The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (38 page)

But protein calories
do
count: Each gram of protein contains 4 calories. We need protein—it helps rebuild muscle and organs—but the typical American diet includes far more protein than most people's bodies require. Excess protein can stress the liver and kidneys and can precipitate dehydration.

So the key is to eat just the right amount of protein to keep your body healthy. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for both men and women is 0.37 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Those who get a substantial amount of exercise may need more. Endurance exercisers such as walkers, joggers, and dancers may need 0.55 to 0.64 grams of protein per pound of body weight every day; those who do strength training, such as with weights, may need as much as 0.77 to 0.82 grams of protein per pound of body weight every day. Another way to estimate your protein needs is as a percentage of total calories: Aim for 20 to 25 percent of your total calories in a day to come from protein sources.

Eating protein foods at each meal or snack helps keep you satisfied longer, because protein foods are digested more slowly than carbohydrates. It takes from three to six hours to digest a high-protein food, compared to about one hour for a food that is mainly carbohydrates. And we do need protein every day—it's one of the basic building blocks of the body and makes up about 16 percent of our total
body weight. Muscle, hair, skin, and connective tissue are mostly protein, and all the enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and neurotransmitters in your body are produced from protein.

Proteins are the body's building blocks, and amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Of the 20 “standard” amino acids required by the body, eight are considered “essential”—they must be provided by foods because the body cannot manufacture them. Protein from animal sources—including poultry, beef, pork, fish, milk, and eggs—contains the full complement of essential amino acids and are considered “complete” proteins. Egg protein is the highest biological value protein. It has the highest protein efficiency ratio and is used as the reference for comparing the relative protein values of other foods. Most plant sources of protein are not complete: They are low in (or lack) one or more of the essential amino acids. The idea of combining plant proteins to provide a complete protein in each meal was popularized in the 1970s by Frances Moore Lappé in her book
Diet for a Small Planet.
It is still optimal to balance the vegetable proteins within a meal, but later research indicates that it may be sufficient to balance your proteins within a day's menu.

Generally, non-meat protein sources can be divided into four categories based on which amino acids they have and which they lack: milk (including milk, yogurt, cheese, and fresh cheeses like cottage and ricotta), grains, legumes (dried beans, lentils, split peas, peanuts, and soy products, including tofu), and nuts and seeds. Although the milk category is a complete protein by itself, the concentration of some amino acids is low. The same is true for soybeans, which is the only bean that is considered a complete protein.

Grains lack the amino acids in which milk is high, so they are complemented by milk. Beans lack the amino acids that are abundant in grains. So the milk needs the grains and the grains need the beans. Here is a mnemonic to help you remember the groups that combine to provide the most balanced protein: My Grandmother Likes Nuts and Seeds—Milk goes with Grains; Grains go with Legumes; Legumes go with Nuts and Seeds. Some examples of food combinations that provide more complete vegetarian protein content are cereal and milk, pasta and cheese, bread and peanut butter, rice and beans, beans and corn, beans and a tortilla, and chick-peas with sesame seeds (for example, hummus with tahini).

Because soy is considered a complete vegetable protein, it is included here in the Proteins chapter. It comes in many forms and there are many ways to incorporate it into your meals, as evidenced by its appearance in four different SuperFood listings in this chapter: edamame, soy nuts, tempeh, and tofu.

Many protein-rich foods are included in other chapters of the book as well. Legumes other than soy are included in
Chapter 2
, Carbohydrates: Starchy Vegetables.
Milk and some soy products are listed in
Chapter 5
, Dairy and Non-Dairy. Seeds and nuts are listed in
Chapter 7
, Fats, due to their rich monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat content.

An overall Livit rule of thumb is that eating more plant foods and less meat will help you live younger, longer. A predominantly vegetarian diet confers phenomenal health benefits, providing more fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, potassium, and magnesium; a wider variety of plant-based phytochemicals to help reduce risk of chronic diseases; and less saturated fat, protecting the heart from some of its greatest dangers.

Convincing evidence shows that vegetarians have a greater life expectancy. Vegetarians have lower rates of coronary heart disease and lower low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol; lower rates of hypertension and diabetes; and a lower prevalence of obesity. Vegetarians also have lower cancer rates, in particular, a lower risk of colorectal cancer.

So try to limit meat's role as the star of your meals. Of your two main meals each day, aim to make at least one of them vegetarian.

LOW-MERCURY FISH

Fish is an ultimate anti-aging SuperFood, as long as you eat predominantly low-mercury fish. They are, obviously, a source of animal protein. But they lack many of the harmful attributes of other animal foods—especially the saturated fats—and they are the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids, which appear to protect the heart and circulatory system by lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and some types of strokes. Salmon is an especially good source. Try to eat fish two or three times a week.

Benefits

Almond butter is a great, high-protein, high-energy alternative to peanut butter. Almonds provide significant protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and vitamin E. Because almond butter is rich in monounsaturated fats but extremely low in saturated fats (and it has no trans fats at all), it is a heart-healthy choice.

Almonds and almond butter are rich in plant sterols, which appear to have cholesterol-lowering benefits. One plant sterol, beta-sitosterol, appears to alleviate the
symptoms of benign prostate hypertrophy—enlarged prostate—a condition that more than half of men over age 50 will experience. Two tablespoons of almond butter contains roughly 35 milligrams of beta-sitosterol.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
Two tablespoons of organic creamy roasted almond butter provides 195 calories, 6 g carbohydrate, 8 g protein, 17 g fat, 3 g dietary fiber, 100 mg calcium, and 1.08 mg iron.

