50 BEST FOODS
It’s a fact: what you eat has a powerful effect on how you look and feel. Our 50
power packed foods, based on the recommendations of food researchers, health
practitioners, and nutritionists, can help you achieve four important goals; a
healthy weight, increased energy, better moods, and radiant skin.
Obviously no single food is a miracle cure for a poor diet. But if you already
eat a well-balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruit, whole grains and
beans, a few strategic choices can put you over the top in terms of how you look
and feel.
FOODS THAT AID WEIGHT LOSS
Some of the following foods fill you up so you feel satisfied, others steady
your blood sugar and stave off cravings, and a few others stimulate your
metabolism. Aim to eat moderate portions of as many of these foods as you can –
apart from anything else, you won’t have much room for unhealthier foods.
1. Apples. A good source of pectin, a soluble fibre that provides bulk and
digests slowly, helping you feel full. A 1997 study in the Journal of the
American College of Nutrition found that 5g of pectin was enough to leave people
feeling satisfied for up to four hours. Two large apples provide about
two-thirds that amount.
2. Barley. One cup of hulled barley contains 6g of fibre (about a quarter of
your daily needs), less than 1g of fat, and more than 40g of complex
carbohydrates. It’s low-fat complex carbs like this that increase the rate at
which your body burns kilojoules. Try barley in an easy multigrain cereal;
combine ½ C each of barley, cracked wheat, and oats with 4 ½ C water and place
on high heat. Cover and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit
covered, overnight in the morning, reheat.
3. Black beans. Low in fat and packed with 15g of fibre per cup (bout 60% of
your daily requirement), which fills you up and digests slowly so you’re less
likely to crave unhealthy foods.
4. Burdock root. This root vegetable contains insulin, a carbohydrate that may
regulate your blood sugar and control hunger. It’s difficult to find fresh or
dried locally, but you’ll find it in capasule and tincture form at good health
shops. (Pregnant women should avoid burdock).
5. Melon. It satisfies a sweet tooth, but is super-low in kilojoules. They’re
the richest fruit source of enzymes and should be juiced whole, as over 90% of
these enzymes are in the rind. Melons are rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6, folic
acid, betacarotene; and the minerals potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and
sulphur. Spanspek are the most nutritious, followed by honeydew, then
watermelon.
6. Carrots. They’re a smart weight-loss food; convenient for snacking, low in
kilojoules and rich in fibre- a cup of carrot sticks contains just 220kj and 4g
of fibre, about 16% of your daily fibre needs. A study in the Journal of the
American Medical Association found that the more fibre we eat, the less likely
we are to gain weight.
7. Cereal. A 1999 study in the International Journal of Food Sciences and
Nutrition found that people who consume high-fibre breakfasts eat less at lunch
than those who eat low fibre or high fat breakfasts. Look for cereals that
contain at least 6g of fibre per serving.
8. Chillies. Some scientists say capsaicin, the substance that gives chillies
their kick, may help your body burn kJ at a slightly faster rate, although more
research is needed. Scientists do agree that capsaicin decreases your appetite
when consumed from whole chillies. Place half a chilli (with some pith and seeds
removed to control the heat) in pasta sauces as they simmer.
9. Dandelion greens are recommended for their diuretic properties and their
ability to stabilise blood sugar (which prevents binge eating). Find the leaves
and roots dried in good health shops, as well as capsules and tinctures.
10. Fruit smoothies. A home-made fruit smoothie for breakfast – or to tide you
over before supper, especially if you’re going out to eat and will have only
limited control over what’s on your plate – is a brilliant idea. A couple of
chunks of ice, half an apple or a handful of frozen berries (see above), a
couple of Brazil nuts (see below), a heaped dessertspoon of oat bran, half a cup
of fat-free youghurt – brilliant. It’s filling, and it’s full of goodness.
11. Ginger. When you’re counting kJ, you’re more likely to feel satisfied with
smaller portions if your food is highly seasoned with spices like ginger. Add
freshly grated ginger to soups, stews, and stir-fries.
12. Green tea. A 1999 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
that people who consumed green tea burnt more kJ than those who took either
caffeine alone or a placebo, for weight loss benefits, pour 2 cups of water,
brought just to a boil, over 1 teaspoon container for 30 minutes. Drink up to 3
cups a day if you can’t stand the taste, try adding some ginger or lemongrass to
the brew, or chill and top up with mineral water and a squeeze of lemon juice.
If you’re trying to cut caffeine altogether, you need to know that it exists
also in green tea, though at much lower levels.
13. Your favourite treat. One of the reasons people struggle to eat healthily,
says Dr. Miriam Stoppard in Healthy Weight Loss (Penguin) is that they feel they
have to abandon all treats for the rest of their life. Stoppard swears by the
80-20 rule. If you eat the right food for 80% of the time, it hardly matters
what you eat for the other 20%.
