Three Superfoods You Aren’t Eating (But Should)

There are plenty of health and nutrition articles that tell you which foods you should be eating more of.  Chances are that you already have a list of those foods in your head, which is a great start.  But incorporating more super foods into your diet on a weekly basis is an essential, positive healthy habit that all of us can achieve, with some tasty recipes and culinary inspiration.

1. Kale
Possibly one of the most written about green and leafy vegetables, kale is a superstar among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.  One cup of chopped kale offers 206% of your daily vitamin A requirement, 134% of your daily vitamin C. It also provides 9% of your daily calcium, and 6% of your body’s daily iron requirement. Looking for clever ways to sneak more kale into your weekly diet?  Check out some of these healthy and delicious recipe ideas:
Kale chips
Kale smoothies
Kale soup

Crispy kale chips are a delicious and nutritious alternative to other snack foods, but kale is easily added into smoothies, as it is virtually tasteless when combined with fruit.  Another great way to sneak a little extra into your diet is to throw a cup or two of chopped kale into your favorite homemade soup.

2. Sardines
Next time you order a pizza, don’t “hold the sardines” but add them for a flavor and nutritious boost to your meal.  While many types of fish are on a dietary alert for pollution and mercury levels, the small cousin of the herring fish has less opportunity to build up unhealthy levels of toxins, given its size.  That makes it one of the healthiest fish sources to eat. Not sure how to make sardines part of your meal plan? Try some of these:

• Smoked or grilled sardines
• Sardine fritters in sriracha
• Pasta aioli with sardines

When cooking with sardines, remember that they add a unique salty flavor, so go sparingly or avoid adding salt. The sardine provides omega-3 fatty acids including EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) which help break down LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of heart diseases by clearing arterial plaque, and lowering blood pressure.  They are a source of zinc, vitamins A, D, E, K, B6 and B12, as well as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin.

3. Blueberries
Low in calories, high in flavor and absolutely packed with healthy nutrients, everyone should be eating raw blueberries for dessert, midafternoon snacks or any time a craving for something sweet hits.  There are two primary types of blueberries common to the United States, which are the highbush variety (usually farm grown and larger berries) and the lowbush blueberry, also known as the wild blueberry.  Both types are nutritious, however the lowbush variety is smaller, but has a higher density of beneficial antioxidants. Try some of these delicious and nutritious blueberry recipe suggestions:

• Raw vegan blueberry smoothie
• Raw berry crisp (dessert)
• Blueberry and coconut milk popsicles

A single cup serving of blueberries contains 4g of dietary fiber, 25% of your daily required Manganese, 24% of your vitamin C RDA, and 36% of your daily vitamin K requirement.  An cup of blueberries is hydrating, containing 85% water by composition, 84 calories and only 15 grams of carbohydrates, making it a perfect fruit snack for glucose reduced diets.

Every month, we produce our “Living Well” newsletter, and we would love to include healthy, recommended recipes from our customers and Affiliates.  If you would like to submit your recipe to be published on our blog or newsletter, write to us at: Info@RobKellerMD.com and include “Healthy Recipe” in your email subject.    We look forward to sharing your delicious and nutritious recipe ideas. There are some superfoods you might be missing, consider cilantro.