Why they’re healthy: Eggs are packed with nutrition. One egg has a mere 75 calories, yet contains 13 essential nutrients. Along with high-quality protein, eggs have choline, a compound considered critical for brain development and believed to influence lifelong memory and learning functions. Eggs also contain vitamin E, iron and zinc plus small amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenes that support healthy vision and may help prevent age-related blindness.
Best ways to eat them: As close to au naturel as possible. When fried, paired with bacon and hash browns, topped with cheese or mixed into a salad with a heavy dollop of mayonnaise, eggs become accomplices to a high-fat, higher-calorie diet.
Instead, enjoy them scrambled, boiled or poached, mixed with veggies or chopped and tossed with a little light mayo. Partner with whole wheat toast, whole grain pilafs or fruit.";
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Many believe potatoes are nutritionally anemic junk food loaded with carbs. That may be true of french fries, but a whole white potato is a different story.
Why they’re healthy: Sure, they’re filled with carbohydrates, but that’s OK. Our bodies, especially our brains, need less-processed carbohydrates for energy. One baked potato contains 25 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Eat the whole potato (including skin) for a good source of B6, copper, potassium and manganese. Their high-fiber content helps slow digestion and provides a sense of fullness long after a meal is over.
Best ways to eat them: It’s the add-ons that do the damage. If you pick the right “accessories,” such as low-fat cottage cheese and snipped herbs or black beans and corn salsa, potatoes can become nutritional heavyweights. Try boiled potatoes diced and lightly brushed with olive oil, herbs and spices; mash them with the skins on; or bake and top with sauteed mushrooms and onions.
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Pizza is a nutritional chameleon, taking on the healthy or unhealthy attributes of its toppings. It can be a greasy fat-fest or vitamin-rich meal suitable for many diets.
Why it's healthy: In theory, a slice of pizza represents several food groups within the Food Guide Pyramid. With a whole-wheat crust, it provides a serving or two of whole grains loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients, the plant-based compounds that help fight disease. The tomato sauce is packed with beta carotene, lycopene and vitamin C. If the pie is made with real mozzarella cheese, you get a healthy dose of calcium.
Pizzas can also be a great base to add highly nutritious vegetables, including red peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli and spinach.
Best ways to eat it: Whole-wheat crust is a must. Slather on tomato sauce and use a light hand when sprinkling on cheese and lean meat. Be generous with your veggie picks. If buying pre-made pizza, stick with whole-wheat crust and add additional veggies to the top.
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The beef over beef is its fat content -- specifically the amount of saturated fat found in many cuts.
Why it’s healthy: One 3-ounce serving of lean beef contains 50 percent of the protein most people should get in a day and nearly 40 percent of the zinc and vitamin B12. Lean beef is a good source of selenium (a mineral linked with a reduced risk of some cancers), B6 and iron.
Best ways to eat it: Whether red meat gets a nutritional thumbs up depends on the portion size and the cut of beef. Keep portions to 3 ounces to 4 ounces of cooked weight. Choose cuts from the round or loin, such as top round, eye of round, top loin or sirloin, or try flank steak. Trim visible fat and marinate in flavorful low-fat sauces. To keep fat in check, grill, broil or bake beef, or cook it in broth or another low-fat liquid.
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Sugared cereals are often called “crunchy candy” because the excess sugar content adds a heap of unnecessary calories.
Why they’re healthy: While some pre-sweetened cereals are overloaded with sugar, artificial colors and ingredients, other brands can provide 15 percent to 100 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of several vitamins and minerals, including those that many people don’t get enough of: vitamin D, vitamin E, magnesium and calcium. Some pre-sweetened cereals can offer fiber and a serving of whole grains.
Best ways to eat them: Some diets advise two servings of cereal a day, but one bowl should be enough for most people.
The key to keeping these healthy is to pick brands with fewer ingredients listed. The first ingredient should be a whole grain such as whole wheat or rolled oats. Add your own fruit – strawberries, blueberries or bananas – instead of buying cereal already loaded with dried fruit (too sweet). Sugars listed on the nutrition label should be no more than 8-10 grams (8 grams = 2 tsps.) and offer at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Drink the milk at the bottom of the bowl because some of the nutrients added to cereals leach out into the milk. If you try to cut calories by tossing the leftover milk, you’ll likely miss out on many of the nutrients that were added in.
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Many people mistakenly believe that canned goods contain fewer nutrients than fresh produce.
Why they’re healthy: Canned fruits and vegetables are picked and packed at their peak ripeness, cooked quickly and sealed so nutrients are not lost. Several studies have found that the vitamin content in canned or frozen foods is comparable to fresh produce. Some canned foods such as tomatoes actually top frozen or fresh. With canned beans, the heating process may also make the fiber more soluble and useful to the body than dried beans.
Fresh foods can lose a significant amount of certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, after several days. Canned foods can hold on to their nutrients for up to two years.
Best ways to eat them: To keep nutrition locked in, store canned foods in a cool, dry location. Choose fruits packed in their own juices over those packed in syrups. Up to half the sodium in canned vegetables or beans can be washed away by rinsing under water.
";
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These mollusks may have a reputation for their love-enhancing qualities, but they're also shunned for being loaded with cholesterol and blamed for more than a few cases of food poisoning.
Why they’re healthy: Oysters are a lean source of protein and they contain omega-3 fatty acids. Six oysters have a total of 600 milligrams of omega-3s -- one-third of what’s recommended in a day. One serving has about 55 milligrams of cholesterol — one-fifth of what’s found in an egg and less than the amount in a chicken breast. For most people, the amount of cholesterol in a particular food usually has a minor effect on blood cholesterol.
Oysters are an exceptional source of zinc, an important immune system booster that also helps sharpen your sense of taste and smell. They’re also an abundant source of vitamin B12, copper, iron and selenium.
Best ways to eat them: Oysters can be purchased fresh, frozen or canned. Fresh or frozen is preferable because canned varieties are usually packed in oil or a water and salt solution. When buying live oysters, make sure the shells are tightly closed. They should smell like the sea, not sulfurous. They can be grilled, steamed or eaten raw. Some people, including children, pregnant women, older folks and those with a compromised immune system should avoid raw oysters because of the potential risk of food poisoning due to toxic bacteria.
"; // END editorial data