Everyone has heard of an ABC book: a fun, easy way for children to associate words with a letter or picture. We at Andreano Chiropractic thought it would be fun to put our own spin on this and write a blog post about a healthy food associated with each letter of the alphabet that can be used to help build a healthy balanced diet in your life. This is the second entry in this series; if you are looking for letters A-G, click here!
H is for Honey
Honey is a delicacy revered around the world and is one of many reasons to love bees. Outside of its ooey gooey sweet taste, it has a variety of health benefits. Honey is said to help regulate blood sugar, act as a great probiotic, enrich skin, help with seasonal allergies, aid memory, and heal the body in a variety of ways. Local honey is best due to its freshness, so be sure to support your local bee farms. Pooh Bear loves it and so will you in a balanced diet.
I is for Iced Tea
Iced tea is a great summertime beverage to enjoy while kicking back and enjoying the sunlight on a hot day. It also is a great drink to incorporate into a diet due to its health benefits. Apart from its hydrating properties, some sources claim that iced tea has 10 times the amount of polyphenol antioxidants that fruits and vegetables do. Tea in general, especially herbal teas, are great for your health and provide a great, healthy alternative to sugary soda.
There is a wide variety of tea to choose from; some teas are focused on health benefits, others focused on taste, and some focused on caffeine inclusion. Green tea and black tea are two great recommendations to start with. Green tea is a great herbal tea rich with antioxidants and a slight earthy taste and black tea is great for a small source of caffeine that has both antioxidant properties and soothing flavor.
J is for Jalapeno Peppers
Turns out, it is good to have a little spice in life. Capsaicin, a naturally occurring chemical compound found in chili peppers (including jalapenos), can grow a healthy and diverse microbiome in your gut by stimulating gut flora and helping the gastrointestinal tract. Jalapenos are used as a homeopathic remedy for pain and strengthen heart health while reducing ulcer risk. These peppers also are great tools for weight loss.
K is for Kale
Kale is a form of edible cabbage that is high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, antioxidants, beta-carotene, and calcium. The nutritional properties it has can help with eye and heart health as well as weight management. Although it isn’t Popeye’s go-to member of the cabbage family, it is still highly recommended (fun fact, Popeye’s love for spinach was a result of wartime propaganda encouraging people to eat spinach because it was cheap to produce).
As for preparing kale, some studies show that eating kale raw is the best for your health, likely because it preserves the lively nutrients that may be lost in a cooking process. Kale is an easy ingredient to slip into a smoothie for extra health benefits, so if you are not a fan of snacking on the leafy vegetable, we recommend blending it with other healthy ingredients. Plus, this can give smoothies a unique green color!
L is for Lamb
Lamb is a lean source of protein with a rich, delicious taste. Per serving of 3 ounces, it has 160 calories, 23.5 grams of protein, and 6.6 grams of healthy fats with 0 carbs. It is also rich in Vitamin B, zinc, and niacin. All of these attributes and its delicious taste make it a great meal.
M is for Mushrooms
Culinary mushrooms can be both delicious and nutritious. Mushrooms are extremely high in protein relative to its very low calorie count and are rich with Vitamin D. Per 1 cup serving of mushrooms, there are 15 calories, 2.2 grams of protein, 0.7 grams of fiber, and 2.3 grams of carbs. Mushrooms are fat-free, cholesterol-free, and-sodium free. Depending on the type, mushrooms can even be immune modulators. Also, if you have never tried stuffed mushrooms, you are missing out on one of the best appetizers you can grace your tastebuds with.
N is for Nuts
“Nuts” is a very broad entry on this list as there are so many different kinds of nuts to choose from; since they are the most common in the U.S. however, this entry will focus on peanuts (which funny enough aren’t classified as true nuts, but rather legumes). Peanuts are a great plant-based source for protein and healthy fats. They're also a great snack for bars and baseball games. Peanut butter can be good too as long as it is natural and not overly sugared.
O is for Oranges
Oranges are a great fruit to start off the day. Per 1 navel orange weighing 140 grams, there are 73 calories, 14.6 grams of natural sugars, 0.2 grams of fat, 1.3 grams of protein, and 2.8 grams of fiber. Oranges are low calorie fruit that work great in fueling the body with natural sugars to start the day. They are also rich in Vitamin C, making them a great asset to any balanced diet.
For a healthy dessert, try drizzling olive oil on orange slices with parsley and a little bit of sea salt on top.
P is for Potatoes
There are so many different ways to prepare potatoes: boiled, baked, mashed, as french fries, hash browns, tater tots, and the list goes on. This versatile food is also quite healthy. A medium baked Russet potato has 164 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 37 grams of carbs, 4.6 grams of protein, and only 0.2 grams of fat. The healthiest part of the potato is the skin, which has 30% of your daily Vitamin C intake and has more potassium than a medium-sized banana.
Q,R,S, TO BE CONTINUED...
This is only Part 2 of Andreano Chiropractic's alphabet series. We'll update this feed every few days until it's conclusion, so stay tuned to learn more about healthy foods that can enhance your diet!
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