"The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating"

The New York Times has an interesting sidebar (can you call it a sidebar when it's not a sidebar but, indeed, the main piece?) with the above title today. (Free registration may be required) The list is as follows:
1. Beets
2. Cabbage
3. Swiss chard
4. Cinnamon
5. Pomegranate juice
6. Dried plums
7. Pumpkin seeds
8. Sardines
9. Turmeric
10. Frozen blueberries
11. Canned pumpkin

My initial take was, golly, I'm eating most of this stuff. And then my next thought was, my guess is that most LTHers are probably doing so as well. And my final thought was, I should post this and see what others' reactions are. Am I right? Do most people eat most of these things on a regular basis? (I mean, gosh ...cinnamon is that uncommon??)

For the record, I don't think I've made Swiss chard at home (to be remedied this week), don't care for sardines or pumpkin seeds, and don't use turmeric or canned pumpkin enough, though I like them both. I have everything else on the list pretty regularly (though, admittedly, my beet consumption is primarily in borscht, not raw, and my blueberries are usually fresh, not frozen).

How 'bout you?

Is it possible that they meant cinnamon in savory dishes? I know most people eat in sweets, but I'm guessing there are a lot of people who don't know that it can be really good in other things as well. I had never used it for anything but sweets until I started learning to cook some Indian and Thai food. Just the other night I made an awesome curry with cinnamon sticks in it...

My friends Mom made some scalloped cabbage the other night, and I saw cabbage in a whole new light.

The only things on there that I avoid eating are Sardines and Beets. I should fix that.

Beets? Seriously? I was just discussing with somebody the other day how beet salads, while wonderful, have become completely trite. Unless they're so 2004 that nobody's eating them anymore, thus qualifying them for the list?

Seems like a really weird selection to me.

Dmnkly wrote:Beets? Seriously? I was just discussing with somebody the other day how beet salads, while wonderful, have become completely trite. Unless they're so 2004 that nobody's eating them anymore, thus qualifying them for the list?

Seems like a really weird selection to me.

While there are plenty of beet salads in nicer restaurants, I'd still venture to say that it's one of the least purchased piece of produce by the general shopping public.

eatchicago wrote:

Dmnkly wrote:Beets? Seriously? I was just discussing with somebody the other day how beet salads, while wonderful, have become completely trite. Unless they're so 2004 that nobody's eating them anymore, thus qualifying them for the list?

Seems like a really weird selection to me.

While there are plenty of beet salads in nicer restaurants, I'd still venture to say that it's one of the least purchased piece of produce by the general shopping public.

And while beet salads may be trite, there's no question that they're good for you. If you don't like beet salads, try borsch--or other ways. The portion of the article I left out was that portion in which the article explains precisely why each of these foods is so good for you. (Plus a suggestion on how to use them)

eatchicago wrote:While there are plenty of beet salads in nicer restaurants, I'd still venture to say that it's one of the least purchased piece of produce by the general shopping public.

I agree, but I wonder why that is. Personally beets, coffee and bittergourds are the three things I can't stand (the bitterness makes me gag just by smelling em), but I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority.

I recall that when I was in Australia, the locals there were crazy about beets. It's even in their favourite McDonald's burger, the McOz.

Gypsy Boy wrote:And while beet salads may be trite, there's no question that they're good for you. If you don't like beet salads, try borsch--or other ways. The portion of the article I left out was that portion in which the article explains precisely why each of these foods is so good for you. (Plus a suggestion on how to use them)

No, no, no, don't misunderstand... I adore beets in all of their forms including beet salads. I just thought it was a weird inclusion. Seems kind of like calling french fries unpopular. Nobody makes them at home, but who hasn't had them or at least seen them on the menu while dining out recently? It seems like we're eating far more beets than we were six or seven years ago, and it seems odd to identify a food that's clearly trending upward. But I think it's just a bad title for a list of very healthy foods that aren't super common.

Hi,

Rambling thoughts on this list:

I have three roasted beets in the refrigerator waiting to be morphed into something.

Only one item never hits our table: Pomegranate juice

A few years ago, I grew Swiss Chard, ate a lot one summer and haven't since.

I like how prunes have become the more chic dried plum.

