5 Delicious Power Foods

Can nutrient-rich power foods be delicious as well?  This post gives you 5 tasty foods that are also very nutritious.

When I was overweight and struggling with my health, once in a while I would pick up a book or magazine, or see an article on the web talking about the healthiest foods to eat.  And I would immediately get a bad taste in the back of my mouth and stop reading.  Seriously?  You expect me to eat all that? Things like kale, fermented milk, strange-sounding grains, cauliflower, sauerkraut, sprouted grains...yuck, yuck, yuck.  If that was what eating healthy was all about, I wanted no part of it.

Well what if I told you that there are five nutrient-rich foods that are as delicious as they are good for you?  Try these on for size:

1. Blueberries - are rich in antioxidants and have potential benefits to the brain and nervous system.  There is good evidence that they can help improve memory and slow down the onset of cognitive problems frequently associated with aging.  They can also help regulate blood sugar levels.  Who doesn't like blueberries?
2. Apples - the phytonutrients in apples can help you regulate your blood sugar.  They are considered a good source of fiber and have fat-lowering effects.  Apples' strong antioxidant benefits are also related to their ability to lower risk of asthma in numerous studies, and their ability to lower risk of lung cancer. 
3. Chicken - especially pasture-raised.  One 4-ounce serving of pasture-raised chicken breast provides about 35 grams of protein, or 70% of the Daily Value (DV). Included in this excellent protein content are plentiful amounts of sulfur-containing amino acids like cysteine and methionine, as well as branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) that are important for support of cardiac and skeletal muscle. All B vitamins are present in chicken meat, including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folate, biotin, and choline. 
4. Eggs - eggs are back!  Especially pasture-raised eggs.  They are a source of high-quality protein and provide a complete range of amino acids, including branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine), sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine), lysine, tryptophan, and all other essential amino acids. All B vitamins are found in eggs, including vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, choline, biotin, and folic acid. Eggs are a very good source of both selenium and iodine. 
5. Dark Chocolate - while some find it slightly better, it is rich, delicious and good for you.  See my post on chocolate for more information.

There are actually many more foods that are great-tasting and good for you, but obviously what you like is your own personal preference.  I just picked five foods I thought everyone would like.  Check out this list and see what other foods are on the list...you might be surprised!

Source: whfoods.org