Quick! Eat These Five Life-Saving Foods!

Some foods just don’t get the respect that they deserve. Blame a poor publicist, or maybe a pattern of childhood bias. Here are five under-appreciated foods that can really boost your health quotient.

Brussels sprouts. Can’t lie, around our house we called these things “turtle heads” when Mom wasn’t around. People who are especially sensitive to bitter flavors abhor them. A generous coating of ranch dressing sure helps everyone else. But hang in there, these green globes are packed with vitamin A, protein, fiber and antioxidants. Try baking them in an oven for 20 minutes with a gentle misting of olive oil. Oh, and don’t forget the ranch dressing.

Cauliflower. The other white vegetable. Wait, what’s the first white veggie? Don’t know, but I do love the cauliflower! Just steamed in the microwave, sometimes bathed in some melted American cheese, but always yummy. These charmers are loaded with vitamin C and those lovely antioxidants. What’s not to like?

 

Pears. So, some people object to the texture of pears. There’s no accounting for taste. Sweet and delicious, pears are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.  They adopt the pear shape so that you don’t have to!

Pumpkin. Thanksgiving aside, pumpkin seems to be making a resurgence. It is popping up in coffee houses and ice cream shops. Be careful, though, because most pumpkin flavored foods contain little or no actual pumpkin. Pies are a notable exception. Again, a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Sweet potatoes. You either love them or hate them. Nonetheless, sweet potatoes are an easy source of antioxidants, minerals and more than enough vitamin A to keep you going for the entire day. As a last resort, consider making them into French fries and seeing if anyone notices.

Do you love all five wonder foods? I only know one person who adores all five, but you may be the second. If you look carefully, though, you will discover that just adding a few to your diet can pay dividends in the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant categories.

Happy eating!