Which Superfoods Are Best for You?

As seen in the September/October 2019 issue of Advancing Care

Within 10 years, medical professionals may be able to customize diets based on a person’s genetic makeup, says Jaclyn Meyer, MS, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at the Diabetes Education Center of HealthAlliance Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) in Kingston.

As for “superfoods,” dietitians don’t usually use the term, she says. “Enjoying foods with dense nutrients is key to maintaining good health.” Stick to a Mediterranean diet, with plenty of beans, non-starchy vegetables, dark and leafy greens like spinach and kale, fish such as salmon and tuna, dairy, and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. This diet has been shown to benefit people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Instead of fad diets, which don’t usually work, choose whole foods in their natural state, without ingredient labels. Nuts, in particular, are underrated: “People are scared of the fat, but it’s a good fat, and they keep you full,” she says. “They’re definitely better than eating poor-quality carbs.”

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Illustration by Cocoramb