5 foods that should have a place in your diet

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I found this interesting in my quest to eat the right foods to aide in weight loss but also be beneficial too. Enjoy!


1. Peanut butter

Misconception: This creamy spread is an indulgence best enjoyed occasionally because it's high in fat and calories.

Why it's good for you:At least five major studies confirm that eating peanuts can lower risk for coronary heart disease. So it's no leap to think that peanut butter confers the same benefits. "Suffice it to say that eating peanut butter or peanuts has been associated with lower total cholesterol, lower ldl or 'bad' cholesterol, and lower triglycerides, all of which are associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk," says Richard Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition at Purdue University.

Even better, these health benefits seem to occur without also promoting weight gain. One reason could be that peanut butter is a stick-to-the-ribs kind of food. When Mattes offered a group of volunteers seven different snack foods (including peanut butter, rice cakes, pickles, and almonds), study participants reported that peanut butter or peanuts were much more filling snacks than rice cakes or pickles and tamed hunger for much longer. Sure, peanut butter is high in fat and calories, but if a small amount can quell hunger, that might explain why dieters seem more satisfied with weight-loss plans that include the spread.

But dieting or not, Mattes says a tablespoon or two of peanut butter is all it takes to net a world of benefits for both the heart and waistline. And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving. CookingLight.com: Nutrition faceoff: Peanut butter vs. cream cheese

2. Eggs

Misconception: Eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, so they don't have a place in my heart-healthy diet.

Why they're good for you: Eggs contain a variety of substances that appear to promote good health. Choline, a nutrient that is critical to brain function, is one example. Eggs, it seems, are one of the richest food sources of choline. Scientists at the University of North Carolina find adding choline to the diets of pregnant animals improves memory performance in their offspring. It may seem like a leap to apply this finding to people, but researchers are already encouraging pregnant women to eat eggs and other choline-rich foods (such as beef liver) during pregnancy.

Eggs are also being studied because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that may keep eyes healthy and ward off the leading cause of blindness, macular degeneration. A recent report in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that we look at the egg as a whole package: Eggs are inexpensive, contain the highest-quality protein on the planet, and are loaded with small amounts of vital nutrients, including folate, riboflavin, selenium, B12, and choline. At 75 calories apiece, eggs are also a nutrient-dense food that makes a smart and low-calorie contribution to any menu.

3. Coffee

Misconception: The only thing you get from drinking coffee is a caffeine buzz.

Why it's good for you: The average cup of coffee has hundreds of different chemical compounds. Maybe that's why news reports about coffee vacillate between lauding its health benefits and labeling it harmful. Still, the benefits of coffee seem to outweigh the negatives.

To name just a few: Some Arizona researchers recently discovered that caffeinated coffee helps improve memory in older adults. A new study from the United Kingdom suggests that small amounts of coffee consumed throughout the day can increase alertness and improve performance on all kinds of tasks, including those that require hand-to-eye coordination and attention to detail. Preliminary studies suggest regular coffee drinking may lower risk of type 2 diabetes. A new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that people who drink a daily four to six cups have a 28 percent lower risk of developing this illness--which is fast becoming an epidemic in this country--than folks who drink less than two cups each day. Researchers arrived at those numbers by pooling the results of nine different studies from the United States and around the world. Speculation is that caffeine deserves the credit, though it could be an antioxidant phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid. (If you drink several cups, spread them throughout the day to prevent the jitters, and avoid coffee late in the day, which can interfere with sleep.) CookingLight.com: Discover the perks of caffeine

4. Avocado

Misconception: I shouldn't eat avocados because they're high in fat.

Why they're good for you: A lot of attention centers on the fact that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the heart-healthy kind. Yet scientists are now more interested in the active compounds in avocados that might help prevent cancer. One recent study found that those compounds can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in the laboratory. While conducting the study, these researchers found avocados are loaded with a variety of antioxidants, including familiar disease-fighting compounds such as lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin E.

Another recently discovered benefit is that avocados help the body absorb phytochemicals from other foods. Researchers from Ohio State University recently reported that pairing avocados with salsa or salad allows for better absorption of antioxidants in those foods. The lycopene in tomatoes or the beta-carotene in carrots may be better absorbed if there's a slice or two of avocado in the bowl. Scientists suspect that the fat content of avocados helps the body absorb these antioxidants. CookingLight.com: Good fats vs. bad fats

5. Mushrooms

Misconception: Mushrooms are a low-calorie food with little nutritional benefit.
Your Health Tools

Why they're good for you: They may be 90 percent water and have only 18 calories per cup, but mushrooms are getting serious scientific attention. Laboratory reports and animal studies show that compounds in mushrooms may do everything from bolster immune function to suppress breast and prostate cancers to decrease tumor size. And now, Penn State researchers find that mushrooms, from the humble button to the giant portobello, harbor large amounts of an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. The scientific buzz is that fungi, for the moment, are the only foods that contain this compound.

