In my last column, I touched on five foods—sweet potatoes, oatmeal, spinach, salmon and chicken—as nutritional powerhouse choices for boosting athletic performance, promoting energy and speeding up recovery after hard workouts.
This week, I’ll add five more foods that are essential in slowing down Father Time. First things first: Changing eating habits is difficult and a long process. It takes time, but the reward is well worth it.
Growing up and even into my mid-20s, my diet consisted of—in no particular order—burgers, pizza, wings, deep-fried chicken, spaghetti by the pound and the infamous 7-Eleven 44-ounce Super Big Gulp, which I filled with my favorite soda, usually Coke.
Mind you, that Super Big Gulp—is it even legal to sell a 44-ounce cup/can of soda anymore?—had 462 calories, 120 grams of carbohydrates—that’s enough to fuel most people on a 2 ½ hour to 3-hour run—and 112 grams of sugar, or enough to put anyone into a sugar-induced coma.
The poor food choices finally started to catch up to me in my early 20s. In November 2001, six months after I had graduated from college, I tipped the scales at 200 pounds, an all-time high. Out of shape and unable to run a mile without stopping several times, I came upon the proverbial fork in the road.
That’s when I decided I needed to make a change. It literally took me eight years to get dialed in with a healthy eating plan, something that I could repeat everyday. Ultimately, it came down to having a proper mindset, which can best be summed up by 2014 Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi: “I eat because I need it, not because I want it.”
The bottom line? Of course it’s OK to have a brownie, ice-cream sundae or mouth-watering burger every now and then—Carl’s Jr. happens to be my favorite fast food joint—but limit the portions and stick to the foods that will bring out the inner athlete in you. Here are some must-haves to stick in your cart the next time you’re at the grocery store.
Broccoli/cauliflower
Eat a bowl of these a day to keep the doctor away. Broccoli and cauliflower are cruciferous vegetables, which contain high amounts of compounds called glucosinolates. When eaten, they convert to other compounds called isothiocyanates and indoles that have been shown to have many anti-cancer properties, according to webmd.com.
Simply put, cruciferous veggies—the list also includes Brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, bok choy and Chinese cabbage—are at the very top of the list when it comes to being nutritional powerhouses. Sure, broccoli and cauliflower might be on the very bottom of your grocery list now, but they’re too nutritious not to eat on a consistent basis.
Another reason to incorporate them in your diet: The very act of crunching your food helps prevent overeating. Since it takes at least 20 minutes for your stomach to send signals to the brain that it’s full, anything healthy and crunchy—apples, carrots and zucchini are also healthy options that takes a whole lot of crunching—are perfect foods to eat before the main dish.
Broccoli and cauliflower also have a powerful effect on your immune system. They’re loaded with vitamins and fiber, and they’ll help your body so much more than any multi-vitamin. Pair broccoli and cauliflower up with your favorite hummus, and you’ve got the mother of all powerhouse snacks.
Walnuts/Almonds
The best of all the nuts. Walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, essential fats to help balance the body’s inflammation response. High levels of inflammation—stress, a minimal amount of sleep and poor food choices are three of the many ways the body sees a spike in inflammation—is linked with many diseases.Â
Almonds are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, the same heart-healthy fats found in avocados that also help you feel full. And they’re loaded with vitamin E, magnesium and potassium, which are all crucial to strong health.
Stay away from the sugar-added varieties and go with Blue Diamond roasted almonds or pair walnuts with dark chocolate to hit some flavor on your palette.
Blueberries
Any of the berries qualifies as super healthy fruits, but blueberries top the list for nutritional value. They rank the highest of any fruit for antioxidants, according to webmd.com, and they’re also loaded with fiber and vitamin C. Pair blueberries on Fage or Chobani greek yogurt—the plain varieties—and you’ll have the perfect combination of lean protein and healthy carbohydrates to power you throughout the day.
Eggs
Oh, how the times are changing. Once shunned because of its high cholesterol content, eggs are now a go-to source for protein, vitamin D and choline, a nutrient that is responsible for cognitive brain health. Research has shown that eating one egg a day—unless you’re a diabetic—doesn’t raise LDL (the bad kind) cholesterol levels in the body.
Beans
Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans—it doesn’t matter what bean you choose, just eat them. Beans, or legumes, are nutritional powerhouses containing plenty of fiber and protein. Fiber and protein are crucial in helping people feel full and giving them sustained, lasting energy.
Beans are also a great source of iron, but pair them up with foods high in vitamin C to unlock their full potential. The vitamin C helps convert the nonheme iron in plant foods and iron-fortified foods into a chemical form that promotes absorption, according to a npr.org story.
There’s no substitute for eating healthy, whole foods. They work synergistically with your body in ways that vitamins can’t. So load up on healthy, whole foods, and you’ll be amazed on the effect it has on your body, both mentally and physically.
