The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (22 page)

It's more than a myth that carrots are good for your eyes. A carrot contains 1 mcg of lycopene and 156 mcg of lutein, both of which help protect and preserve the eye. A vitamin A deficiency can result in night blindness, though the connection between high carrot consumption and improved night vision is somewhat less solid.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One medium raw carrot provides 31 calories, 7.3 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 2.2 g dietary fiber, 20253 IU vitamin A, 7 mg vitamin C, 10 mcg folic acid, 233 mg potassium, 25 mg sodium, 32 mg phosphorus, 19 mg calcium, and 11 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Domesticated carrots were originally yellow, red, and purple in color. The familiar orange carrot was developed in Holland in the 17th century. As people become more interested in the different nutritional properties of various plant pigments, more colorful carrots are showing up in specialty markets, so keep an eye out for purple carrots!

Among orange carrots, the deeper the color, the more beta-carotene it contains. Carrots should be bright in color and firm. They should look fresh, not dry. Because the carrots we eat are roots that, when still in the field, exist to provide moisture and nutrients to the tops, be sure to remove the greens before you store your carrots so that the nutrients are kept in the root portion. Keep carrots in the coolest part of the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic.

Livit Recipe

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
OR
balsamic vinegar

2 fresh lemons, juice only

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ pound carrots, coarsely grated (about 1¼ cups)

¼ pound cabbage, grated (about 1¼ cups)

1 small bunch parsley, minced (about ¼ cup)

½ cup dried cherries
OR
blueberries
OR
cranberries

¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds

• In a small bowl, combine salt, vinegar, lemon juice, cumin, and paprika. Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.

• In a large salad bowl, combine the carrots, cabbage, and parsley. Add the vinegar and oil dressing and toss lightly to coat the vegetables. Sprinkle the dried fruit and pumpkin seeds over the top. Toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly. Serve.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
129 calories, 15.1 g carbohydrate, 1.6 g protein, 7.8 g fat, 2.1 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of many types of cancers, including lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and bladder cancers. Cauliflower is very high in vitamin C, and it's a moderately good source of the B vitamins folate, B
₆
, and pantothenic acid. As with most other cruciferous vegetables, it is also a good source of fiber.

The familiar white cauliflower is unusual among the common crucifers in being relatively low in vitamin A and carotenes, so for someone who is concerned about getting too much vitamin A, cauliflower is a way to get the advantages of some of the Brassica diindolylmethane and sulforaphane while limiting vitamin A intake. The purple varieties are rich in anthocyanins, which give them their color. Green cauliflowers are slightly richer in nutrients than the white ones, with higher amounts of vitamin A and beta-carotene.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of raw cauliflower pieces provides 26 calories, 5.2 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 2.6 g dietary fiber, 20 IU vitamin A, 46 mg vitamin C, 58 mcg folic acid, 304 mg potassium, 30 mg sodium, 44 mg phosphorus, 22 mg calcium, and 16 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Cauliflower's unique texture is called “curd.” The florets aren't nearly as well defined or separate as they are on broccoli, and the stems are much shorter. Because both the flavor and texture of cauliflower are delicate, it must be purchased absolutely fresh and handled with care. Don't buy cauliflower that seems dull or is turning brown anywhere. Even if you trim away the brown spots, it is a sign that the cauliflower is past its prime.

To avoid overcooking cauliflower, bring the water to a boil before introducing the cauliflower. If you are steaming it, you may need as few as six minutes; if you are submerging it in boiling water, it may take just three.

Whether raw or cooked, cauliflower does not store well. You can keep raw cauliflower in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag for two to four days. Cooked cauliflower loses its texture in the refrigerator. So don't store it—eat it up!

Livit Recipe

A cup of this casserole, and you've got yourself a balanced meal.

12 ounces multi-grain elbow macaroni
OR
quinoa pasta (a gluten-free alternative)

1 head cauliflower (1 to 1½ pounds), trimmed and broken into small pieces

4 slices multi-grain bread

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, minced

1 tablespoon safflower oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 medium onion, diced

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

1½ cups nonfat Greek-style yogurt

½ cup low-fat (1%) milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Cayenne pepper, optional

• Preheat oven to 400°F.

• Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces and let the water return to a boil. Cook the cauliflower for about 3 minutes. (Because it will be cooked again in the oven, it is better to undercook than overcook it at this stage.) Rinse the cooked cauliflower in cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

• Tear the bread into pieces, and pulse it in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Add the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the oil, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper to the bread crumbs in the food processor and pulse to combine them.

• In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and the remaining ¼ teaspoons of the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the onion is soft. Remove from heat. Add the cooked pasta, cauliflower, cheese, yogurt, milk, and mustard to the onion. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you wish.

• Pour the cauliflower mixture into a 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
551 calories, 90.5 g carbohydrate, 26.9 g protein, 9.7 g fat, 13 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Celery is mostly fiber and water—by weight, celery is 1.6 percent dietary fiber and 95 percent water. It is an excellent source of vitamin C. Celery also provides the minerals potassium, calcium, molybdenum, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron, as well as the B vitamins thiamine, niacin, folate, and B
₆
.

Celery also provides some trace nutrients, including the male hormone androstenone and apiol, a substance that appears to affect the female hormonal system and was at one time used to induce miscarriage of unwanted pregnancies. The phthalides in celery help it to enhance flavor and richness in other foods, even when its own taste is overpowered. These compounds may also help arteries to dilate, reducing blood pressure.

