08/12/2018
Satisfy That Winter Appetite!
Cooler weather is here and along with it comes our desire for a heartier menu ... and that can mean lots of extra calories! It doesn't need to. Try to load up your stews or salads, or add large side portions of the items below and you'll be eating more and heartier at a lower calorie cost!- Arugula has only 4 calories per cup! It may look like a salad green, but arugula is actually a cruciferous vegetable, along with broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. It is loaded with fiber, vitamins A, C and K, and other nutrients, including potassium. Add to salads, soups, or stews! Try serving lightly cooked with a little olive oil or other fat at times. Many researchers believe that certain compounds found in arugula are actually better absorbed when cooked.
- Broccoli has 31 calories per cup and is a superfood with high nutritional returns for the calorie content! Broccoli is loaded with fiber, antioxidants to fight cancer, and vitamin C to aid in iron absorption. Especially beneficial for women, it is rich in folate which helps women to sustain normal tissue growth and protects against low folate during pregnancy. Additionally, the folic acid in broccoli helps women to protect against birth defects.
- Cabbage has 22 calories per cup and has significant health benefits. It stimulates the immune system, kills bacteria and viruses, inhibits the growth of cancerous cells, protects against tumors, helps control hormone levels and improves blood flow. It speeds up the metabolism of estrogen, reducing the risk of breast cancer and can inhibit the growth of polyps in the colon. Go for purple cabbage, it contains anthocyanins and other natural chemicals that boost cellular repair!
- Lettuce has 5 calories per cup. You can eat massive amounts of any variety of lettuce and never gain an ounce. Darker-colored varieties contain beta-carotene, an important antioxidant that battles certain cancers, heart disease, and cataracts. A dark-green color also indicates the presence of folic acid, which helps protect against neural-tube birth defects in early of pregnancy. Research also shows that folic acid plays an important role in the prevention of heart disease and inflammation. Lettuces are also good sources of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
- Caulifower has 25 calories per cup, and is a very good source of the powerful antioxidants vitamin C and manganese. It is brimming with cancer-fighting phytonutrients and is a great source of folate. Cauliflower is one of the top superfoods, and may improve your odds for breast cancer survival. Eat a cup of boiled cauliflower to help clean your digestive system and get rid of unnecessary substances
- Mushrooms have 15 calories per cup. Meaty and rich in flavor, mushrooms contain immune-boosting antioxidants, along with potassium, B vitamins, and fiber. They also contain selenium, an important antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging found that men with the lowest blood selenium levels were 4 to 5 times more likely to have prostate cancer compared to those with the highest selenium levels. In another study, men who consumed twice the recommended daily intake of selenium and cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent!
- Turnips contain 36 calories per cup, and approximately 27 mg of vitamin C, and riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid. It also contains one-sixth of the vitamin B6 you need daily. The B vitamins help with fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism; nervous system function; and healthy skin, hair, eyes and liver. Eat diced and tossed into soups or stews, or sliced raw.
- Kale has 5 calories per cup. As a super food, it is packed with vitamin A, B complex, and C. It is also a powerful antioxidant, and is a rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, iron, and manganese. Rich in dietary fiber, it contributes to effective weight loss and is anti-inflammatory and prevents skin diseases. One of the healthiest superfoods around, it may help prevent cancer. It's also a great source of B vitamins, folic acid, and manganese, which helps regulate blood sugar and is essential for proper immune system function.
- Celery has 16 calories per cup. It contains at least eight families of anti-cancer compounds, including acetylenics that have been shown to stop the growth of tumor cells, phenolic acids which help block the growth of tumor cells, and coumarins which prevent free radicals from damaging cells. Celery is also associated with lowering of blood pressure.
- Tea contains 0 calories per cup! Black, green, white, and oolong teas are high in polyphenols, an antioxidant that protects cells from the DNA damage that can cause cancer and other diseases. Tea may also lower LDL or bad cholesterol, ward off osteoporosis, boost your brain power, and keep you thin. Add some lemon, its loaded with vitamin C!
