Power Foods
Do you find yourself falling back into the same old routine of unhealthy eating? Do you wonder why? Vital information - that's not generally well explained - will help you understand why you crave certain foods and how this will impact your food choices. This information will empower you to re-train your palate to make healthy choices a natural part of your daily routine. Adding "Power Foods" to your diet can help you beat the cravings! Look to the flavor profile below to find the replacement items for the type of craving you might have.
What is a Power Food? Power Foods are items that provide rich levels of various types of nutrients (fiber, potassium, minerals, etc.) that are known to play important roles in fighting heart disease, minimizing certain cancer risks, as well as other health benefits. In the fitness world, many personal trainers encourage their clients to include these foods in their everyday diet to increase muscle development and stimulate weight loss. It's very easy to implement a power food into every meal that you eat, because many foods fall under each of the five food group categories (grain, vegetables, fruits, dairy and meats/beans). It's important to understand the role of the five main food groups in your diet and then to identify the "power" foods in those groups that you eat now or can implement into your diet. Let's identify some known power foods, list their flavor profile and think of new ways to use them in your daily diet to complement or enhance your base flavor profile.
| Food | Category | Flavor Profile |
| Barley, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Bulgur, Flax Seed, Wheat Germ | Grain | Nutty (can also sometimes give a meaty flavor impression) |
| Leafy Greens (Spinach, Romaine Lettuce, Mustard Greens) | Vegetables | Lean (Spinach can have a buttery note, Romaine has a hint of sweetness and Mustard Greens are little bitter) |
| Asparagus and Broccoli | Vegetable | Bitter |
| Bell Peppers | Vegetable | Sweet or a touch spicy (depends on color) |
| Carrots | Vegetable | Sweet |
| Garlic, Onions, Leeks, Shallots | Vegetable | Pungent/Bitter |
| Sweet Potato | Vegetable | Sweet and a touch starchy |
| Tomato | Vegetable | Sweet and acidic |
| Berries (Blue, Straw, Black) | Fruit | Sweet |
| Apples, Bananas, Apricots, Citrus | Fruit | Sweet |
| Cantaloupe, Kiwi and Papaya | Fruit | Sweet (a touch acidic) |
| Skim Milk | Dairy | Sweet |
| Cottage Cheese | Dairy | Sweet and fatty |
| Soy Milk | Dairy/Soy | A touch sweet with vanilla after taste |
| Salmon | Meat | Fatty with oil vein in fish Neutral with oil vein removed |
| Tuna | Meat | Sharp and lean |
| Black Beans | Beans | Rich and complex |
| Lentils | Beans | Lean and sometimes nutty or meaty |
| Kidney Beans | Beans | Lean and sometimes meaty |
Many of us already enjoy the majority of these items; so we know that power food can have flavor. The key to enjoying most healthy foods is preparation, seasonality, knowing their true flavor, and understanding your own base flavor profile.
The first category of power foods are classified as grains. These items are made from any grain such as wheat, rice, oat, cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grains. Breads, pasta, cereals and rice are just a few items that we can easily identify as a grain. The best type of grain to consume is a whole grain. Whole grains are comprised of the entire grain kernel (bran, germ and endosperm). The complex texture aids in digestion and contributes to a feeling of fullness. As the chart above indicates, most whole grains tend to have a nuttier flavor, mostly because the entire kernel is used and it's usually unrefined. Understanding the flavor profile of whole grains should help you select other power foods to pair them with. Whole grains can be substituted for many similar items with greater health benefits. Instead of eating white rice with salmon (a meat power food), try it with brown rice. The nutty flavor will complement the leanness of the salmon. Or try oatmeal pancakes with fresh blueberry compote for breakfast. The fruity sweetness of the blueberries is a natural complement to the nuttiness in the oatmeal.
