Page 18 - Classimax Magazine - Issue #9

Antioxidants: Eat All Your Colours!
By now everyone knows the blueberry contains very high levels of antioxidants.
But, don’t ignore all the other colorful foods out there loaded with antioxidants.
Antioxidants are all the rage
today. And, justifiably so.
Antioxidants help neutralize
free radicals which cause cell
damage, which ultimately
can lead to diseases of the
heart and cancer. It seems
everywhere you go its
blueberry this and blueberry that. You antioxidants per serving size than the
have your choice of wild blueberry
juice, blueberry-pomegranate juice,
blueberry-cranberry juice and so on
and so on.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love
blueberries. But, in our rush to
embrace the latest antioxidant food
craze (blueberries, cranberries,
pomegranates) we’re ignoring some
very high-antioxidant foods that
are probably sitting ignored in our
cupboards.
“What?” You ask, “What could
possibly be higher in antioxidants
than my beloved wild blueberry?”
Well, how about the small red bean?
That’s right, I said “bean.” The
small red bean actually has more
wild blueberry. And the red kidney
bean and pinto bean have more
antioxidants per serving size than a
serving of cultivated blueberries.
What other foods are high in
antioxidants? For starters, there are
artichoke hearts, blackberries, prunes,
pecans, spinach, kale, russet potatoes
and plums. And, no, that’s not a
mistake. Russet potatoes are on the
list of foods high in antioxidants.
The truth is, there are many common
foods high in antioxidants and you
should not just restrict yourself to one
particular food source. Why? Well,
have you ever heard the expression,
“eat your colors?” That refers to
the fact that foods are in
different color “families”
containing different types
of antioxidants which have
different benefits. For
example, the yellow-orange
color family of peaches and
nectarines help our immune
systems. The purple-red color family
of foods (pomegranates, plums,
berries) helps reduce inflammation.
It’s important to eat foods from all
color groups to reap the full benefits of
antioxidants.
The good news is that you can eat
healthy foods high in antioxidants (by
eating them raw, cooking them, or
juicing them yourself) without having
to pay a high price for the “flavor of
the month” antioxidant juices being
peddled in the supermarkets.
So, give your blueberries some
company at the dinner table. Invite
some beans, spinach, potatoes and
artichoke hearts and enjoy your
antioxidants!
Basic Meal & Menu Planning
Meal planning also depends upon several factors
As a basis for meals and menu
planning, refer to the pyramid
information mentioned earlier to
make sure you have the basic food
requirements met for all family
members.
Then cross check and plan by looking
over basic food categories to target
healthy foods to fit the lifestyles and
health of everyone.
For example, if someone has
depression, add some foods
mentioned above to his or her dietary
plans that aid in the healing and
prevention of depression.
Meal planning also depends upon
several factors like the number of
people eating, meal times, special
dietary concerns, budget, available
foods, recipes on hand and likes
and dislikes of everyone who will be
eating.
Begin by choosing foods and
recipes that you like and know how
to prepare well and that fit into
everyoneÕs dietary plans. If one
or more people have
special needs, like
diabetics, plan ahead
for substitutions either
in the food preparation
or food substitution for
that individual or for
those individuals.
There are a few things
to note when making
meal choices and
menu planning. First,
some foods may be
advertised a certain way, An old saying, ‘Haste makes waste’
but that doesnÕt mean you canÕt
experiment.
For instance, eggs and sausage
can be served for dinner, not just
breakfast. And waffles can be made
from healthy wheat grains and eaten
for lunch with fresh fruits instead of
sugary syrup and heavy butter for
breakfast.
Add variety, too. Have other family
members jump in and prepare meals
some nights and on weekends.
Kids enjoy making macaroni and
cheese, so host mac-n-cheese night
on Wednesdays, for example.
Then alternate different vegetable
combinations, colors and textures
to vary the menu on a weekly basis
(no need to let boredom take over on
Wednesdays with the same routine!)
To help with family food budget
concerns, clip coupons from
newspapers, weekend inserts, and any more than willing to take extras off
place you can find them.
Also note seasonal food selections
for savings. Create menus and meals
based upon what’s on special that
week or month. Hint: stock up and
store or freeze special-priced items
and family favorites when possible
and storage room and the budget
allows. But donÕt over do it.
With convenience stores and
supermarkets for food shopping
in practically every neighborhood
anymore, there is no need to hoard.
might apply if you see a great buy,
purchase multiple items, then let
them become outdated and have to
toss them out.
One fun way to save is by trading
coupons and working out food deals
with friends, family, neighbors, your
church group and anyone else who’d
like to join in.
Food cooperatives and farm
markets available in your area may
offer special pricing to groups or
large purchases. So team up for
better purchasing power and split
everything up between group
members. If you’re not into that much
organization, go one-on-one with a
neighbor, other friend or relative. Buy
a huge bag of potatoes, onions, oats,
and / or other foods, then share.
So whenever possible, your plans
might want to include donating a
portion to homeless shelters and
churches who would probably be
your hands.