Bringing It Home

Choose organic almond butter with few additives. Some almond butters contain peanut oil, so if you are allergic to peanuts, check the label. Almond butter comes in roasted and non-roasted styles—many people find the roasted nuts make a richer-flavored butter. You can also find almond butter in both smooth and creamy styles.

Almond butter will keep on the shelf for a month or more if the jar has not been opened and it is protected from light and heat. Once you have opened the jar, however, it needs to be refrigerated. You may wish to stir the refrigerated almond butter occasionally to make it easier to spread when it's time to use it.

Some almond butter added to a breakfast shake will boost its protein content and give it a rich new taste.

Livit Recipe

This recipe is gluten-free!

1 teaspoon margarine

16 ounces roasted almond butter

1 cup agave nectar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dark chocolate baking drops (73% cocoa solids)

• Preheat oven to 325°F.

• Grease a 9” × 13” baking pan with margarine.

• In a large bowl, stir the almond butter until it has a creamy texture (you may need a mixer or hand blender). Mix in the agave nectar and eggs. Still mixing, add the salt and baking soda. Mix well until thoroughly combined. Fold ½ cup of the chocolate drops into the batter. Pour the batter into the pan. Distribute the remaining ½ cup of chocolate drops evenly over the top of the batter.

• Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool, and then cut into bars. Serve.

YIELD
24 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
228 calories, 22.1 g carbohydrate, 3.7 g protein, 15.7 g fat, 1.5 g dietary fiber

Benefits

There are so many types of cheeses that it is hard to generalize about their content, let alone their health benefits. Cheeses can be made, for example, from cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, or the milk of water buffalos. Since milk is produced as the sole food for calves, lambs, and kids, it is already rich in protein and calcium. Cheese-making is a process that further concentrates this food into a solid, and the result may well include significant amounts of phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, and vitamin B
₁₂
.

Unfortunately for those trying to live a healthier lifestyle, cheese-making also tends to concentrate the fats in the milk. Low-fat cheeses are available—in general, cheeses that are not aged tend to be lower in fat. Fresh mozzarella, farmer's, and chevre cheeses can be good choices, as well as harder cheeses that are specially made with low-fat milks. But cheese has so many milky benefits that it may also be the right place to “spend” some extra calories. Its high protein, mineral, and fat contents mean that it is digested slowly, and it will keep you feeling satisfied for several hours.

The high nutritional value of cheese and its beneficial roles in health make this food an important dairy food to include in a healthful diet.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One ounce of fresh mozzarella, given here as an example cheese, provides 70 calories, 0 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 5 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, and 50 mg sodium.

Bringing It Home

Although it is best to choose light-colored white and yellow cheeses to avoid chemical food coloring (the milk doesn't come out of the cow orange!), many cheeses are colored with annatto (also called achiote), which is used as a seasoning in many Central and South American cuisines. Yogurt cheese brings both the benefits of yogurt and its slightly tart taste as well. Fresh mozzarella has the lowest fat and sodium content of any of the common cheeses. Fresh mozzarella comes in many sizes and shapes, usually packed in water. It has a lighter taste and texture than the preformed commercial mozzarella.

Livit Recipe

This is a classic of Mediterranean cuisine.

Low-fat vegetable oil spray

¼ cup chopped shallots

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2½ cups cherry tomatoes
OR
grape tomatoes (red, yellow, orange, or a combination), rinsed and halved

1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese pieces (½-inch cubes)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• Spray a large skillet with low-fat vegetable oil. Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the skillet, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the shallots are tender. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomatoes are just warmed. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.

• Add the mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss to combine. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad, and toss gently until the tomatoes and cheese are evenly coated.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
139 calories, 7.5 g carbohydrate, 8.1 g protein, 8.7 g fat, 1 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the high-protein convenience food of many a diet. Four ounces of chicken breast meat provides two thirds of the recommended daily value for protein for the average adult. Chicken breasts are lower in fat than dark meat. With the skin removed, a chicken breast has less than half the fat of a chicken breast with the skin! Chicken is a very good source of niacin, a B vitamin that is involved in repairing DNA; vitamin B
₆
, which is important in several metabolic processes; and selenium, a mineral that plays a role in thyroid metabolism and is also an antioxidant. Research suggests that selenium may help prevent cancer.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (LIGHT MEAT)
Three and one-half ounces of roasted chicken (light meat without skin) provides 173 calories, 0 g carbohydrate, 30.9 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, 85 mg cholesterol, 29 IU vitamin A, 12.4 mg niacin, 0.97 mg pantothenic acid, 4 mcg folic acid, 247 mg potassium, 77 mg sodium, 216 mg phosphorus, 15 mg calcium, 27 mg magnesium, 1.06 mg iron, and 1.23 mg zinc.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION (DARK MEAT)
Three and one-half ounces of roasted chicken (dark meat without skin) provides 205 calories, 0 g carbohydrate, 27.4 g protein, 9.7 g fat, 0 g dietary fiber, 93 mg cholesterol, 72 IU vitamin A, 6.5 mg niacin, 1.21 mg pantothenic acid, 8 mcg folic acid, 240 mg potassium, 93 mg sodium, 179 mg phosphorus, 15 mg calcium, 1.33 mg iron, 23 mg magnesium, and 2.80 mg zinc.

WHITE MEAT OR DARK MEAT

Which is healthier—dark meat or white meat? From the perspective of dietary fat and protein, white meat wins. But dark meat provides some extra minerals: Iron, zinc, and pantothenic acid levels are a little higher in dark meat.