Think milk is the calcium king? Not so fast, dairy fans. Mother Nature packed some serious bone-loving punch into her leafy and crunchy crew. But which veggie secretly reigns supreme in the calcium department? Time to separate the garden gladiators from the calcium pretenders.
veggies
Healthy Tips:
Today’s Healthy Tip:
Eat a balanced diet: Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.
You can’t go wrong following that tip. Sometimes friends don’t help us. I was recently at a dinner party. I’m disciplined on what I eat. Generally, if it’s on the above list, I’ll eat it. The foods at the party were spread out buffet style. I filled my plate with foods I like. A friend sidled up to me and spears a fork full of something I wouldn’t eat. She says, “Ray, this is delicious. Here, try it.” I replied, “No thank you.” She persisted, “Go ahead, it’s only a sample, try it.” I replied, “No thanks” and moved along. In social settings people can often apply pressure to “try” something we normally wouldn’t try. If it happens to you, give a polite no, no explanation needed. As was the case with my friend, it took two no’s to get their attention. Be polite but persistent, you don’t have to try anything you don’t want. And, trying it isn’t being nice, it’s being disrespectful to one’s self.
Plan Your Healthy Breakfast Around These Foods
I asked ChatGPT for the essential foods to include in a healthy breakfast. Here’s what ChatGPT suggested:
A healthy breakfast can set the tone for nutritious choices all day long. Essential foods for a balanced and healthy breakfast often include:
- Whole Grains: Whole grain bread, oatmeal, whole grain cereals, or quinoa are great sources of fiber and nutrients. They provide slow-releasing energy without spiking blood sugar levels.
- Proteins: Options like eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, and seeds provide essential amino acids. For plant-based diets, tofu, tempeh, and legumes are excellent protein sources.
- Fruits: Berries, bananas, apples, oranges, or any seasonal fruits add natural sweetness, vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber to your breakfast.
- Vegetables: Including vegetables in breakfast, such as spinach in omelets or avocado on toast, adds nutrients and fiber, supporting a well-rounded diet.
- Healthy Fats: Avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil provide healthy fats that are essential for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and overall health.
- Dairy or Dairy Alternatives: Milk, yogurt, or plant-based alternatives like almond, soy, or oat milk contribute to calcium and vitamin D intake.
Remember, the key to a healthy breakfast is balance. Including a variety of food groups ensures a range of nutrients, helping to sustain energy levels and satiety throughout the morning. For a mostly plant-based diet like yours, focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based proteins and fats would be ideal.
Health Tip of the Day ~ What Veggies Are More Nutritious When Cooked?
5 Veggies that Give You More Nutrition Once Cooked
- Tomatoes: Cooking tomatoes can actually increase the amount of lycopene, an antioxidant that has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.
- Spinach: Cooking spinach can increase the amount of iron that your body absorbs from it.
- Carrots: Cooking carrots can make the beta-carotene more available to your body, which can then be converted into vitamin A.
- Asparagus: Cooking asparagus can break down the tough cell walls, making it easier for your body to absorb its nutrients, including folate and vitamins A, C, and K.
- Mushrooms: Cooking mushrooms can increase the amount of ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant that has been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
It’s important to note that overcooking vegetables can destroy some of their nutrients, so it’s best to cook them lightly and avoid boiling them for long periods of time.
Health Tip of the Day ~ The Color is Purple
Purple Veggies and Fruit Have Big Time Health Benefits
Purple-colored foods include various fruits and vegetables, such as eggplants and grapes. These foods could have several health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and cataracts.
Eating the rainbow involves eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, including purple foods. Setting an intention to add purple produce to meals may encourage people to try new foods and make their diet healthier.
The purple color of fruits and vegetables indicates a rich antioxidant content, which may help to improve overall health and prevent health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Purple fruits and vegetables are a nutritious addition to a healthy diet for many people, which can have physiological and psychological benefits. Increased intake of fruits and vegetables may help to lower the riskTrusted Source of health conditions such as obesity, cataracts, and heart disease.
Purple foods contain anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that prevent and repair cellular damage. They are natural plant pigments that cause red and blue colors in certain plants. Antioxidants may help to prevent cancer, heart conditions, and neurological conditions. They may also protect against radiation, pathogens, and stress conditions.
Today’s Health Tip ~ Stock Your Home with Healthy Fruits & Veggies
Healthy Fruits & Veggies to Keep on Hand
If you want to eat a heart-healthy diet but are not sure what staples you should keep in your home, check out this heart-healthy kitchen essentials guide. With the help of this guide, you can start stocking up on nutritious foods to help you reduce your risk of heart disease.
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- Fresh seasonal fruits—berries, oranges, apples, pears, bananas, papaya, figs, mandarins, grapefruit, plantains, pineapple, apricots, mangoes, and grapes.
- Dried unsweetened fruits—raisins, cranberries, dates, figs, berries, bananas, mango, papaya, apples, and apricots.
- Fresh seasonal vegetables—Among these choices are yellow, green, and red bell peppers; cucumbers; broccoli; kale; escarole; cauliflower; tomatoes; dark leafy greens celery; eggplant; zucchini; yellow squash; acorn squash; spaghetti squash; and many others.
Today’s Health Tip ~ Pump Up Nutrient Absorption
Healthy Fats & Veggies – A Great Combo
A small knob of butter or light drizzle of oil on veggies isn’t just delicious, but can be health helpful, too. “Some nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E and K (found in green vegetables and sweet potatoes) are fat soluble so a smidgen of fat, such as olive oil, helps with nutrient absorption,” says Ian Marber, a leading independent nutrition therapist (ianmarber.com).
