Striving4Zen

• Avocados
• Chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach
• Bell peppers
• Brussels sprouts
• Mushrooms (crimini and shiitake)
• Baked potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries
• Low-fat yogurt
• Eggs
• Seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower)
• Dried beans (garbanzo, kidney, navy, pinto)
• Lentils, peas
• Almonds, cashews, peanuts
• Barley, oats, quinoa, brown rice
• Salmon, halibut, cod, scallops, shrimp, tuna
• Lean beef, lamb, venison
• Chicken, turkey

*Foods that have a lot of nutrients relative to the number of calories.

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Labels: almonds, avocado, cruciferous vegetables, eating healthy, eggs, fruits and veggies, healthy diet, Kale, lentils, potatoes, quinoa

Did you know that cabbage, like bok choy, is great for losing weight? One cup of raw bok choy contains only 22 calories while supplying you with a wealth of health-promoting nutrients.

Like its other cruciferous cousins, broccoli, kale and mustard greens, cabbage is not only an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fiber, but also contains many unique sulfur-containing phytonutrients, such as indole-3-carbinole (I3C) and sulforaphane. I3C and sulforaphane help activate and stabilize the body's antioxidant and detoxification mechanisms. Other sulfur compounds, which are produced as a result of cutting, chewing or digesting cabbage, increase the liver's ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances.

Cabbage is easily available, inexpensive, and easy to prepare.

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Labels: bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cruciferous vegetables, Green veggies, healthy diet, Kale, sulforaphane

Nutritional yeast is not the yeast you bake with, says Melina Jampolis, M.D., a health expert for CNN.

"Nutritional yeast is a type of yeast that has been specially cultured for optimal nutrition value and good taste," she says. "It is a very good source of complete protein (important for vegans and vegetarians), fiber, and B vitamins. It is definitely a healthy and tasty addition to a balanced diet. Lots of vegans use it in cooking, and I'm addicted to these kale chips that are baked with it as they taste like Parmesan crusted chips but are super healthy."

Where can you buy it? Most health food stores sell nutritional yeast, and you might even get lucky at your local grocery store. Just ask next time you're out shopping.

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Labels: b-vitamins, healthy diet, Kale, nutritional yeast, supplements, vegan, vegetarian, yeast

Did you know that the wealth of vitamin K (122% daily value) found in green beans plays an important role in bone health?

Although calcium and vitamin D are often the nutrients highlighted in discussions on bone and prevention of bone-related disease, current research is increasingly revealing the importance of vitamin K. Although much of the research has focused on the K2 form of the vitamin, the K1 form found in greens beans has also been associated with better bone mineral density and decreased risk of bone-related diseases.

So, green beans can now join in with a variety of vegetables (including kale, spinach, collard greens and mustard greens) which are excellent sources of vitamin K1 and provide welcomed support for our bones. But the benefits of green beans do not stop here. They're also a rich source of other vitamins and minerals, many of which can act as powerful antioxidants that help combat the free radical activity associated with increased risk of both cancer and heart disease.

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Labels: bones, eating healthy, green beans, green leafy vegetables, Green veggies, healthy diet, Kale, spinach, strong bones, Vitamin K

Leafy green vegetables have a myriad of health benefits. When eaten raw they are one of the best sources of amino acids, which are the building blocks needed for protein in the body. Leafy greens are easy to digest, and they stimulate digestion by encouraging digestive enzymes. They also strengthen the immune system and provide needed nutrients required for proper hormone balance.

Though they pack a nutritional punch, leafy greens are extremely low in calories. 100 grams of spinach contains only 23 calories, but it also contains 188% of a person’s daily value of vitamin A and 604% of a person’s vitamin K. In general, leafy greens have numerous vitamins, including many B vitamins and vitamins C, E, and K. They are extremely rich sources of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium, and they also provide many phytonutrients, including beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Many greens even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Greens are also packed with fiber. Fiber comes in two types, water-soluble and insoluble. Water-soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels and insoluble fiber promotes regularity, so fiber slows digestion and has little impact on blood glucose levels.

