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It’s not hard to identify foods that you should avoid to optimize your health and energy level (think processed and snack foods with salt, sugar and hydrogenated fats), but some foods supply such a load of disease-fighting nutrients that you should aim to eat them often. Use this list of foods that you can grow yourself or that are readily available in Canada to plan your meals this school year— try to get them on your menu regularly to stay healthy and to ward off the bugs that lead to low energy and sick days.
- Avocados (potassium, monounsaturated fats, antioxidants)
- Bananas (vitamins, minerals)
- Barley (fibre, essential amino acids)
- Beets (vitamin C, antioxidants)
- Beans (protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre, thiamin)
- Blueberries (antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, minerals)
- Brazil nuts (selenium)
- Broccoli (vitamin C, fibre, anti-carcinogenic compounds)
- Butternut Squash (beta-carotene, calcium)
- Carrots (vitamin A, vitamin C, selenium)
- Eggs (protein, vitamins, minerals)
- Hemp Seeds (balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, protein)
- Kale (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients)
- Kiwi (potassium, vitamin C, fibre)
- Lentils (folate, fibre, protein)
- Onions (flavonoids) • Quinoa (protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals)
- Red Cabbage (antioxidants)
- Salmon – Wild (omega-3 fatty acids, protein)
- Sardines (omega-3 fatty acids, protein)
- Sprouts (protein, vitamin C)
- Sweet Potatoes (fibre, phytonutrients, antioxidants)
- Swiss Chard (chlorophyll, phytonutrients, lutein)
- Tomatoes (lycopene)
- Walnuts (protein, omega-3 fatty acids)
- Yogurt (protein, calcium, probiotics)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diana Mumford
Diana is the Editor of Canadian Teacher Magazine.
This article is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Sept/Oct 2013 issue.
