The world's healthiest foods

My stepmom is a great cook and she has more cookbooks and recipes, some in her head, than anyone I know. She recently busted out this giant, text book looking piece titled "the world's healthiest foods" and do not criticize my lack of capital letters on that one, it really is that way on the cover. It is an 880 pager with everything from fruits and vegetables to herbs and spices. It of course has recipes for all these wonderful foods.

There is a 'total nutrient-richness chart' that I found helpful when trying to plan my grocery list. The way they calculate the nutrient-richness is by dividing the maximum nutrient value by the total calorie value. For example broccoli has 123mg vitamin C and is 44 calories in a cooked cup. This gives you 2.8mg of vitamin C for every calorie of broccoli you eat. Don't worry, they do all this math for you in the book.

Here are the charted foods from highest value to lowest. I am curious about those foods that did not make the list, I wonder if I should not be eating them. Anything with the symbol * after the word, will later be explained in more detail.

Vegetables:  #1 is Spinach, Swiss Chard*, Crimini Mushrooms*, Asparagus, Broccoli, Romaine Lettuce, Collard Greens, Kale/Mustard Greens, Tomatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Winter Squash, Beets, Eggplant, Garlic, Onions/Leeks, Sweet Potatoes, Avocados, Corn, Sea Vegetables*, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Olives.

Fruits: #1 my favorite Strawberries, Raspberries, Cataloupe, Pineapple, Kiwi, Oranges, Papaya, Watermelon, Apricots, Grapefruit, Grapes/Raisins, Blueberries, Bananas, Plum/Prunes, Lemons & Limes, Apples, Figs, and Pears.

Fish & Shellfish: #1 is Tuna, Shrimp, Salmon, Cod, Sardines, and Scallops

Nuts & Seeds: #1 is the baseball favorite of Sunflower seeds, Flaxseeds, Sesame seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Walnuts, Almonds, Peanuts, and Cashews

Poultry & Lean meats: #1 is Calf's Liver (not sure I'm thrilled with this one), Grass-Fed Beef, Venison, Lamb, Chicken, and Turkey

Beans & Legumes: #1 is Lentils, Soybeans, Kidney beans/Pinto beans, Lima beans, Black beans/Navy beans, Garbanzo beans, Tofu, and Dried peas

Dairy & Eggs: #1 is the good ol' Egg, Low-fat Milk, Yogurt, Low-fat Cheese, Goats Milk

Grains: #1 is Oats (I recommend some ol' fashioned homemade oatmeal with cinnamon which you will see below), Rye, Quinoa*, Brown Rice, Whole Wheat, and Buckwheat

Herbs & Spices: #1 is Parsley, Mustard seeds, Basil, Turmeric*, Cinnamon, Cayenne/Red chili peppers Black pepper, Ginger, Dill, Cilantro, and Rosemary

*Swiss Chard (pictured): It is a tall, leafy vegetable with a thick crunchy stem. It comes in a few varieties and has a bitter taste. The healthiest way to cook it is a 'quick boil' for 3 minutes.

*Crimini Mushrooms: They look similar to the typical Button Mushrooms you find in the store, but have a darker coffee color and deeper 'mushroomy' flavor.

*Sea Vegetables: This is a fancy way to say Sea Weed and there are a few varieties. Some sea weed is not edible, but you know the kind they make sushi with, well you can find this at Trader Joes in packs.

*Quinoa (pictured): This is not technically a cereal grain although it may look like one. It is a seed of an herbaceous plant, which is just a plant that dies down at the end of the growing season.

*Turmeric: It is a spice native to Indonesia and southern India. It is peppery, warm and bittersweet with a mild fragrance reminiscent of ginger. It is known as an ingredient used to make curry powder.

Obviously, everything on this list should be eaten in moderation and excerise is key to a healthy lifestyle. If you have any questions as to recipes or facts about the above list, please do not hesitate to ask. The book does reccommend the best ways to select, store, prepare and cook the foods mentioned. You can find me on facebook, twitter or gmail at kiley11anne@gmail.com.

Have a super September and a healthy life!!
Thanks for reading!