Medical Monday - Power Foods

How would you define "power food"?

Would it be food that:

• Was effortless to prepare
• Inexpensive
• Heavenly tasting
• Satisfied our hunger
• Had minimal calories
• Made us feel happy and energetic
• Had lots of good fiber and contained all the vitamins, protein, and minerals we need on a daily basis.

Probably no food can fulfill all these criteria. In fact, the key to "power" foods is variety. To provide your body with the nutrients it needs, eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, and lean meats.  

Hydro Power

One of the most essential nutrients is water. About 55 percent of the average body is made up of water. About 60 percent to 70 percent of your water comes from drinking liquids. The rest come from water that is part of solid food including fruits/veggies, soups, and even chicken and cheese.

Always think of fluids as a way of preventing rather than treating thirst. If you feel thirsty, you are dehydrated. Begin every day with a glass of water, drink a beverage between and at every meal, and create the habit of taking a bottle of water whenever you go out. Caffeinated beverages serve as diuretics but are better than no liquid at all.

Keep Your Grains Whole

Another important mark of a good diet is grains, and switching to whole grains is surprisingly easy. Think of ways to translate your diet into one containing more whole grains and fewer refined grains. Switch breakfast cereals. Change from white to whole grain bread, from white to brown rice and from regular to whole grain crackers. A rule of thumb is to avoid foods that are white. Generally, the richer the color of your food the better it is for you!

Protein Variety

Everyone needs protein on a daily basis but we tend to get much more than we need. The average woman needs about 50 grams to 80 grams of protein daily; an average piece of chicken contains 34 grams so perhaps we don't need to worry so much about getting large amounts of protein-rich foods with every meal. Make sure to eat proteins from a variety of sources. Some of the best ways to get protein are legumes, nuts, fish, eggs, dairy foods, and fermented soy products.

Close to Perfect Foods

Fruits and vegetables are as close to perfect foods as possible. They're easy to prepare, they taste good, and they're unbelievably good for you. Build a habit of bringing more of them into your daily life. Add fruit to your breakfast (add to cereal or yogurt for example), try new types of fruits to see what you like. Prepare fruit for snacking. Buy half a watermelon, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and see how easily it becomes a favorite snack.