While scientists work to figure out how these findings will translate to dietary advice, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy mushrooms. Clare Hasler, Ph.D., a well-known expert in functional foods and executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the University of California, Davis, points out that mushrooms offer a healthy helping of the blood pressure-- lowering mineral potassium. "Most people might be surprised to learn that while orange juice is touted as one of the highest potassium foods, one medium portobello mushroom actually has more potassium," she says. "And five white button mushrooms have more potassium than an orange." E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend
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Replies

  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    The first one, Peanut butter should be listed as Natural Peanut Butter without transfats. The regular stuff is full of trans fats which are very dangerous to us.

    The US Dept of Agriculture should be ashamed of themselves for saying the comment they made, without differentiating between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter.

    The regular stuff clearly has partially hydrogenated oils in it, which are trans fats.

    Natural peanut butter is peanuts and salt.

    Big difference in the ingredients.



    However, I no longer eat peanut butter as I have given up all legumes. I now eat cashew nut butter, sunflower seed butter, almond butter or macadamia nut butter.
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
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    I love this list!! :love:
    I dont like avocado, thought.
    Coffee, on the other hand, oh my god I love coffee.
  • Fit4Vet
    Fit4Vet Posts: 610 Member
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    :flowerforyou:
  • menjivas
    menjivas Posts: 124 Member
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    I think the point is to dispel misconceptions about peanut butter. USAG isn't going to sit there and tell you which peanut butter you should buy. I mean if that were the case, then USAG should say that you should buy cage free eggs and organic avocados.


    I love all those things and I have eaten over the past years to lose the weight. Peanut Butter and some celery sticks are the perfect afternoon snack. :flowerforyou: :drinker:
  • xsargex
    xsargex Posts: 768
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    Apples are good for you too. Just make sure that when you do, they aren't rotten apples. Rotten apples aren't good for you. Just wanted to relay that bit of information :devil:
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    I think the point is to dispel misconceptions about peanut butter. USAG isn't going to sit there and tell you which peanut butter you should buy. I mean if that were the case, then USAG should say that you should buy cage free eggs and organic avocados.


    I love all those things and I have eaten over the past years to lose the weight. Peanut Butter and some celery sticks are the perfect afternoon snack. :flowerforyou: :drinker:

    But for those of us that know there is a difference between Jif you buy at Wal-mart and the Natural Peanut Butter I make at my house that is fine.

    The point I am making is that millions of people that are not educated to what is healthy and what is not, is going to have people rushing to wal-mart tonight to purchase Jif, Skippy and the like and that is not healthy.

    Looks like to me they are feeding an agenda more than anything. The least they can do if they are going to dispel myths is to make the FACTS straight.

    And I only buy farm eggs, so I don't believe that the eggs your purchase from the store are healthy either............especially after an article I read today regarding these farmers giving chickens, cows, pigs, etc polyunsaturated fats in their diets and what that is doing to our food supply. That is why I purchase meat that was raised on a farm only now days.

    And there is no reason to purchase organic avocadoes because you peel them, the skin is not eaten - so organic doesn't matter on that point.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    The first one, Peanut butter should be listed as Natural Peanut Butter without transfats. The regular stuff is full of trans fats which are very dangerous to us.

    The US Dept of Agriculture should be ashamed of themselves for saying the comment they made, without differentiating between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter.

    The regular stuff clearly has partially hydrogenated oils in it, which are trans fats.

    Natural peanut butter is peanuts and salt.

    I think your comment is exactly why the article stated, "And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving."

    Just because the trans fats are "not detectable" doesn't mean they're not there, but it does mean that it's loaded with trans fats according to their findings. I believe the article was referring to regular peanut butter and not "natural" peanut butter. "Natural" peanut butter wouldn't have any trans fats because it's so minimally processed, so there would be no need to mention it at all if they were referring to "natural" peanut butter.

    According to peanutbutterlovers.com:
    Regular peanut butter does contain a tiny, tiny amount (far less than 1%) of partially hydrogenated oil. It keeps the oil from separating out of the peanut butter and rising to the top of the jar, makes the peanut butter creamier, and dramatically increases the shelf life of the peanut butter.

