Underrated Foods

There is a lot of information out there about super foods or foods that are nutritional powerhouses, like blueberries, salmon or nuts. These foods, deservedly so, are touted as being full of antioxidants, healthy fats and other nutrients that reduce disease risk and promote health. But amidst all this talk of super foods, it can be easy to overlook some common, nutritious foods. When I came across this article about underrated foods (click the link), I thought it would be a great thing to share.

The article talks about 6 foods that nutrition experts feel are underrated, as they are fairly common foods that don't particularly get a lot of nutritional hype. What I like about these foods are they are very practical, available, affordable, and packed full of nutrients that promote good health.

My two favorites from the list--watermelon and canned tomatoes.

I think a lot of people tend to avoid watermelon these days because they think it's really high in sugar. As the article points out, watermelon is full of potassium, vitamins C and A, and lycopene--that cancer-fighting phytochemical. And because it has a high water content, it can help people to meet fluid needs.

Canned tomatoes are a healthy, affordable way of meeting fruit and vegetable recommendations. I love the versatility of canned tomatoes. They can be put in so many different dishes like pizzas, spaghetti sauce, soups, stews, chillies, salsas and casseroles.

The more practical and affordable healthy foods can be, the more likely we will be to realistically fit them into our eating plans. So check out the article to find the remaining 4 underrated foods. All 6 of these foods are definitely great ones for the grocery list.

Rachel Cope MPH, RD, CD