What to Eat: March Superfoods

The temperature may still be hovering in the single digit range, but I'm bold enough to say spring is in the air. Though we have to wait till mid-March for the season's official change, the big day is signaled by ripe fruits and veg that will be staples throughout the season. Load up on these picks and ready your body for a healthy, happy spring!

Broccoli
Everyone's favorite flower-headed veg is back in season! The hearty green is has a reputation for being good for you, and that's not just your momma talking. Broccoli boasts more than 135% of your daily dose of vitamin C. It's been touted to benefit everything from eyesight to sun-damaged skin, digestion and metabolism. A score of studies have hailed broccoli's cancer fighting capabilities, and it's been called an all natural allergy medicine. If you're gearing up for the healthiest of springs, pack your diet with these greens and you'll be set!

Artichokes
Here in the US, we're lucky for California. Not just because it boasts some of the country's greatest climates, but because the sunshine state produces a huge haul of artichokes for our dining pleasure every March. These spiky treats are ripe and ready to eat, and our pre-spring bodies are very thankful. Artichokes have more antioxidants than any other vegetable, the bulk of which is found in the pulp of the leaves. Artichokes also help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease. For those with IBS or Crohn's disease, artichokes pack extra power, by aiding digestion and reducing symptoms.

Lettuce
Okay, this one sounds like a joke, but stick with me here. The salad staple is actually a good for you green, if you stay away from the iceberg variety, which packs little more nutrients than water. Lettuce has more vitamin A than any other veg, along with a healthy does of vitamins C and K, calcium and fiber. In ancient Egypt, lettuce was a truly valued veg, hailed for its reputation to enhance sexual prowess. So, sticking with that salad diet may have some unexpected - but pleasurable - side effects.

Pineapple
Sweet, juicy and delicious, what more reason do you need to devour this yellow fruit. Pineapples are loaded with potassium, vitamins A and C, calcium and phosphorus. But, their stand-out nutrient is manganese, which is linked to stronger bones, dental health and better digestion. In some studies, pineapple has helped decrease macular degeneration, or vision loss, in older adults, and alleviated the pains of arthritis. Now if we could only find an easier way to get through that spiky exterior!

On My Plate: Taste the Rainbow

It's not important to just eat your veggies for healthy body benefits, you have to eat your colors too. For me, that's always meant eating with the Rainbow Method, or adding a rainbow of colors to my salads and sides. I perk up leafy greens with tomatoes and yellow peppers, for example, or add cauliflower to a broccoli plate. 

Now, the Rainbow Method has grown to be much more than my healthy habit. Researchers and nutritionists agree that a veg plate in a variety of colors can give a boost to everything from our bones to our brains, improve heart health and give us glowing skin.

"Every hue - green, yellow, orange, red, purple and even white - signifies a different class of nutrients, each of which offers a unique benefit," explains USDA research chemist Ronald Prior, PhD, who was among the first researchers to measure antioxidants in food.

The colorful chemicals that carry a vegetable's good stuff are called phytochemicals. These natural compounds act as a neon sign of sorts for vegetables. Those with the most phytochemicals glow in the brightest hues, and are the richest in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. 

Eating the bright along with the lighter shades of vegetables ensures your body gets a well-rounded shot of nutrients. One of my favorite dishes to do this with is my Warm Rainbow Quinoa Salad with chicken and veg. It serves a crowd, and also works for weekly lunchboxes. I made it this week for my sister and baby niece, and it was a hit. Try it yourself!

Laura's Warm Rainbow Quinoa Salad

2 chicken breasts (optional)

1 green pepper

1 yellow or orange pepper

1/2 spicy red pepper

1 small red onion

grape tomatoes

juice from 1/2 lemon

1 clove garlic

1 cup quinoa

2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Prepare chicken. (I like pulled meats in my dishes, but some people like chunks. To each their own!)

Set aside cooked chicken.

Finely chop all peppers, the garlic and onion.

Warm a good lug of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. 

Add onions and garlic and let simmer for a few minutes.

Add cooked chicken and mix well. 

Add peppers and let simmer over medium heat for about 10 mins stirring occasionally.

Add sliced grape tomatoes and the juice from 1/2 lemon.

Add salt and pepper as you please.

Let simmer for 5 mins more.

Prepare quinoa. (I used the box directions: Add 2 cups chicken stock to 1 cup quinoa and bring to the boil. Then, bring down heat and let simmer for 10-15 mins. This method always comes out a bit on the moist side, but I like how it works in this dish).

Pour quinoa into large serving bowl.

Fold in cooked chicken and veg

Serve in bowls, topped with finely grated Parmesan cheese.

Finish bowl, return for seconds! 

Eating Late Without Gaining Weight

We already know that watching what you eat leads to weight loss. Now, it looks like watching when you eat plays a part as well. According to new research from Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, getting tiny is all about timing.

"This is the first large-scale prospective study to demonstrate that the timing of meals predicts weight-loss effectiveness," said senior study author, Frank Scheer, PhD, MSc.

Scheer and his colleagues divided 420 overweight study participants into two groups: late-eaters, who ate their biggest meal after 3pm, and early-eaters, who ate before 3pm.

"Our results indicate that late-eaters displayed a slower weight-loss rate and lost significantly less weight than the early-eaters, suggesting that the timing of large meals could be an important factor in a weight loss program," said Scheer.

Apparently, breakfast was the one link that all the late-eaters had in common, or rather, the missing link. Skipping breakfast, or eating too few calories at a morning meal, can set your body up for failure later in the day. Not only is breakfast the boost you need to rev up your daily engines, it is also proven to help you keep down the calorie count later in the day.

But, we all know what it's like to wake up late and dash out the door without a good meal. And for many of us, life is a bit too roller coaster-esque to time a solid meal before 3pm. So, how can we get the most out of this new research in our busy lives?

Adopting some general guidelines for good eating is essential. The University of California, Los Angeles’s Student Nutrition Action Committee says you should grocery shop with your daily duties in mind. For example, if you know you run late most mornings, hard boil some eggs or stock up on protein bars.

Their second biggest tip is to keep eating throughout the day. "Your body burns calories 24/7. You need to refuel at least every 4‐5 hours," they write.

If dinner is around 6pm, and you don't go to bed before midnight, your body's going to need a snack. As long as it's not right before bedtime, "that late‐night snack will not be considered excess food by your body - unless you eat too much over the course of the whole day."

To help avoid nasty nighttime eating habits, the UCLA committee outlines two key rules for midnight munching:

H.A.L.T.
Ask yourself first: "Am I physically hungry" If so, ask yourself why: "Am I hungry out of Habit? Out of Anxiety? Out of Loneliness? Because I'm Tired? If you answer yes to any of these questions, put down that spoonful of peanut butter and focus your energy elsewhere!

Snack Smart
If you're really hungry at night, it can be a recipe for waistline disaster. In the evening, you've already cooked and those delicious pre-packaged snacks are devilishly tempting. Stop right there! Late night hunger pangs mean your body needs fuel, not empty calories. Snack smart and go for a midnight mini-meal rich in protein, and free of sugars and carbos.

Need suggestions? Here's a few great nighttime snacks that will fill you up with the good stuff, and not weigh you down on the scale!

Rice cakes and peanut butter

A small whole wheat pita spread with hummus

Canned tomato soup

A small dish of low‐fat cottage cheese