Feast On Healthful Favorites

Broccoli, oranges, beans, oatmeal…nutritionally speaking, these foods are so outstanding that they should be part of everyone's diet, especially one geared toward the prevention of chronic disease. Add a few more favorites such as kiwi fruit, strawberries and sweet potatoes, and you have a literal smorgasbord that can contribute to good health: vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals, substances found in plant foods that help protect us from cancer.

Broccoli and its cousins – kale and bok choy – are full of fiber and iron. They are also high in Vitamin C and beta-carotene. All are rich in antioxidants as well, like flavonoids and indoles, that may help protect DNA from damage that could lead to cancer.

Sweet potatoes (or yams) and pumpkins are rich in fiber, Vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as copper and phosphorus. Like broccoli, they are rich in antioxidants that help fight cancer. Although they are a bit higher in calories than most vegetables, sweet potatoes are powerhouses of calcium, folate and potassium, and so are valuable allies in preventing disease.

Oranges, as well as kiwi fruit and strawberries, top the fruit charts for both popularity and good nutrition. Valued for their Vitamin C and fiber content, they also contain folate, potassium and newly-discovered phytochemicals such as monoterpenes and limonene. Kiwi is one of the few fruits that contains Vitamin E, and it is a rich source of the phytochemical lutein. Most fruits and vegetables are also good sources of soluble fiber that can help decrease risk of heart disease and some cancers.

Beans are linked to lowering cholesterol, reducing cancer risk and help protect against ulcers. The more we learn about them, the more we realize that they have a unique nutritional magic of their own. In addition to fiber and plant protein, they provide calcium, the B-vitamin family, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc and potassium.

Oatmeal, a popular food, is a good source of magnesium and fiber, particularly the type of oat fiber (beta glucan) that helps prevent cholesterol-rich bile acids from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Oatmeal's ability to help reduce cholesterol levels has been so noteworthy that the Food and Drug Administration approved it for their first food-specific health claim.