Simple Food Swaps to Enhance Your Life
Monday July 26, 2010
Before I start this post, I want to let you know that tomorrow, Tuesday, they will be shutting power off in my area intermittently during the day. Due to this & my hubby wanting to make sure the computer does not get "fried", he will be turning off the computer EARLY. Not sure when I will be able to get back on. Between this & another teeth day this week (not sure which day yet), there will be a couple days I may not get out there to you all.... just wanted to warn ya all!
So, I ran into a great article on food of which we are all invested in, correct??? Some of us battle it, some of us have made peace with it, some of us are still in the learning phase... but the one thing we all know is we need to eat to live and eating healthier & less processed foods as much as possible is the way to go long term.
So, this article I read, 5 Simple Food Swaps That Might Save Your Life, offers up some options to food you may be eating now. Personally I would say that don't do this all the time because we want variety BUT it gives you another option to think about & add in to your healthy eating program. PLUS, I like the sound & taste of the swaps too.. well, one I am not so sure about but I know some of you out there eat it!
From the article: "The idea is that by swapping some of your staples, you increase the variety of crucial nutrients required for maximum health and longevity. Since variety is so important, I’d suggest not going for a 100 percent replacement–but as you can according to availability, locality and season. Here are the five “powerhouse” alternative foods the researchers suggest you get into your mix."
5 Simple Food Swaps That Might Save Your Life
1. Sweet potatoes for carrots
One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides 1,922 micrograms Retinol Activity Equivalents (mcg RAE) of beta carotene, double that of carrots, and 16 times that of broccoli. Sweet potatoes have four times the US Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) for beta-carotene when eaten with the skin on. Sweet potatoes are a welspring of vitamin E, and they are virtually fat-free, which makes them a superior Vitamin E source. (Most Vitamin E rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat.) Sweet potatoes provide many other essential nutrients including Vitamin B6, potassium and iron. They are virtually fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium. One cup (200 grams) of cooked sweet potatoes has 180 calories.
2. Kale for spinach
Kale has the highest antioxidant level per serving of any other fruit or vegetable. Kale has exceedingly high ORACs (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, the measure of a food’s antioxidant level–the higher the ORACs, the more antioxidants the food has), and has about three times as much lutein as spinach. Eating the recommended five-a-day servings of fruits and vegetables will ring up around 1750 ORAC units, but several studies suggest that antioxidant intake be increased to between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC units to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant capacity. A serving of iceberg lettuce contains an ORAC value of 105, a serving of kale has a whopping 1770! Kale can be used in any recipe that calls for spinach.
3. Raspberries for strawberries
Raspberries possess almost 50 percent higher antioxidant activity than strawberries, three times that of kiwis, and ten times the antioxidant activity of tomatoes, according to research conducted in the Netherlands and published in the journal BioFactors. The biggest contribution to raspberries’ antioxidant capacity is their ellagitannins, a family of compounds almost exclusive to the raspberry, which are reported to have anti-cancer activity.
4. Papaya for oranges
Papayas are an excellent source of Vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, three strong antioxidants. It has been ranked in the Top 5 fresh fruits (along with guava, watermelon, grapefruit and kiwifruit–well ahead of oranges, apple, and bananas), rated on six key nutrients: vitamin C, folate, potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber plus carotenoids.
Watercress is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K, E, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, and Potassium than apples, broccoli, and tomatoes. By weight, watercress has more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than an orange and more absorbable iron than spinach (spinach is high in oxlactic acid, which blocks the natural absorption of iron). A single 4-ounce bunch of watercress has more than a full day’s RDA for potassium.
If you go to the link above, there is a recipe or two after each entry. Also, the sweet potato one has a number of different options for seasonings & dips that are easily modified to meet your taste buds so check those recipes out!
Any of the food items above staples in your kitchen already? OR, do you have both the original & the swap??? Share your secrets!
I definitely have the sweet potatoes!!! Raspberries come & go .... usually they are in some kind of frozen mix or some part of another food item. I don't often eat them stand alone.
Before I start this post, I want to let you know that tomorrow, Tuesday, they will be shutting power off in my area intermittently during the day. Due to this & my hubby wanting to make sure the computer does not get "fried", he will be turning off the computer EARLY. Not sure when I will be able to get back on. Between this & another teeth day this week (not sure which day yet), there will be a couple days I may not get out there to you all.... just wanted to warn ya all!
So, I ran into a great article on food of which we are all invested in, correct??? Some of us battle it, some of us have made peace with it, some of us are still in the learning phase... but the one thing we all know is we need to eat to live and eating healthier & less processed foods as much as possible is the way to go long term.
So, this article I read, 5 Simple Food Swaps That Might Save Your Life, offers up some options to food you may be eating now. Personally I would say that don't do this all the time because we want variety BUT it gives you another option to think about & add in to your healthy eating program. PLUS, I like the sound & taste of the swaps too.. well, one I am not so sure about but I know some of you out there eat it!
From the article: "The idea is that by swapping some of your staples, you increase the variety of crucial nutrients required for maximum health and longevity. Since variety is so important, I’d suggest not going for a 100 percent replacement–but as you can according to availability, locality and season. Here are the five “powerhouse” alternative foods the researchers suggest you get into your mix."
