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It’s super foods to the diet rescue

By Sheila O’Connor

How healthy is your diet? If you’re like most people older than 50, you probably tend to eat the same meals day after day — cereal and fruit for breakfast, a roasted turkey sandwich for lunch, chicken or pasta for dinner, and maybe something sweet for dessert.

Nothing wrong with that — all foods (even chocolate) can be part of a healthy eating plan. But the fact is that some foods pack more nutritional punch per serving. Add more of these “super foods” to your regular eating regime, and you’ll boost your vitamin and mineral intake.

Incorporating these kinds of nutrient-dense foods is particularly important if you’re older than 50, says registered dietician Joan Carter, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “It’s the nutritional bang for your calorie,” notes Carter. “If you’re watching your weight and can consume 1,600 calories, for example, you want to be sure that those calories are spent wisely.”
So, the next time you’re eating, give these 15 super-foods a try:

Super food: walnuts
Walnuts and other nuts are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are also found in fatty fish like salmon. “A handful of walnuts will give you protein and they’re high in mono-saturated fats,“ says Carter.

Walnuts are also high in Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

Super food: flank steak
Many seniors cut back on red meat which can lead to a shortage of iron, magnesium and other minerals. But choose some leaner cuts of beef, and you can reap the nutrients. “Flank steak is very lean,” says Carter.

“A three-ounce piece of white meat chicken has 114 calories — flank steak has 154 calories but you’re also getting 2 grams of iron compared to 0.7 grams in the chicken as well as 3.5mg of zinc with the flank steak.”

Super food: chicken thigh
That’s right, chicken thigh, not the breast. You’ll get more iron and zinc because chicken thighs have dark meat which contains myoglobin, a protein that stores oxygen in muscle tissue. Dark meat is a little higher in fat than white meat, but the extra nutrition is worth it.

Super food: skim milk
You probably already know of skim milk’s reputation — high calcium, low fat. When you’re cooking, however, you may want to try evaporated milk instead. “It’s got double the calcium of skim milk and you can use it to make soups, casseroles, and anything you would add milk to,” says Carter.

Super food: spinach
Add spinach to your salad and you’ll get much more fun from your bowlful of greens, according to Carter. “Spinach is at the top of my list,” she says.

“You get much more bang for your calorie because you get Vitamin A, iron and folic acid.”

Super food: collard greens
You probably didn’t know that a cup of collard greens has as much calcium as a cup of milk. Try cooking them in chicken broth, adding a small amount of ham or prosciutto for taste — you may find that you love them.

Super food: strawberries
Strawberries aren’t just delicious, they’re loaded with folic acid, and high in Vitamin C. A cup of strawberries contains only 45 calories, yet almost 4 grams of fiber, too. Add some to your cereal in the morning, eat them with your lunch or serve them with yogurt for a light dessert.

Super food: asparagus
Asparagus is high in folic acid, and new research suggests that foods like asparagus play a role in preventing heart disease. It’s also a natural diuretic —add some asparagus to your meals if want to reduce water weight.

Super food: oats
“Oats are high in fiber, which is what makes it gummy when you cook it,” says Carter. “It mops up cholesterol and helps keep your {blood] cholesterol low. Look for cereals that contain oats or make instant oatmeal, which makes a quick satisfying breakfast meal.”

Super food: yogurt
“Yogurt contains live cultures which are good for your intestines,” says Carter. “And the reduced-fat versions of yogurt are low in calories and high in calcium.” Try yogurt with cereal or fresh fruit for breakfast or use yogurt on your baked potato instead of sour cream.

Super food: broccoli
When choosing vegetables, consider broccoli — it’s a great addition to soups or casseroles. Broccoli is high in vitamins A and C, and it’s naturally filling — a cup of chopped raw broccoli will provide you with almost 2½ grams of fiber for only 80 calories.

Super food: kiwi
The modest kiwi is high in vitamins A and C, and two kiwifruit have more potassium than a banana! Kiwi can be a little tart, but it’s great served sliced in fruit salad with strawberries, grapes, melons and other milder-tasting fruits.

Super food: grapes
Grapes, particularly dark grapes, have polyphenolic compounds, the phytonutrients that help your body repair and maintain its cells, says Carter. Grapes are also high in water, which will help your body stay hydrated. A cup of grapes is also a good source of potassium.

Super food: beans
Beans are a good source of folic acid and make a great substitute for meat-based protein; they’re also high in fiber and relatively low in calories. Include more beans in your meals — try bean-based soups, make homemade chili or eat more bean dishes when you dine at Mexican or Indian restaurants.

Super food: tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables in the U.S. — Americans eat them in pizza, catsup, pasta, salsa and, of course, fresh on salads and sandwiches. Tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C and they contain lycopine, a phytochemical that appears to help prevent macular degeneration, a condition that can cause blindness.

Make an effort to choose more nutrient-dense foods, and you should notice an improvement in your health and your performance — just what you need to keep up with those grandkids.

Sheila O’Connor is a San Francisco-based freelance writer.

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