden milk'. Google for a recipe or PM me. you can also scramble tofu in it for a surrogate for scrambled eggs. Gives the tofu a yellow color. add potatoes and make a breakfast taco.
Enjoy!

[HuckleB]

36. I use it all the time, on fish, poultry, pork, sauteed veggies...

It's got great flavor!

[Quantess]

37. I wouldn't add it to Mexican food because I think the flavors would clash.

Curry or even just turmeric tastes good on baked chicken and rice.

Just curry and soy sauce and a dash of oil is all you need to cook the chicken in. I sprinkle extra curry on the rice (side dish).

[BonnieJW]

46. Add a little bit to all your savory dishes.

You won't taste it. In a soup, chili, stews.

[HuckleB]

35. K & R.

Saw that piece the other day. Good stuff.

[eridani]

38. Chard is a royal disaster for anyone on coumadin

High levels of vitamin K are strongly inhibitory.

[Dorian Gray]

39. I eat 10 of those

on a fairly regular basis.

Dried plum (aka PRUNES), however.... not really!

[Name removed]

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