OK athletes. My last post was about so-called healthy foods that really aren't. Well, here’s the flip side—these 5 foods are often criticized as being “fattening,” a waste of calories or devoid of nutrients. I couldn’t disagree more. These truly healthy foods don’t deserve to be shunned. Here’s why along with my tips for how to eat them:
Dried fruit – It’s just fresh fruit with most of the water removed. When you buy unsweetened dried fruit, no sugar has been added, so aside from shrinking in size (i.e. grape vs. raisin), all the good stuff (vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, etc.) is maintained. You can find dried versions of just about every fruit these days (berries, mango, peaches) but one of the healthiest is figs. Two dried figs provide just 100 calories but are chock full of nutrients, including 20% of all the dietary fiber you need daily, potassium, calcium, and iron. Just stick with unsweetened and since they’re ‘shunk,’ limit the portion to about the size of a golf ball to control calories.
How to Eat: Add sliced dried figs, apricots, dates, plums, etc. to whole grain cereal or oatmeal for breakfast, or stir them into natural peanut butter and spread on celery for a sweet & salty snack.
Frozen veggies – A recent study found that the vitamin C content of fresh broccoli sank by 56% in seven days, but dipped just 10% in a year’s time when frozen at -20 C. Freezing essentially “locks in” important nutrients instead of destroying them and there’s no washing, peeling or chopping required. Just look for veggies with one ingredient (the veggie itself) and no additives, preservatives & sauces.
How to Eat: Spruce them up by sprinkling with a pre-made seasoning mix like Italian herbs and microwaving or sauté in sesame or peanut oil for a quick stir fry.
Bananas – It’s true that bananas are low in water compared to other fruits. That means there’s more carbohydrate (and therefore more calories) per bite compared to watery fruits like melon. But, that’s a good thing for athletes since carbs are your body’s preferred fuel source. Don’t shun them—even if you’re watching your weight. Bananas provide no fat, cholesterol, or sodium, and they’re incredibly nutritious. You’ve probably heard that they're high in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and muscle contractions. They’re also a good source of vitamin B6 (which helps maintain blood sugar levels and is needed to build protein in the body as well as nerves and immune cells), vitamin C (for immunity) and fiber (for cholesterol control and digestive health). To keep calories in check, just choose “baby” bananas, the ones about the size of long fingers, which are naturally portion controlled (and neatly wrapped!). One of these little guys provides just 50-60 calories (less than a small apple) and amounts to about ½ cup when sliced.
How to Eat: Toss into your bag and eat as is or peel and dip into nonfat yogurt and roll in either whole oats, crushed nuts or mini chocolate chips (or all three), wrap in wax paper and freeze.
White potatoes – They’re packed with over 60 different vitamins and antioxidants. Spuds are also filled with resistant starch, a fibrous substance that could help you burn more body fat and lose weight. One cup (size of a baseball) of a baked potato with the skin provides over 25% of the vitamin C you need daily, along with 15-20% of a day’s vitamin B6, copper, and potassium – all key nutrients for health. In fact, a tater provides more potassium than a banana. And, the calorie price tag is minimal – about 130 per cup (roughly 6% of an average healthy adult’s daily calories needs). They also pack about 3 grams of filling dietary fiber.
How to Eat: Bake several potatoes (skins on), chill overnight and cube. In the morning, saute with peppers and onions in olive oil for a filling breakfast side dish that will stick with you and keep you full for hours.
Juice – It does have less fiber than whole fruit and juices go down fast but cup for cup, 100% juice counts as fruit, and some common juices score very high as antioxidant-boosters. Juices do contain sugar, but it’s natural, not added—natural sugars are those put there by Mother Nature, and shouldn’t be restricted at all—they don’t create the same negative effects in the body that added sugars do (the refined kinds food manufacturers mix in), and those natural sugars are naturally bundled with lots of important nutrients.
How to Eat: Blend with ice and either milk, soy milk or yogurt for a refreshing smoothie, or freeze in popsicle molds!
So, what’s your take on this list? If you have shunned any of these foods will you consider putting them back on your plate?