Regards,

I'm tickled by this list, as an awful lot of it has been a recent subject of discussion! We eat most of it regularly, some rarely, but all of it appears sometimes (pumpkin seeds and prunes are something I forget about often, but we get them when I'm thinking about it - and if you can count yellow mustard, we eat a LOT of turmeric) Sometimes, pomegranate juice is on sale at Marketplace at Oakton, and then we buy it, though I won't pay the going rate for the brand-name version.

Gypsy Boy, I bet you'd like sardines this way -make sure you get the little ones (brisling) packed in oil. I just posted a recipe for canned pumkin empanadas at the end of that same thread, but we do use it as an ingredient, usually in sweet foods like quick breads and pies. Same for the frozen blueberries - and the cinnamon...I'm growing both Swiss Chard and beets (odd that they're both included, as they are essentially the same plant with some minor differences.) Cabbage, especially Asian-style cabbages, are a staple in my house.

Though, despite my passing interest in superfoods, there are others who are concerned about food as medicine. I don't know that I disagree - the specificity of the claims your article makes about cinnamon and turmeric, for instance, strike me as suspicious. However, most Americans could make better choices, nutritionally, and hype does get people to buy stuff in the US - why not Swiss Chard instead of seasoned fries?

Mhays wrote:Though, despite my passing interest in superfoods, there are others who are concerned about food as medicine. I don't know that I disagree - the specificity of the claims your article makes about cinnamon and turmeric, for instance, strike me as suspicious. [/url]?

My partner has lupus and has kept it in control by adding a mixture of ground flax, cinnamon, tumeric, ginger and cocoa to breakfast each day. They are said to reduce inflammation. I believe Dr. Andrew Weil was the source.

I eat only about half of those with any regularity, with beets, cabbage, sardines, and Swiss chard (especially) leading the pack. I invariably prepare Swiss chard one way, but it's so good that I can't resist: Rick Bayless's "Everyday Mexican" cookbook has a recipe for Swiss chard tacos with caramelized onions, topped with queso fresco that is irresistible even for a dedicated meat-eater like me.

I'm amazed to see they list frozen blueberries - as if fresh wasn't as good for you. Same with canned pumpkin - is that somehow better than fresh? Maybe I just don't get it.

nr706 wrote:I'm amazed to see they list frozen blueberries - as if fresh wasn't as good for you. Same with canned pumpkin - is that somehow better than fresh? Maybe I just don't get it.

With blueberries, in the article they just refer to frozen for its high availability. You can eat a lot more blueberries if you've always got them in your freezer as opposed to trying to keep fresh ones in the house during the short season.

I'm assuming pumpkin is the same thing: availability. You're more likely to eat canned pumpkin than you are to buy and prepare fresh pumpkin for eating.

Fresh is better in both choices, but eating something once or twice at peak nutritional efficiency is trumped by eating something frequently at 60% efficiency. This is what I gleaned from this piece.

Best,
Michael

As long as we're offering rambling thoughts, I found the article as uninteresting, biased, propaganda-filled, and useless as most NY Times stuff these days. And I happen to think frozen blueberries are gross.

All of the above adjectives could probably be used fairly in describing my post, as well.

eatchicago wrote:

nr706 wrote:I'm amazed to see they list frozen blueberries - as if fresh wasn't as good for you. Same with canned pumpkin - is that somehow better than fresh? Maybe I just don't get it.

With blueberries, in the article they just refer to frozen for its high availability. You can eat a lot more blueberries if you've always got them in your freezer as opposed to trying to keep fresh ones in the house during the short season.

Also, I have no idea whether or not it applies to blueberries, but don't some foods actually retain more nutrients if they're flash frozen directly off the field? There's nothing like eating something within hours of its being picked, but I was of the understanding that certain fruits and vegetables, if they take 2-3 days to get to you, actually retain more nutritional value if you eat the frozen version.

Not that I advocate picking frozen over fresh, but I believe it's an important distinction for the nutrition-over-all-else set.

Kennyz wrote:As long as we're offering rambling thoughts, I found the article as uninteresting, biased, propaganda-filled, and useless as most NY Times stuff these days. And I happen to think frozen blueberries are gross.

All of the above adjectives could probably be used fairly in describing my post, as well.

