Unsung Food Heroes

Don’t stop at nutritional darlings. Fill up on 10 important nutrients with these less-lauded options, too.

Whether it’s aiming to boost immunity with vitamin C–rich citrus fruits or to build strong bones and teeth with calciumloaded milk, many Americans who have gotten the word that it’s better to get nutrients from food rather than from supplements dutifully turn to the best-known sources to further their health. But because variety helps ensure a well-rounded diet, Paulette Lambert, R.D., CDE, director of nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute in Westlake Village, offers some fresh go-tos for health-conscious eaters looking to turn over a new leaf this year. Here, she identifies some unsung food heroes that pack 10 key nutritional elements.

Calcium Hero Firm Tofu

Fiber Hero Pearl Barley

CALCIUM

Why you need it

Calcium is vital for bone health and enables nerves to send and receive signals and the heart and other muscles to contract.

Recommendations

Average adults need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. Pregnant and postmenopausal women should get 1,200 milligrams.

Unsung food source: Firm tofu

Three ounces of firm tofu contains 683 milligrams of calcium. Perhaps the best-known source, low-fat milk supplies 250 milligrams per cup, and a cup of cooked spinach provides 245 milligrams.

How to dish it up

Bake firm tofu in the oven until crispy or add it to stir-fries and other Asian style dishes. It’s also an excellent ingredient in scrambles.

FIBER

Why you need it

Fiber helps maintain a healthy digestive tract, acting like a broom to help sweep toxins out of the body. It lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and contributes to the prevention of diabetes by slowing down the body’s absorption of sugars. Fiber also triggers a sense of fullness, so consuming adequate amounts of it can help facilitate weight loss.

Recommendations

Most Americans fall short of consuming the recommended 30 to 40 grams of fiber per day with an average of just 10 grams.

Unsung food source: Pearl barley

One cup of cooked barley provides 6 grams of fiber. The breakfast favorite oatmeal supplies 4 grams per cup, and side-dish star brown rice delivers 2 grams.

How to dish it up

Cooked barley is a delicious substitute for rice. Its nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture add interest to salads and make it a tasty choice for a hot breakfast cereal. Unlike rice and more refined grains, barley has fiber all the way through, not just on the outside, so it produces a slower rise in blood sugar.

IRON

Why you need it

An essential mineral, iron is an important component of heme, a substance in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Without sufficient iron the body cannot make enough oxygen-carrying red blood cells. The result is iron-deficiency anemia.

Recommendations

Women of childbearing age need 18 milligrams of iron daily (after menopause less is necessary), and men require 8 milligrams.

Unsung food source: Chickpeas

One cup of chickpeas packs 3 milligrams of iron. A half cup of the mainstay iron source cooked spinach also delivers 3 milligrams. Three ounces of red meat has 2 milligrams, and two eggs supply 1.4 milligrams.

How to dish it up

Toss a cup of chickpeas into a salad or roast them for a snack that’s also high in fiber. Pulverize them with tahini and roasted garlic to make a hummus sandwich spread or a dip for vegetables.

Iron Hero Chickpeas

Magnesium Hero Bran Cereal

MAGNESIUM

Why you need it

Magnesium is a mineral that is crucial for normal blood pressure, strong bones, and steady heart rhythms. Low levels can cause inflammation, which increases risk for chronic disease.

Recommendations

Women need 320 milligrams of magnesium a day, while men require 420 milligrams.

Unsung food source: Bran cereal

One cup of bran cereal contains 92 milligrams. A half cup of spinach supplies 78 milligrams, and one ounce of nuts confers 64 milligrams.

How to dish it up

To boost your intake of magnesium as well as fiber, add an all-bran cereal to your usual breakfast cereal. Use bran cereal in muffins that can be frozen and popped in the microwave for a quick, healthy breakfast or snack.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Why you need them

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for heart, lung, and immune system support. They also help regulate gene expression and make up some of the structure of the body’s cells. There are two key types: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Hero Farmed Atlantic Salmon

Potassium Hero Avocado

Recommendations

Standard guidelines suggest consumption of 800 to 1,000 milligrams of EPA/ DHA omega-3 fatty acids per day.

Unsung food source: Farmed Atlantic salmon

Most people think wild salmon is much higher in omega 3s than its farmed counterpart, but that is not the case. Six ounces of farmed Atlantic salmon packs 4,252 milligrams; six ounces of wild sockeye salmon supplies 1,724 milligrams. Choose fish farmed under U.S. regulations or in northern European countries such as Norway or Scotland.

How to dish it up

Grill, roast, or pan sear salmon and serve it hot or cold. It is enhanced by a multitude of sauces and is found in dishes from many different cuisines.

