July 31, 2007

We keep our fridge stocked with healthy foods, including veggies and fruits and grains that we use as building blocks for our meals. “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food” said Hippocrates, and we all do well by maintaining a healthy, life-giving and wellness-promoting diet.

Here are seven items you’ll always want to find. Buy organic for optimal taste: we look for the Oregon Tilth label.

Garlic: Garlic contains allicin, a naturally potent antibiotic. When I was backpacking around the world, I always kept some garlic on hand as an immunity booster and I think the smell fended off mosquitos, too!

The best way to consume garlic is fresh: when cooked it loses some of its beneficial properties. Cut up pieces and slip into sandwiches and salads, or spread on whole grain toast with a bit of butter.

Onions: A terrific counterpart to garlic, onions have been used throughout history to help the body heal. Sulfur compounds and flavonoids in onions are powerful compounds, most commonly known for their antioxidant activity. Eat onion soup on cold nights and slice onions into thin rings for a fun addition to salads, stir-fry, and vegetable dishes.

Apples: I know you’ve heard it but it bears repeating: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A crunchy Rome or Fuji is a great afternoon snack for you and for the kids. Core apples, slice them, and serve with whole wheat crackers and hard cheese for a special treat. The fiber in apples (pectin) may lower cholesterol levels, and apples have antioxidants to strengthen and protect your cells.

Blueberries: These are a terrific, beneficial snack. We put them into cereal and oatmeal, and they’re also tasty dried. Neuroscientists have found that lab rats who ate blueberries slowed their age-related loss in mental capacity, so you might keep your mind sharp by snacking on these. Blueberries have some of the highest antioxidant activity in all fruits, and they contain plenty of Vitamin C and Vitamin E in every cup.

Bananas: Stock these fruits in abundance: they’re high in B vitamins and are also a great source of potassium and magnesium. The potassium will help regulate your blood pressure and it may also reduce your risk for stroke. A medium-sized banana provides up to 400 mg of potassium, and it’s tasty, sweet, and easy to digest. Some research shows that bananas are a mood elevator: the serotonin may help you overcome depression.

Oatmeal: The soluble and insoluble fibers in oats benefit your body’s functioning in many ways, including fighting cancer, lowering LDL cholesterol, and reducing “spikes” in your blood sugar level. Find stone-ground oatmeal so you get maximum benefit from the whole oats (the germ, the fiber, and the oil). Have this flavorful and soothing hot cereal for breakfast and even for a midnight snack.

Green Tea: Yet another antioxidant, green tea is relaxing and delicious. Green tea has been shown to promote a healthy immune system and it’s great as a steaming hot mug or iced. Add a slice of lemon or stir in some fruit juice for flavor.

There are a number of hidden ingredients in many prepared foods, so always read the label and minimize your use of high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, and any food product that lists “sugar” as the first or second ingredient.

Happy eating!