Yummy Superfoods, Part 2

Whoops, the whole "check back tomorrow" thing didn't exactly pan out like it was supposed to, but oh well. You can read Part 1 here, or just scroll down. Next up on the list is one of my favorite foods: salmon! Anyone else like it? Of course, salmon is filled with protein, but it is also filled with omega-3 fatty acids, which help heart health. Wild salmon is usually better than farmed salmon since farmed salmon can sometimes contain additives and contaminants. Here's a recipe for Teriyaki Salmon with Gingery Chard. I'm drooling, it's a combo of my two favorites, teriyaki and salmon, ah...

Oats are next! Seriously, what beats oatmeal with brown sugar and milk on a cold morning? I love oatmeal, I used to eat it almost everyday, my parents would buy this big thing of oats and it'd be gone by the next week! (FYI: I've scaled back to only eating it once or twice a week, and I put sunflower seed butter (very good for you!) and jelly on top instead of brown sugar. (My mom's a big stickler for the whole "eat protein at breakfast" thing.) Oats can help lower total cholesterol and help lower LDL cholesterol. (The bad cholesterol) Oats also contain plant chemicals that contain antioxidants. (Free radicals, beware!) But be careful, eating too much oat bran can be bad for you. I heard that it slows the absorption of some other type of vitamin, I forget which one. Anyway, here's a recipe for Fruit and Oat Granola Bars.

Next up is dark chocolate. (Yes, dark, not milk or white!) Dark chocolate is packed full of antioxidants and can help lower blood pressure. Still, you shouldn't eat too much, of course, because of calories and fat. (It's still high in that!) And remember, the darker, the better, since processing strips the chocolate of much of it's health benefits. Here's a list of organic and fair trade dark chocolates! My mom buys 72% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's, it's fair trade too, I think.

Blueberries are up next! Olivia loves blueberries, I like them, but not as much. Blueberries contain lots of antioxidants, and can help slow some degenerative diseases associated with old age. They're also known to help improve urinary tract health. (Cranberries are too, I think) Olivia puts blueberries in our pancakes, they're good! Here's a recipe for Blueberry Crumb Bars, don't they sound delicious?