Vegetables are easy to incorporate into each daily meal. Leafy dark green vegetables are low in calories, have higher water content (aids in helping you feel full), and loaded with fiber (digestion) and other vitamins and minerals with multiple heart and health benefits. Spinach, romaine and mustard greens are three examples of excellent power foods that can be eaten alone, in a salad, as an ingredient in a soup or egg-white omelet, or juiced as an ingredient in a power drink. It's important to not overcook leafy greens to avoid the loss of some of the key nutrients. Pungent vegetables such as garlic, leeks, onions and shallots are also power vegetables that work well when stir-fried or sautéd with leafy greens. Broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes and tomatoes are some other foods that have "power" nutrients and are commonly consumed in our daily diet. They all can be pureed to make a soup, stir-fried and served over a bed of bulgur wheat, or roasted and served open-faced on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread. The key to enjoying these power foods is to eat them fresh and in-season to ensure the maximum flavor.
Fruits are excellent sources of fiber (digestion), potassium (helps to regulate blood pressure and heart functions), folate, and vitamins A and C. It's recommended that we consume at least 2 cups of fruit each day. It's easy to create a power meal around fruits in the form of a salad or by combining them with other items to create a tasty side dish. In a spinach and roasted bell pepper salad, add a serving of orange segments and top with an olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette to make a tasty side dish, or add a portion of grilled salmon on top to make a main dish. Serve with a side of barley and you have created one powerful meal.
Dairy products have multiple benefits, including aiding us in maintaining a healthy weight. They're an excellent source of calcium, which research indicates can be directly linked to heart, joint and bone health. Skim or soy milk can be substituted in recipes calling for whole milk. Cottage cheese is an excellent companion with fresh berries, citrus fruit and cantaloupe.
Meat and beans are very important power foods. They're an excellent source of protein, potassium and other essential minerals. Protein is a key building block of a balanced diet and it plays a role in every major function of the body. One food to note in particular is tuna. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids that are linked to reducing blood clots and protecting against heart disease. In addition to their nutritional benefits, most of these items are available year-round, are easy to prepare, and can be consumed for any meal of the day. For example, in the morning you could have a black-bean and egg-white whole wheat tortilla wrap with a side of fresh fruit. For lunch, try a bowl of hearty black bean soup with an oatmeal roll. For dinner, you can eat grilled chicken or fish with steamed broccoli and a baked sweet potato.
"Power" eating is not a difficult task when you have the knowledge and tools to help you make the right choices. Just remember to take baby steps when modifying your diet. Set small goals in the kitchen each week. One week practice a new cooking technique. The next week try a new food and learn its flavor profile. Update one of your favorite recipes by substituting an ingredient with an item from the power food list. The most important thing is to take the time to taste your food. Learn to enjoy the taste and to identify its flavor and texture characteristics. In time, learning how to cook nutritiously and quickly will be simple and you'll enjoy what you eat.
"Power Recipe"
Oatmeal Pancakes with Blueberry Compote (2 Servings)
½ cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ tsp Cinnamon
¼ cup Low-fat Cottage Cheese
¼ cup Skim Milk
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and put approximately ¼ cup of batter in pan. Cook over medium heat until brown. Flip pancake over and cook on remaining side. Place on plate and top with approximately ¼ cup of mashed blueberries and serve immediately.
Blueberry Compote
1 ¼ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ cup of water
¼ cup of honey or ¼ cup of Truvia® or Splenda®
Zest of ½ lemon, grated fine
1. If using honey, combine ½ of berries, honey, and water in pot. Simmer over medium heat. As berries begin to burst, gently mash with a fork. Cook until juice begins to thicken (approximately 10 minutes). Add in remaining berries and lemon zest. Cook for an additional minute. Use while warm.
2. If using Truvia® or Splenda®, combine ½ of berries and water in pot. Simmer over medium heat. As berries start to burst, gently mash with a fork. As juice begins to boil away, add in remaining berries and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and toss with Truvia® or Splenda® and lemon zest. Use while warm.