5 Simple Food Swaps That Might Save Your Life
1. Sweet potatoes for carrots
One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides 1,922 micrograms Retinol Activity Equivalents (mcg RAE) of beta carotene, double that of carrots, and 16 times that of broccoli. Sweet potatoes have four times the US Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) for beta-carotene when eaten with the skin on. Sweet potatoes are a welspring of vitamin E, and they are virtually fat-free, which makes them a superior Vitamin E source. (Most Vitamin E rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat.) Sweet potatoes provide many other essential nutrients including Vitamin B6, potassium and iron. They are virtually fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium. One cup (200 grams) of cooked sweet potatoes has 180 calories.
2. Kale for spinach
Kale has the highest antioxidant level per serving of any other fruit or vegetable. Kale has exceedingly high ORACs (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, the measure of a food’s antioxidant level–the higher the ORACs, the more antioxidants the food has), and has about three times as much lutein as spinach. Eating the recommended five-a-day servings of fruits and vegetables will ring up around 1750 ORAC units, but several studies suggest that antioxidant intake be increased to between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC units to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant capacity. A serving of iceberg lettuce contains an ORAC value of 105, a serving of kale has a whopping 1770! Kale can be used in any recipe that calls for spinach.
3. Raspberries for strawberries
Raspberries possess almost 50 percent higher antioxidant activity than strawberries, three times that of kiwis, and ten times the antioxidant activity of tomatoes, according to research conducted in the Netherlands and published in the journal BioFactors. The biggest contribution to raspberries’ antioxidant capacity is their ellagitannins, a family of compounds almost exclusive to the raspberry, which are reported to have anti-cancer activity.
4. Papaya for oranges
Papayas are an excellent source of Vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, three strong antioxidants. It has been ranked in the Top 5 fresh fruits (along with guava, watermelon, grapefruit and kiwifruit–well ahead of oranges, apple, and bananas), rated on six key nutrients: vitamin C, folate, potassium, iron, calcium, and fiber plus carotenoids.
Papayas are also rich in enzymes that stimulate stomach secretions and aid digestion. They contain protein-digesting enzymes including papain and chymopapain, and are low in fat and are a good source of fiber–they are also a very good source of calcium, potassium and Vitamins A and B.
5. Watercress for other greensWatercress is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K, E, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Zinc, and Potassium than apples, broccoli, and tomatoes. By weight, watercress has more calcium than milk, more vitamin C than an orange and more absorbable iron than spinach (spinach is high in oxlactic acid, which blocks the natural absorption of iron). A single 4-ounce bunch of watercress has more than a full day’s RDA for potassium.
If you go to the link above, there is a recipe or two after each entry. Also, the sweet potato one has a number of different options for seasonings & dips that are easily modified to meet your taste buds so check those recipes out!
Any of the food items above staples in your kitchen already? OR, do you have both the original & the swap??? Share your secrets!
I definitely have the sweet potatoes!!! Raspberries come & go .... usually they are in some kind of frozen mix or some part of another food item. I don't often eat them stand alone.
Posted by truth2beingfit at 7/25/2010 9:00 PM 
Categories: Health, Recipes
Tags: papaya watercress Recipes kale food raspberries health sweet potato
Categories: Health, Recipes
Tags: papaya watercress Recipes kale food raspberries health sweet potato
Ive never eaten kale.
EVER
and for eons on my "Im so gonna try this!"is making kaleCHIPS.
some day....
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I have not done kale either.. still debating...
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Ditto what Miz says! I also have never bought watercress, although I suspect I have eaten it in restaurants.
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Great stuff Jody! Some of these I do, some I am not sure I can. For example, giving up strawberries for raspberries? I don't think so.
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Steve, I know... I have the raspberries in a mix....
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Whole Foods has the best sweet potatoes I've ever had. Our closest Whole Foods carries two varieties and the best ones are called "jewel yams." It's a 25 mile drive for me, but I have done it a few times just for yams.
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That is quite a drive!!!! I am lucky to have a few Trader Joe's, a couple Whole Foods, a Sprouts & a Mother's market all within a easy 3- 5 miles from me..... WH is kinda out of my price range but some things are OK....
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I try to have a reasonable variety with the food choices I make. In my area, kale comes in bags that are too big! I can't get much eaten before it's spoiled. I wonder if others have this same issue.
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I have not done kale due to the bitterness & too lazy to fool with it.... I know!
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Besides the kale, I'm on board. I just can't get used to the taste of kale. I find that sometimes I get in a rut with eating the same familiar fruits and vegetables, it is a good idea to switch things up too. I tend to forget about sweet potatoes in the summer, but overdose on them in the winter.
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I am not into kale either but I do love sweet potatoes and yams.....
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These are great! I almost always choose spinach for my greens. I need to mix it up a bit.
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I just started eating kale for the FIRST time several weeks ago with my green monster smoothies. I don't even notice it much.
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I thought I saw that kale somewhere, Bobbie! It was you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Interesting..I love spinach kale, not so much. I checked out the site and the recipe was sauted..maybe I will try this. I think you should eat ALL your veggies : )
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Let us know Sian if you try it!!!!
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I have sweet potatoes always! I've been trying to eat more kale, but I think I prefer spinach because it's less bitter. But I'm workin on it!
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April, I want your purple sweet potatoes!!!!
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