    The resulting amount of trans fat in regular peanut butter is so small that, under the proposed FDA labeling guidelines for trans fats, the peanut butter labels will list 0 trans fats. The proposed FDA rule indicates that trans fat amounts of less than .5g cannot be accurately measured and will be listed on the label as 0.

    However, natural peanut butters do not contain partially hydrogenated oils. There are a number of natural peanut butters on the market, so consumers who wish to completely avoid partially hydrogenated oils can still enjoy peanut butter. The peanut oil will rise to the top. Simply stir it back in before using.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    Options
    The first one, Peanut butter should be listed as Natural Peanut Butter without transfats. The regular stuff is full of trans fats which are very dangerous to us.

    The US Dept of Agriculture should be ashamed of themselves for saying the comment they made, without differentiating between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter.

    The regular stuff clearly has partially hydrogenated oils in it, which are trans fats.

    Natural peanut butter is peanuts and salt.

    I think your comment is exactly why the article stated, "And don't obsess about peanut butter being a source of trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving."

    Just because the trans fats are "not detectable" doesn't mean they're not there, but it does mean that it's loaded with trans fats according to their findings. I believe the article was referring to regular peanut butter and not "natural" peanut butter. "Natural" peanut butter wouldn't have any trans fats because it's so minimally processed, so there would be no need to mention it at all if they were referring to "natural" peanut butter.

    The USGA has an agenda just like the FDA and the USDA..................

    They are the ones that were trying to say a few years ago that trans fats weren't bad for you. Everything I have read says that the even tiniest bit of trans fats are a road to heart disease as it is not a naturally made fat.

    Now the government is trying to ban trans fats so even the smallest bit is very bad for you.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    The USGA has an agenda just like the FDA and the USDA..................

    I do think I remember something about the USDA being funded by JIF and Skippy.

    Oh, and the point of buying organic avocados would be the environment.
  • kimberjones
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    Good information. I get freshly ground peanut butter from Earth Fare and I love it as a high protein snack. I like it better than the store-bought stuff anyway. :)

    I like eggs. They've gotten a bad wrap since the cholesterol argument started. I ate (and still eat!! :happy: ) mine anyway and my cholesterol, despite my weight, have always been better than my husband's and he weighs a lot less.

    Coffee is something that I don't drink a lot of (though I enjoy it when it's on cold mornings) because it stains my teeth...bleh. It's nice to know that my occasional cup isn't wholly bad for me, though - that is until I add my sugar and creamer! :wink:

    Thanks for the article. It's got some good stuff in it.

    :flowerforyou:
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    The USGA has an agenda just like the FDA and the USDA..................

    I do think I remember something about the USDA being funded by JIF and Skippy.

    Oh, and the point of buying organic avocados would be the environment.

    I buy organic according to a list my natural pharmacist and naturopath gave to me.

    Anything you don't eat the skin on........bananas, avocados, pineapple, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit............you get the picture.

    I try to buy organic on the "dirty" dozen.
  • CaGinger
    CaGinger Posts: 180 Member
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    All I have to say is watch "Bull**** - Organic food"

    Whats Penn and Tellers agenda?

    The part I found interesting is that some "organic farms" are allowed certain pestisides and can still lable their food orgainic.

    Whats my point? If you really want orgainic grow your own food like I do.

    If you want to argue semantics that is.

    OP:

    Great list! Thank you very much!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    All I have to say is watch "Bull**** - Organic food"

    Whats Penn and Tellers agenda?

    The part I found interesting is that some "organic farms" are allowed certain pestisides and can still lable their food orgainic.

    Whats my point? If you really want orgainic grow your own food like I do.

    If you want to argue semantics that is.

    OP:

    Great list! Thank you very much!

    That is true, I get my organics from my aunt who has a large garden, my aunts best friend and if I have to purchase from a store, we have a farmers market, Neighborhood Coop and then each small town has a Saturday farmers market every saturday morning at the park.
  • Dive_Girl
    Dive_Girl Posts: 247 Member
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    The first one, Peanut butter should be listed as Natural Peanut Butter without transfats. The regular stuff is full of trans fats which are very dangerous to us.

    The US Dept of Agriculture should be ashamed of themselves for saying the comment they made, without differentiating between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter.

    The regular stuff clearly has partially hydrogenated oils in it, which are trans fats.

    Natural peanut butter is peanuts and salt.

    Big difference in the ingredients.



    However, I no longer eat peanut butter as I have given up all legumes. I now eat cashew nut butter, sunflower seed butter, almond butter or macadamia nut butter.