Celery contains coumarins, the best known of which is the anti-coagulant warfarin. Others, such as auraptene, have been shown in animal studies to help prevent cancers of the skin, tongue, esophagus, liver, and colon. Ensaculin is being investigated for its potential in treating dementia. It has not yet been proven effective for this purpose in humans, but its main side effect—low blood pressure—could be a health advantage in the long run. These compounds may also help reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke. In the laboratory, other compounds appear to reduce the growth and proliferation of cancer cells.

The one drawback in celery's nutritional package is that because so much of this vegetable is water and fiber, there's just not a lot of room for these other nutrients—so you may have to eat a lot of celery to see its benefits.

Celery seed has an even longer medical history. It was at one time used as an analgesic, though modern testing has found no such effect.

A word of warning: For a small number of people, celery can cause a severe allergic reaction—including anaphylactic shock. There appears to be more of the allergen in celery root than in the stalks that are more commonly eaten in this country, with seeds containing the most. Cooking does not appear to destroy the allergen.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One raw stalk (7.5 inches long) of celery provides 6 calories, 1.5 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 0.7 g dietary fiber, 54 IU vitamin A, 3 mg vitamin C, 11 mcg folic acid, 115 mg potassium, 35 mg sodium, 10 mg phosphorus, 16 mg calcium, and 4 mg magnesium.

Bringing It Home

Because celery has such a high water content, the biggest threat to its freshness is dehydration. It needs to be kept cool and moist. When buying celery, choose bunches that are firm and crisp-looking, with green leaves and no brown or dry spots. Celery will keep for a few days in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag, but it will continue to lose moisture and is really best eaten fresh. The water content makes it a poor candidate for freezing. In fact, accidental freezing can damage it, so this is one vegetable that does not go in the coldest part of the refrigerator. If you have leftovers, use them to make soup or vegetable stock; they do not keep.

Wash celery carefully, as sand and mud can get between the stalks. To use the outer stalks, remove the strings by slicing into the base of the stalk with a small paring knife and then pulling the strings upward to remove.

Celery—both stalk and leaf—go almost everywhere: You can eat them raw, with or without a dip (peanut butter is classic); add them to salads; blend them with vegetable juices; add them to soups, stews, casseroles, or stir-fries. Salt-sensitive individuals can enjoy celery but should keep track of it when monitoring daily sodium intake.

Livit Recipe

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch slices

1 bunch celery (1 to 1½ pounds), separated into stalks, trimmed, washed, and sliced into 1-inch pieces (reserve the leaves)

1 or 2 heads radicchio (about 1 pound), outer leaves removed, with the remaining leaves separated, rinsed, and drained

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon tarragon

1 cup vegetable broth

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 ounces chèvre
OR
other soft cheese, as garnish

½ cup walnut halves, as garnish

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for just 1 or 2 minutes. Add the celery, celery leaves, radicchio, salt, and tarragon. Stir them together, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the vegetables don't burn.

• Add broth to the vegetables, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.

• Remove cover. Cook for a few more minutes to reduce and thicken the liquid. Add pepper and remove from heat.

• Garnish with cheese and walnuts. Serve.

YIELD
4 servings

NUTRITION ANALYSIS PER SERVING
215 calories, 17.2 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g protein, 15.1 g fat, 4.9 g dietary fiber

Benefits

Collard greens, also referred to as collards, are a member of the cruciferous vegetable genus Brassica, which is rich in cancer fighters diindolylmethane and sulforaphane, as well as fiber. Collard greens provide antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; vitamin K and niacin; and carotenoids, including a substantial amount of lutein. They are also a good source of zinc, manganese, calcium, and magnesium.

Collard greens are among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, so over-consumption can cause problems for those with kidney disease, gout, vulvar pain, rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions that may require a low-oxalate diet.

NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
One cup of chopped and boiled collards provides 35 calories, 7.8 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 3.6 g dietary fiber, 3491 IU vitamin A, 15 mg vitamin C, 0.4 mg niacin, 8 mcg folic acid, 168 mg potassium, 20 mg sodium, 10 mg phosphorus, 29 mg calcium, 9 mg magnesium, and 0.20 mg iron.

Bringing It Home

Greens should be green! Collards are large-leafed and dark, and they should not seem wilted, soft, yellow, or dried out. Leave them unwashed and wrap them in a damp paper towel inside a paper bag. If you keep the paper towel damp, the greens will keep up to a week. They also freeze well, or they can be purchased frozen. If you freeze your own, submerge them in boiling water for two minutes, then plunge them in ice water to stop the cooking. Let them drain, and pack them in plastic zipper bags. They will keep for about six months in the freezer.

When you are ready to cook them, wash the collards carefully. Both dirt and bugs can cling to the leaves. Like other members of the genus Brassica, collards should not be overcooked.

Collard greens, like other large greens, can be bitter. The traditional Southern method of simmering them in broth mediates the flavor and results in a traditional “pot likker” that can be a good base for soups. It's also a great way to recapture nutrients that may have escaped from the greens. If you want to add even more to the nutrient value of your broth, consider putting the stems in a cheesecloth bag and cooking them in the water or broth with the collard leaves.