magnesium

I hired a new doctor this winter and had a pre-visit questionnaire prior to my first appointment. Among other questions about my health, the nurse’s aid asked me, “Do you get a least three servings of milk or milk products every day.” To which I responded very confidently, “Yes.” 

“That’s terrific!” she said. 

I had just lied to a health professional. 

I don’t think I’d ever so much as looked at a beet until after college, when I had houseguests who were passing through town. They had learned how to make borscht while serving as missionaries in Russia, and I came home from a long day at work to a simmering pot of the root soup that they’d thoughtfully prepared. I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous at first, but was relieved to find it both delicious and nourishing.

Before we get to the remaining five foods on the list of the 10 most healthful foods that we probably don’t eat, but definitely should, let’s review the first five: cabbage, beets, guava, Swiss chard, and cinnamon. We learned that cabbage boosts our production of sulforaphane, which is a powerful cancer-fighter; beets reduce the level of artery-damaging homocysteine in our blood; guavas are the best source of lycopene, which is key to maintaining prostate health; Swiss chard contains powerful carotenoids, which help keep your retinas young; and cinnamon helps to stabilize your blood sugar.