That's not fair! Your post is not gross.

I agree with the NYT reader who commented:

Almost every day there’s another list of a dozen foods that should be part of your diet. The other day there was a list of must-eats which included turnip greens, almonds, Brazil nuts, dried apricots, cooked tomatoes, broccoli, sweet potatoes. Tomorrow I’ll come across another list with green tea, red wine and dill. Let’s face it: All fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, lentils, beans, are good for you. Stop getting people into a frenzy by making these authoritative but haphazard lists which make people feel that if they don’t eat these foods, they will die soon.

Of course, that's not as bad as lists some groups put out of foods they say you should never eat.

I was amused by this statement: "Healthy organic butter from grass fed cows is a perfectly healthy food and actually contains CLA, a cancer fighting fat."

As far as I know, all butter contains conjugated linoleic acids. (However, it is true that you need fat to properly absorb the nutrients in many vegetables.)

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,
A few years ago, I grew Swiss Chard, ate a lot one summer and haven't since.
Regards,

We had a lot of Swiss Chard as a kid and hated it. Lately, it has been really good.

They are growing a lot of red chard at the Garfield Park Conservatory gardens. Most people take a look at it and call it red beets. No comparison between beet greens and red chard. Beet greens tend to be a lot less tender and more stringy.

I liek most of the list but can't get the pumpkin to work for me. I avoid tumeric like the plague as it always stains my shirts.

Personally, I liked the list. Yes, there are dozens of foods that could have been included, but it's still good to get the periodic reminder. For example, I went out and bought sardines after reading this. My Mom used to feed them to me on crackers as a kid--it's an easy lunch on a hot day.

If you're looking for a great swiss chard recipe, please try this one at least once:
malfatti (registration may be required).

I haven't made it in a few years, but I dream about it regularly. Maybe I'll tackle it again this summer. A couple suggestions if you do decide to make it:
* You can get a lot of the moisture out of the cooked swiss chard by putting in an oven at low heat and stirring it regularly
* Make a double batch and get family members to help with shaping the malfatti. (Kids should love this job!) Then freeze the extra, uncooked malfatti. They store well, and make a quick weeknight meal once you've done the hard part.

Dmnkly wrote:Also, I have no idea whether or not it applies to blueberries, but don't some foods actually retain more nutrients if they're flash frozen directly off the field? There's nothing like eating something within hours of its being picked, but I was of the understanding that certain fruits and vegetables, if they take 2-3 days to get to you, actually retain more nutritional value if you eat the frozen version.

Not that I advocate picking frozen over fresh, but I believe it's an important distinction for the nutrition-over-all-else set.

That is true, and yes, it applies to blueberries as far as I know. I've read about it in anywhere from whitepapers to overly rehashed health magazine articles.

I actually like the list, keeping in mind that the article is about healthy foods that are often overlooked. When thinking of healthy foods, frozen doesn't usually come to mind so it often gets skipped in the grocery aisle. In the case of blueberries, though, having it available year-round in the freezer is more practical and feasible for the average consumer.

Binko wrote:I eat only about half of those with any regularity, with beets, cabbage, sardines, and Swiss chard (especially) leading the pack. I invariably prepare Swiss chard one way, but it's so good that I can't resist: Rick Bayless's "Everyday Mexican" cookbook has a recipe for Swiss chard tacos with caramelized onions, topped with queso fresco that is irresistible even for a dedicated meat-eater like me.

Binko, right there with you. This has become a staple green after reading this recipe. I'll even forego the tortilla and season with a little salsa and queso fresco.

Although after reading this thread, it made me wonder if this wasn't just a subtle play on the popular beet/feta salad combination. Tricky Ricky, trying to make us eat our superfoods.

Gypsy Boy is correct, at least as far as I'm concerned. I know a lot of folks who never eat that stuff (none of them posting here, of course), but it's certainly all in my repertoire, with pomegranate, blueberry (the article suggested frozen just so you could get them when they were out of season), prunes, pumpkin seeds, canned pumpkin, and turmeric appearing most commonly. Swiss chard and beets don't make it onto the menu as often as they should, but I still fancy them.

