Just the word “diet” is sometimes enough to make your stomach grumble – it just sends your thoughts into a hunger panic, doesn’t it? Let’s revise: Instead of thinking of a diet in terms of forbidden foods, retrain yourself to think in terms of all that you should eat. Here are five foods you MUST eat according to a segment on the Today show this morning:
1) Cold Water Fatty Fish: It’s Brain Food! Omega 3s fats are vital and have been clinically proven to boost the cell membranes in the brain. So if you want optimum brain performance, load up your diet with Omega 3 fats.
Examples: Salmon, Sardines and Anchovies. Yeah, I know the last two really suck, but you can do some great things with salmon. We’ll be posting recipes soon. The one thing to remember is to stay away from canned salmon as it is LOADED with sodium which can cause cardiovascular health problems.
Unfortunately for moms, most kids think eating fish means crunching down a sodium loaded, processed, fried fish stick. Sorry. It doesn’t count! To get my kids to eat salmon, which used to be a chore, we started making salmon tacos and they love them. We just didn’t tell them it was salmon until they asked what this awesome tasting meat was. Ha! Another idea: At the beginning of the week, grill a few fresh fillets and refrigerate them to use instead of tuna for sandwiches. Since it is fresh, not in a can, you get the rich Omega 3 fats, a ton of protein and very little sodium.
And as far as the sardines and anchovies go…good luck.
2) Beans: In addition to being loaded with fiber and wholesome protein, beans really are the “magical fruit” for other reasons: Believe it or not beans are a mood stabilizer. The fiber you get from beans not only helps move things along but also blocks the absorption of carbohydrates which can lead to volatile spikes in blood sugar. And studies have shown that spikes in blood sugar can cause mood swings.
Examples: You know how to eat beans…but try hummus for something new and fresh. Hummus is pureed garbanzo beans, typically served as a dip for crackers or chips. Substitute fresh vegetables for the chips and you have a completely nutritious snack.
3) Oats. Whole oats are another magical food that, like beans, are packed with fiber and protein and are a perfect meal with which to begin a busy day. Oats are considered a complex carbohydrate which means that they are not broken down as easily in your digestive tract. That means that eating whole (different from prepackaged instant oatmeal which is loaded with sugar) oats can leave you feeling fuller for longer.
Examples: Making whole oatmeal on the stove is seriously as easy as pouring a bowl of cereal. And it’s a whole lot more dynamic. With only 150 calories per serving, you have a lot of room for flavorful add-ins like yogurt, soymilk, raisins, slivered almonds, cottage cheese, etc. You can also use oats as a substitute whenever a recipe calls for bread crumbs.
4) Eggs They aren’t just for breakfast. Eggs are a high-quality, complete protein. What’s more, if you skip the yolks, you are packing as much protein as is humanly possible into the fewest amount of calories possible. And they are so versatile.
Examples: Make breakfast burritos with beans to give a healthy charge to the day. Or an egg white omelet with mushrooms, peppers and ketchup for lunch. Or a spinach quiche with low-fat cheddar cheese for dinner.
5) Spinach: Speaking of spinach-this vegetable is so wonderfully wonderful for you and so easy to slip into almost any meal. Spinach fits into the category of “dark green cancer fighter” veggies. Loaded with vitamin A and too many other nutrients to enumerate, you get more for each calorie of spinach eaten than you would for almost any other food. Think of it as a like a bargain buy.
Examples: Never use Iceberg lettuce again; anytime you would-on a hamburger, in a garden salad, on a sandwich, etc.- just use spinach instead. It’s delightful because it can work cooked (think grilled chicken panini with spinach and mozzarella) or fresh, (think added onto your cold turkey sub).
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