14. Onions are thought to accelerate the breakdown of fats in your food. It’s
also worth noting that one large onion contains a meagre 240kJ.
15. Strawberries are full of water, high in fibre, and super low in kJ (just
180kJ per cup), which makes them ideal for weight loss. A warning: they
typically contain high levels of pesticide residues, so try to buy organic
berries.
16. Tempeh is a fermented cake of pressed soyabeans, easy to digest. Like all
proteins, it helps you hold on to muscle as you lose weight. A typical serving
contains 24g of protein and 28% of your RDA of fibre. Available from good Asian
stores and health shops.
17. Vegetable soup contains relatively few kJ, but is packed with fibre and
vitamins – a great way of getting your vegetable quota down every day; and
filling. Make up a batch (we regularly carry fantastic recipes in shape) – see
some of them on www.shapemag.co.za – every weekend, and freeze it in portion
sizes for easily portable lunches or light suppers. Beans push up the fibre
content still further; and chilli increases the satisfaction quotient.
18. Wholegrain bread. Unrefined grains require you to chew vigorously and create
a feeling of fullness, making you less likely to grab another slice. The vitamin
and fibre quotients are also much higher.
FOODS THAT BOOST ENERGY
On days when you’re dragging, eating the next six foods can give you an
extra boost.
19. Blackstrap molasses. An iron deficiency is a common cause of fatigue,
especially in menstruating women. (If you think you could be deficient, ask your
doctor to check). Blackstrap molasses can help, one tablespoon supplies 17% of a
woman’s daily iron needs. Add molasses to baked goods or stir a teaspoon into a
mug of warm soyamilk.
20. Black tea. It’s the caffeine in tea that can perk you up, but it’s less of a
jolt, and therefore less anxiety providing, because it contains only about 40mg
of caffeine to coffee’s 135mg. Black tea also has polyphenols, antioxidants that
protect against free radical damage. Limit your intake to about three cups a
day.
21. Brown rice is a source of complex carbohydrates, which provide sustained
fuel and prevents fatigue. It’s also rich in the B vitamins that help turn food
into energy. It takes longer to cook than white, but freezes excellently, so
double up when you’re cooking.
22. Quinoa. A source of B vitamins, quinoa is also rich in protein. Rinse 1 cup
(to remove traces of saponin, a bitter-tasting resin) and add it to 2 cups
boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes without stirring. Add slivered almonds,
carrots, and peas in the last 3 minutes.
23. Sea vegetables are loaded with minerals, including calcium, iodine, iron,
magnesium and potassium. Another reason to eat sushi. Supplement your sushi with
dulse, a red Irish seaweed available in powdered form from health shops,
sprinkled on soups and vegetables; and kombu, widely available from health shops
and Asian food stores.
24. Water. If you’re constantly tired, drink more water. Fatigue is a common
symptom of dehydration, and most people are in a constant state of low-grade
dehydration.
FOOD THAT LIFT YOUR MOOD
Almost any pleasant-tasting food will improve your mood by elevating your
supply of endarphins – brain chemicals that make you feel good. But the 11 foods
in this section don’t just taste good – many also contain compounds that help
you relax, dear your mind, and prevent depression.
25. Avocados are one of the richest plant sources of B vitamins, including B6.
(Half an avocado provides one-third of your recommended daily amount). B6
appears to help elevate mood, and some studies show that people who are
depressed lack this vitamin.
26. Bananas provide magnesium, a muscle-tension fighter that helps you relax,
and more than half your daily requirement of B6, a nutrient that may ease
depression.
27. Brazil nuts are the richest known source of selenium, a trace mineral that
studies suggest can improve mood. Just two a day supplies the amount of selenium
that researchers found beneficial.
28. Chamomile tea has a slight anti-anxiety effect and acts as a mild sedative.
To make a cup, pour very hot (not boiling) water over 2 teaspoons of dried
flowers or a chamomile tea bag. Steer for 5 minutes, strain, and drink.
29. Chocolate Cocoa contains phenyl-ethlamine, a compound that increases your
production of the brain chemicals adrenaline and dopamine, which elevates mood.
A 1996 study in Nature found that chocolate also contains small amounts of
anandamine, a substance that’s similar to the mood altering chemicals in
marijuana, but some researchers believe there’s too little to have an effect.
Good quality dark chocolate is healthiest, and it’s probably best to eat no more
than two squares a day.
30. Flaxseeds. A US study reported in 2000 that people with low blood levels of
omega 3 fatty acids may be at higher risk for depression. Other studies show
that consuming omega – 3 fatty acids may improve mood. Flaxseeds are the richest
plant source of omega - 3. To make their beneficial nutrients absorbable, grind
them and sprinkle 2 tablespoons on cereal or salads. Store in the refrigerator.