Add these two foods to your diet for protein, fiber and other good stuff
It was a whirlwind year and now 2022 comes to a close. A time to reflect, a chance to improve, let’s try some new foods, you have nothing to lose.
I’ve gone through the lists. I’ve read the new trends. I’ve picked out the best and ignored the rest. In no order, and without a rhyme, here are the top two foods to add to your diet in the coming year.
Seaweed
Anyone who has eaten sushi has tasted nori, the green wrapping on sushi rolls as well as a flavoring in miso soup.
Nori is a seaweed rich in protein (up to 50 percent of the plant’s dry weight). One sheet has as much fiber as a cup of raw spinach and more omega-3 fatty acids than a cup of avocado. All seaweed is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
And if that weren’t enough, a study from 2010 found that the alginate in seaweed could reduce fat absorption. Wakame is another seaweed commonly found in Japanese restaurants. It contains calcium, magnesium and is a natural diuretic.
All seaweed contains iodine to keep a well-functioning thyroid. Answers to any seaweed questions can be found at www.forksoverknives.com/how-tos/sea-vegetables-guide-edible-seaweed. I use a piece of kombu, a member of the kelp family, when making soup. It is like putting a natural vitamin pill in the soup without a change in flavor.
Gluten-free pastas
Gluten-free pastas are not only for the gluten sensitive.
I just enjoyed “pasta” made from hearts of palms. No, it doesn’t taste like a traditional pasta but it is a great base for fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes and a splash of olive oil. Three ounces is only 20 calories.
If I want higher protein pasta, I reach for chickpea rotini. One serving is 11 grams of protein and 4 grams of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Lentils, brown rice and sweet potatoes have also been noodled.
Trying these pastas is a way to keep your food intake interesting, more nutritious and incorporate more plant foods.
Sheah Rarback MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami. srarback@hotmail.com
This story was originally published December 15, 2022 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Add these two foods to your diet for protein, fiber and other good stuff."