Other specific health benefits attributed to greens include:

Green	Purported Benefit
Cilantro	This pungent and spicy herb is also great for your eyes because of it’s lutein and zeaxanthin, which may prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Collard Greens	A cross between cabbage and kale, collard greens are considered an anti-cancer food because of its cruciferous properties.
Kale	Three times as much calcium as phosphorus makes kale a great osteoporosis inhibitor. In addition to kale’s calcium, it is also one of the richest plant sources for vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin important to blood clotting; it also builds bones, slows bone loss, and heals fractures, all important to osteoporosis sufferers. In fact, one study showed people who had high vitamin K diets were less likely to suffer hip breaks than people eating low vitamin K diets.
Lettuces	There are a variety of lettuces you can enjoy. Besides supporting eye healthy, they enhance skin health and improve immune function.
Parsley	Parsley has many of the same health benefits as cilantro and kale. In addition, apigenin, which is an antioxidant flavonoid found in parsley, protects the prostate and may also reduce breast, colon, skin, and thyroid cancers.
Spinach	Nutrition Data notes spinach is a strong anti-inflammatory and rich iron source. However, it also contains oxalates, which may bind with the calcium and make the calcium unusable. To learn more, read Oxalates.
Swiss Chard	Similar to collard greens, swiss chard is a powerful anti-cancer food.

The good news about leafy greens is they are versatile and offer many healthful nutrients. Leafy greens are also a major source of chlorophyll and have become increasingly popular in things such as smoothies. They may be your best bet to preserve bone health because they have an excellent calcium and magnesium ratio.

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Labels: chlorophyll, cruciferous vegetables, eating healthy, green leafy vegetables, healthy diet, Kale, lutein, spinach, strong bones, swiss chard; greens

Did you know that the phytonutrients found in cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and kale, actually signal our genes to increase production of enzymes involved in detoxification?
For about 20 years, we've known that many phytonutrients work as antioxidants to disarm free radicals before they can damage DNA, cell membranes and fat-containing molecules such as cholesterol.
Now, research is revealing that phytonutrients in cruciferous vegetables, like Brussels sprouts, work at a much deeper level. The phytonutrients in crucifers initiate an intricate dance inside our cells in which gene response elements direct and balance the steps among dozens of detoxification enzyme partners, each performing its own protective role in perfect balance with the other dancers. The natural synergy that results optimizes our cells' ability to disarm and clear free radicals and toxins, including potential carcinogens— one reason why cruciferous vegetables appear to lower our risk of cancer more effectively than any other vegetables or fruits. So, while Brussels sprouts may be miniature in size, they are giants when it comes to helping to protect cellular structures and DNA from the damage caused by free radicals.
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Labels: brussels sprouts, cruciferous vegetables, free radicals, Kale, phytonutrients, toxins, vegetables

So you know you should be eating dark leafy greens, since they're great sources of iron, fiber, and calcium. Lettuce and spinach are green, but not nearly as nutritious as kale.
This curly green veggie is part of the same family as cabbage and brussels sprouts, and is so good for you because it contains phytonutrients that help prevent cancer.
Kale also contains the flavonoid called maempferol, which may help prevent ovarian cancer. This hearty green veggie is also great for cleansing and detoxifying your system, and is a rich source of vitamin A. One cup of cooked kale will give you 36 calories, 7.3g of carbs, 2.6g of fiber, 2.5g of protein, 94 mg of calcium, 2 mg of iron, 88.8 mg of vitamin C (that's surprising), and 510 mg of vitamin A (wow).

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Labels: cruciferous vegetables, greens, healthy diet, Kale, vegetable, Vitamins

Kale is in the peak of its season.
This week we celebrate the hearty flavor and wealth of nutrients we can enjoy by adding kale to our Healthiest Way of Eating.
Kale is ranked among the top 10 of the World's Healthiest Foods when it comes to providing the most nutritional value for the least number of calories, making it a great choice for those who have resolved to lose a few pounds after the holidays. Although kale is available year-round, it has a much sweeter flavor this time of year, so we encourage you to add it to your shopping list this coming week and enjoy!

Nutritional Value
A one cup serving of cooked kale contains a whopping 192% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin A, 89% DV for vitamin C and 27% DV for manganese—and all of this for only 34 calories!

Labels: health food, healthy diet, Kale, vegetable, Vitamins