POTASSIUM

Why you need it

Potassium is an electrolyte that is vital in managing the flow of fluids and nutrients into and out of the body’s cells. It helps regulate acidity levels, blood pressure, and neuromuscular functions.

Recommendations

Dietary guidelines prescribe 4,700 milligrams of potassium a day.

Unsung food source: Avocado

One medium avocado contains 690 milligrams. Perhaps the most recognized source, a banana provides 422 milligrams. One orange offers 325 milligrams. All fruits and vegetables contain some potassium, but the only way to get the recommended amount is to eat seven to 10 servings of produce a day.

How to dish it up

Sliced avocado adds richness to salads, sandwiches, and omelets. Mash it for use in sauces, as a spread on toast, or in a dip like guacamole. It also serves as a more healthful replacement for butter and shortening in baked goods.

Vitamin C Hero Guava

Vitamin D Hero Dry-Roasted Sunflower Seeds

Vitamin B12 Hero Fortified Nutrtitional Yeast

Vitamin E Hero UV-Treated or Sunlight-Exposed Mushrooms

VITAMIN B12

Why you need it

Vitamin B12 is required for the formation of new blood cells and the metabolism of all cells in the body. This vitamin also plays a role in the body’s ability to absorb the building blocks of proteins and fats, amino and fatty acids.

Recommendations

For people more than 14 years old the Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms. Pregnant women need more.

Unsung food source: Fortified nutritional yeast

Three tablespoons of fortified nutritional yeast provide 1.2 micrograms of vitamin B12. Prized for its umami quality, nutritional yeast is also the only vegan food that contains vitamin B12—but only if fortified. Two-percent-fat milk, contains 1.2 micrograms per cup, and a three-ounce beef patty delivers 1.3 micrograms.

How to dish it up

The cheese-like flavor of fortified nutritional yeast is a welcome substitute for Parmesan cheese in many foods.

VITAMIN C

Why you need it

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, protecting the body from free radical damage that leads to aging and disease. This vitamin also boosts immunity and is necessary for the formation of connective tissue.

Recommendations

Men need 90 milligrams of vitamin C per day; women require 75 milligrams.

Unsung food source: Guava

One guava brims with 126 milligrams, but since the body does not store vitamin C, any extra is generally harmless and will be excreted. The old standby, one orange supplies 59 milligrams. One cup of strawberries provides 85 milligrams, and the same amount of blackberries or raspberries delivers 30 to 32 milligrams.

How to dish it up

Eat guava on its own, blend it into smoothies, slice it thinly into fruit salads, or simmer it to make jams, fillings, and dressings.

VITAMIN D

Why you need it

Vitamin D is essential for bone health and boosting immunity, and some promising research suggests that it may improve brain health and heart health and be helpful in preventing many kinds of cancer. Both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 convert into the usable form in the body; the difference is that D2 stays in the system for days while D3 remains for weeks.

Recommendations

Dietary guidelines call for average adults to get 600 to 800 International Units of vitamin D a day. For children, 600 IU per day is recommended for bone health.

Unsung food source: Wild or cultivated mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight or dried and treated with ultraviolet light

Three ounces of unexposed mushrooms contain just 30 IU of D2, while the same amount of mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight for six hours a day for two days can provide up to 46,000 IU. Slicing or pulverizing them into powder before the exposure increases the concentration even more. The light converts a compound in the fungi to vitamin D2, just as it does in human skin, and mushrooms treated in this way are the only vegan source of vitamin D2. Much of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D because it does not occur in many foods in the customary diet. The primary food source is milk, which is fortified with the vitamin. One cup of whole milk has 125 IU, four ounces of salmon contains 500 IU, and three ounces of tuna supplies 75 IU.

How to dish it up

Use sun-exposed mushrooms in sautés and stews. Reconstitute sun-dried varieties by soaking them in hot water, broth, or wine for a few minutes. UV-treated dried mushroom powder is available commercially and can be used in soups and many other dishes to boost vitamin D intake.

VITAMIN E

Why you need it

Vitamin E prevents oxidative stress, a condition in which disease-causing molecules in the body called free radicals overcome antioxidant substances that neutralize them. This vitamin is also important for brain, heart, eye, and skin health, and helps to boost immunity.

Recommendations

Standard guidelines call for 10 milligrams or 15 IU of vitamin E per day in food. Supplements are not recommended because they can easily deliver too much of the vitamin and suppress blood coagulation, leading to hemorrhaging.

Unsung food source: Dry-roasted sunflower seeds

One ounce of dry-roasted sunflower seeds contains 7.4 milligrams of vitamin E. Spinach provides 3.7 milligrams of the vitamin per cup and a cup of cooked quinoa supplies 1.2 milligrams. How to dish it up Add dry-roasted sunflower seeds to salads, eat them on their own, or combine them with fruit for a simple snack.