As for sardines, I find that I far prefer the larger, true sardines, the ones from the Mediterranean. The little brisling sardines are really baby herring, and they are much fishier tasting. So if all you've had is the brisling sardines, GB, try the cheaper, larger real sardines (often packed in Poland) and see if that isn't an improvement.

As for cinnamon in sweets, it doesn't really count as a health food if the only place you get it is Cinnabon (which, by the way, has a shop in the Cairo airport). A nice spicy chai tea, however, would be perfect -- or the savory items suggested by brandon_w.

Turmeric is viewed as a medicine in India, and I even picked up Band Aids there that have turmeric on the gauze, rather than iodine or whatever else we use. It is certainly also among the great anti-inflammatories, along with ginger and pineapple/bromelaine.

I am surprised cumin didn't make the list, since it reduces the amount of cholesterol produced by your liver. But they had to cut off the list somewhere.

I didn't see the list so much as a revelation as comfort -- I'm not doing so badly nutritionally.

These days, you could add Tomatoes to the list as well...Maybe some people still shying away from spinach...

In my experience, more people than I'd like to admit just don't eat vegetables, or if they do, only as a minor accompaniment or slathered in dressing. I had one memorable business meeting a few weeks ago with a meal at a steak house that served asparagus, baked potato and squash as sides with each steak. An odd combination I'll admit, but at the end of the meal I noticed that I had eaten the vegetables in their entirety (including potato skin) and no one else had even touched their vegetables - except to scoop out the insides of the potatoes which they had slathered with butter. And the salad of choice in America these days? Chicken Ceasar Salad of which most eat the chicken, croutons, and a dabbling of lettuce glopped with Ceaser dressing. Maybe not the croutons if they are on the Atkins diet.

As far as beets are concerned, I love them and frequently roast them at home for beet salads, and they are on menus fairly frequently, but I don't think I have ever been our with anyone else who has ever ordered beets. Maybe I just hang out with the wrong crowd, but I'd say that the beet lovers in our country are a limited crowd, although one that seems to include a lot of chefs and posters to this forum.

As a general rule, the people I know who eat the healthiest most varied meal are Chinese, Indians and other Asians. Since I work at a high tech company, that list includes half my compatriots.

Cynthia wrote:As for sardines, I find that I far prefer the larger, true sardines, the ones from the Mediterranean. The little brisling sardines are really baby herring, and they are much fishier tasting. So if all you've had is the brisling sardines, GB, try the cheaper, larger real sardines (often packed in Poland) and see if that isn't an improvement.

Thanks for this info, Cynthia. I'm a sardine-eater (a Sardinian?) and enjoy the King Oscar brislings and the other, larger kind you mention, of which my favorite brand is Nice (sounds like niece, I imagine, although if it sounded like nice, I wouldn't disagree). The larger kind always seems like a whole different animal to me; but not until your post did I realize it really is a whole different animal!

For turmeric staining - leave the shirt in the sunlight. Turmeric is light fugitive, and will fade fairly quickly over time. OxyClean liquid works well, but not nearly as well as plain old sunlight.

I get Pomegranate juice at Costco and mix it equally with 100% cranberry (no sugar) and unfiltered apple. I have this with a splash of sparkling water if I have it, plain water if I don't.

I also get frozen berry mix at Costco and eat them with my cereal all winter long. I figure it's not an indulgence, it's for my health

And like LAZ I also agree with the comment by the NYTimes commenter...

leek wrote:And like LAZ I also agree with the comment by the NYTimes commenter...

Actually, I think the lists are designed to help people get some variety in their diets. Most people eat exactly the same thing all the time, even if they're not living on Coke and potato chips.

In Japan, the health gurus encourage variety -- dozens of different foods in a week. Because variety is better for you than any one food, even the foods on those lists. With variety, you get all the benefits without any of the negatives (because there is almost no food that doesn't have a down side, as you'll know if you read the "Salad, the Silent Killer" chapter in Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything.)

Because most Americans (though probably no one on this list) actively avoid variety, these lists at least get them to eat something new for a while. Because Americans on the whole want a quick fix, and incorporating lots of new foods into your diet is not a quick fix -- but a glass of red wine or a few blueberries is.

So as long as doctors care about health, lists of good foods will likely continue to appear.