The New Wave of Super Foods

  We've known for years that there are certain foods like broccoli, nuts, fish and legumes which are super-packed with nutrients and antioxidants. As a part of a well-balanced, healthy eating plan, these superfoods have been shown to help battle everything from cancer to hair loss to dementia by lowering one's risk to a particular condition.
Nutritionists generally agree, however, that we're just scratching the surface of potential superfoods, and that Nature has provided many more which haven't yet been well-researched or mainstreamed. So, what's the next wave of wave of foods with super powers?
Because fruits in general are so high in antioxidants, it's no surprise that two of the newest superfoods are fruits.
Cherries
Not just any cherries -- sour or tart cherries specifically. Tart cherries are one of the highest antioxidant containing foods around.  Think of antioxidants as the wax you put on your car to protect it from the damage from water, salt, sun, and more.  In your body, antioxidants protect your cells from the damage they are exposed to from UV sunlight, pollution, smoke, and more. 
Several antioxidants have been identified by researchers. The ones most abundant cherries are called anthocyanins.  In fact, cherries contain the highest amount of two specific anthocyanins that have been shown to help reduce inflammation.  Why is this good?
Reduced inflammation can help to ameliorate the suffering associated with chronic pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis.  And if you do a lot of strenuous exercise, the anti-inflammatory benefits of cherries have been shown to aid in muscle recovery after workouts.  That means you'll recover your strength more quickly and that you'll have less of that day-after muscle soreness.
Studies have shown just 1 to 2 servings a day is all that's needed to reap these benefits.  A serving is just 8 oz of tart cherry juice, 2 tablespoons of juice concentrate, 1 cup of frozen sour cherries, or 1/2 cup of dried.  You'll notice there's not amount given for fresh.  That's because it's extremely difficult to find.  Simply treat the dried ones as you would raisins and eat as is, or add to oatmeal, or toss the frozen ones, or juice, or concentrate into a yummy smoothie for a quick breakfast or healthy snack.
Blackberries 
A whole cup of these dark gems contains only 62 calories, a whopping 8 grams of fiber and half a day's worth of vitamin C.  Those last two facts alone are enough to help this little berry lower your risk of certain cancers.
Blackberries are also loaded with antioxidants. One in particular, ellagic acid, is a known anti-carcinogen.  In fact, ellagic acid works double duty in the fight against cancer.  First, it helps prevent the chemicals in your body that can cause cancer from doing there job.  Second, it may help prevent or slow the growth of cancer cells.
Sounds like a good enough reason to me for including these little nuggets in your diet.  Eat them fresh, toss them with yogurt or in oatmeal, or make some yummy homemade muffins to snack on.
Kefir
Kefir is basically like a combination of yogurt and milk.  It's a cultured milk product like yogurt, but much thinner and drinkable like milk.  Of course, because its a dairy product you're better off with a low or nonfat product to keep your intake of saturated fat in check.  Also, as a dairy food, it's packed with other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D.  Unlike milk, however, kefir is loaded with probiotics.  These are substances that help keep the good bacteria in our digestive tracts healthy.  Healthy gut bacteria improves digestion and helps the digestive system work more smoothly.  And if you happen to be intolerant to milk and dairy foods, you may want to give kefir a try.  Because its a cultured food, you may find you can tolerate it.  It can make a great smoothie with a bit of honey and/or fruit mixed in, or you can use it in place of buttermilk in marinades and dressings.
Amaranth 
Though treated and cooked much like a grain, amaranth is actually a seed that dates back to the Aztecs. It virtually disappeared for several thousand years but in recent decades has started to reappear.
Amaranth is a good source of both fiber and protein, so including this seed in a meatless meal can help you stay satisfied longer and less prone to high calorie between-meal munching.  In addition, because its a seed, it's actually gluten free and is safe for those following a gluten free diet.  Because you can simmer it like rice, you can create a delicious grain-like side dish.
Another fun way to eat amaranth is to pop it in a skillet like popcorn. It can add a nice crunch to salads.  If you can find amaranth flour, replace some of the wheat flour in baked goods for an extra protein boost.
Superfoods, like any other foods, are not magic bullets.  There are not one, two, or even a few "super" foods that will cure all the ills that an unhealthy diet and lifestyle leads to.  A healthy diet is one that consists of a variety of foods from all the foods groups and its this combination of foods and the nutrients they contain that help lower our risks of a multitude of diseases and help us lead longer, healthier lives.
If you're already eating healthy, great, try adding one or more of these to the routine.  Just starting on your path to better nutrition, why not begin with one or more of these to get you on your way?
 By:   Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, LDN

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