Maybe you should be eating more beets,
left, or chopped cabbage.

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created
several lists of healthful foods people should be eating
but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava
and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery
stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest
Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite
foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their
way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said,
   because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
   
   
2. How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad.
   Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
   
   
3. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane,
   a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
   
   
4. How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping
   on burgers and sandwiches.
   
   
5. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed
   with carotenoids that protect aging eyes. 
   How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
   
   
6. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol. 
   How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
   
   
7. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood
   pressure and loaded with antioxidants. 
   How to eat: Just drink it.
   
   
8. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes,
   but they are packed with antioxidants.   How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
   
   
9. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the
   pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels
   of the mineral are associated with lower risk for
   early death.  How to eat: Roasted as a snack,
   or sprinkled on salad.
   
   
10. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food
    in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain
    virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium.
    They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus,
    potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well
    as a full complement of B vitamins. 
    How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or
    sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast,
    or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
    
    
11. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have
    anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. 
    How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
    
    
12. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can
    degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables,
    frozen blueberries are available year-round and
    don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal
    studies. 
    How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk
    and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
    
    
13. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is
    high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A;
    fills you up on very few calories. 
    How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    

You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s
Health Web site, which published the original version
of the list last year.

In my own house, I only have two of these items
— pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put
on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix
with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning
smoothies. How about you? Have any of these
foods found their way into your shopping cart?