    What about hazelnuts? I love them and I love hazelnut natural butter and walnut natural butter.
  • Clbelle
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    Coffee is seriously bad for you. A little caffeine is good if acquired through naturally occuring fruits and vegatables, but the only thing worse for you than coffee is diet soda and/or battery acid. It increases the acidic level of the body, dehydration and stress of the kidneys and has no nutruitional value what so ever. When the body goes too acidic it robs essential nutrients like potassium and Iodine from the reserves of the body to keep the acidic/alkaline levels balenced. This causes the thyroid to slow, the body to burn less calories and hence makes it much harder to loose weight. Check out this link for a better explaination than I can provide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI
  • ilike2moveit
    ilike2moveit Posts: 776 Member
    Options
    Coffee is seriously bad for you. A little caffeine is good if acquired through naturally occuring fruits and vegatables, but the only thing worse for you than coffee is diet soda and/or battery acid. It increases the acidic level of the body, dehydration and stress of the kidneys and has no nutruitional value what so ever. When the body goes too acidic it robs essential nutrients like potassium and Iodine from the reserves of the body to keep the acidic/alkaline levels balenced. This causes the thyroid to slow, the body to burn less calories and hence makes it much harder to loose weight. Check out this link for a better explaination than I can provide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI
    According to the American Study of Epidemiology, daily coffee drinkers have a 49% lower risk of oral, esophageal, and pharyngeal cancers: 1 possible reason is caffeine might slow tumor growth. Good news for coffee drinkers. :drinker:
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
    Options
    The first one, Peanut butter should be listed as Natural Peanut Butter without transfats. The regular stuff is full of trans fats which are very dangerous to us.

    The US Dept of Agriculture should be ashamed of themselves for saying the comment they made, without differentiating between regular peanut butter and natural peanut butter.

    The regular stuff clearly has partially hydrogenated oils in it, which are trans fats.

    Natural peanut butter is peanuts and salt.

    Big difference in the ingredients.



    However, I no longer eat peanut butter as I have given up all legumes. I now eat cashew nut butter, sunflower seed butter, almond butter or macadamia nut butter.

    What about hazelnuts? I love them and I love hazelnut natural butter and walnut natural butter.

    Not a big fan of hazelnuts, blech.................haven't tried walnut butter though and I love walnuts.
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
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    Coffee is seriously bad for you. A little caffeine is good if acquired through naturally occuring fruits and vegatables,
    Coffee is a naturally occuring bean
    It increases the acidic level of the body,

    Your body is more than capable of handling acid/ base imbalances through homeostasis. That is unless you plan on drinking a whole a can of coffee in one cup.
    dehydration and stress of the kidneys
    If you have bad kidneys you may want to skip the coffee
    and has no nutruitional value what so ever.
    Coffee contains potassium and other trace nutrients but it also contains water. Water doesn't contain nutrients but it is good for hydration just like any other fluid.
    When the body goes too acidic it robs essential nutrients like potassium and Iodine from the reserves of the body to keep the acidic/alkaline levels balenced. This causes the thyroid to slow, the body to burn less calories and hence makes it much harder to loose weight. Check out this link for a better explaination than I can provide. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI

    Your body is more than capable of handling caffeine in small doses. It can regulate acid/base levels. If your body cannot; then coffee is the least of your problem.

    Meant with kindness
  • menjivas
    menjivas Posts: 124 Member
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    I have a problem with your definition of "healthy". Whether you are getting an organic, farm bought, or a normal store item, you are still getting the essential items from it. Yes, in store bought things you are getting pesticides, etc, but it is still is a piece of fruit or vegetable. Personally, If I have a choice between a fast food salad or a piece of non-organic fruit, I'll take the fruit.
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    I have a problem with your definition of "healthy". Whether you are getting an organic, farm bought, or a normal store item, you are still getting the essential items from it. Yes, in store bought things you are getting pesticides, etc, but it is still is a piece of fruit or vegetable. Personally, If I have a choice between a fast food salad or a piece of non-organic fruit, I'll take the fruit.

    What do you mean you have a problem with my version of healthy? There is no need to down me as I am entitled to believe what I want to believe and if I don't want to put unnecessary chemicals into my body, then I won't do it.

    And from what I am reading - mass produced fruits and vegetables that are non-organic ARE less nutrient dense because the land has been over farmed and stripped of the vital nutrients, there fore producing vegetables and fruits that are larger in size, less nutrient dense and contain more sugar than is needed.

    So, those store bought items are less healthy for you.

    If I had the choice between a fast food salad and non-organic fruit or vegetable, it would depend on what the fruit or vegetable was that was being offered to me - I might just do without either and find some protein that I could have instead.