Nightshades encompass a huge range of plants, herbs and vegetables. Many are toxic and have ominous-sounding names, such as angel’s trumpet and deadly nightshade, while others are as safe and run-of-the-mill as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. What nearly all of them have in common is the pre…
Much ink has been spilled on the benefits that come from drinking a glass or two of red wine a day, but the real hero of that story isn’t the wine itself: It’s resveratrol, a compound that’s found in grape skin and is packed with antioxidants that may help ease inflammation throughout the bo…
For thousands of years people have turned to tea as a medicine, as a ritual and simply as a comforting drink. There are countless varieties and blends, and each can benefit the body in different ways. Fruit teas—such as mango, peach and hibiscus—are made from dried pieces of fruit rather tha…
Although many of us who live in non-citrus-producing states associate the sunshiny fruits — such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons — with warm weather, winter is the time when they are at their juicy best.
Although onions are usually relegated to a supporting role, they are part of nearly every cooking tradition in the world — bringing bite, color and texture to endless dishes. They also deliver significant nutritional benefits. Organosulfur compounds — the compounds that give onions their str…
“I tell people to think about seeds how you think about eggs,” says Dr. Yikyung Park, a Washington University nutritional epidemiologist at Siteman Cancer Center. “An egg is a healthy food that contains all the good nutrients, nutrients the egg needs to grow. It’s pretty much the same for se…
Prized throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean for their sweet-as-honey taste, figs might not yet enjoy the same popularity in the U.S., but they do bring a surprising number of health benefits to just about any meal. Dr. Graham Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at S…
When it comes to their reputation for health, nuts seem like a mixed bag: On one hand, they’re high in fat and calories. On the other, they’ve got antioxidants aplenty and can reduce blood pressure. Dr. Yikyung Park, a Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center and an associat…
For a snack that’s almost light as air, popcorn manages to deliver some hefty benefits. “While popcorn may not sit on the grocery store aisle next to whole-grain classics like 100% whole-wheat bread and whole-oats cereal, it is, in fact, a whole grain that can be quite nutritious,” says Hank…
For decades research has shown that many nutritional benefits come from eating whole grains such as oats. Learn how to easily and deliciously add them to your diet!
Dip and top your foods with ease with these healthier options.
Packed with nutrients, learn how to incorporate a variety of oranges into your diet and about the benefits they provide beyond vitamin C.
It’s easy for bananas to get lost amid the fruits and vegetables that are having a moment right now, such as açaí berries, kale and Brussels sprouts, but it’s hard to overstate bananas’ significance around the globe. This healthy, inexpensive fruit is among the top five most economically imp…
Since last winter, the devastating COVID-19 outbreak has brought life to a jarring halt for millions of people worldwide. Hank Dart, a health communications lead at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine, knows how difficult this time has been. “It’s an underst…
Peas are favorites of gardeners who just can’t wait to get growing. In fact, peas can be planted as soon as the ground has thawed, meaning they’re one of the first vegetables to be harvested in springtime. Planting peas also stabilizes nitrogen levels in the soil, which benefits neighboring plants.
When the U.S. lifted its ban on importing avocados from Mexico in the late 1990s, the stage was set for them to take America by storm. In the decades that followed, avocados have been mashed into dips, blended into smoothies, spread onto toast and made into facial masks.
Fish has long been considered “brain food.” Some studies have shown that people who eat fish maintain more gray matter — that is, greater brain volume — than those who don’t. But the benefits of eating fish actually cast a much wider net. “Fish and other marine life are some of the best sour…
Across the Atlantic in the United Kingdom, medjool dates stuffed with marzipan are a traditional holiday snack. But dates here in the U.S. aren’t as commonly tied to a specific season, so any time is a good one to get to know these sweet, tropical stone fruits.
Berries are wonderfully diverse — if occasionally confusing — fruits. Botanists are quick to point out that, technically speaking, bananas and eggplants are berries while strawberries and raspberries are not. Some varieties can thrive even in freezing temperatures. For others, only the tropics will do. “Heading into the cold and often gray winter months, there’s something special about adding some color to your meals.
A medium-size rutabaga has only 145 calories and delivers nearly half of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C.
In the United States, lentils are sometimes thought of as beans’ less popular cousins — that is, when they’re thought about at all. Along with beans, peas, chickpeas and peanuts, lentils are legumes, and there are plenty of good reasons for them to be pantry staples. “They are low in fat, ch…
Pears prove that good things come in small packages. Not only are they available at just about every supermarket, they’re easy to eat (no need to peel or core or pit), low in calories and high in fiber: With six grams, a single pear supplies almost a quarter of the recommended daily amount. …
Yields | 8 servings (2 tablespoons per serving)
For years doctors have cautioned that red-meat eaters have higher rates of stroke, diabetes and heart disease than those who adopt vegetarian or plant-heavy diets, so many people view poultry as a middle-of-the-road option. “When eaten in moderation, poultry can be a great source of protein …
YIELDS | 6Ingredients1lb ground turkey6 bell peppers1 cup pearl couscous, dry2 1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, low sodium1⁄2 yellow onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced2 cups spinach, chopped1 tablespoon turmeric1 teaspoon cumin1⁄2 teaspoon paprika3⁄4 teaspoon pepper1 cu…
From the ubiquitous sweet bell peppers to the super-spicy habanero, peppers are the perfect healthy addition to any meal. While you can find them year-round in your grocery store, late summer is peak season for peppers in North America.
Think of tropical fruits, and coconuts and rambutans might come to mind: They’re gorgeous to look at, yet puzzling to cook with. Tropical fruits are simply those that originate and thrive in hot and humid climates, weather that Missouri is all too familiar with this time of year. Summer is a…
Though mushrooms are usually grouped under vegetables in pizza places and supermarkets, they aren’t vegetables. Nor are they fruit. And — biologically speaking, anyway — they aren’t really even plants. Mushrooms are fungi, a kingdom so vast it encompasses more than 2 million species. These p…
If you’re the sort of cook who reads a recipe that calls for three cloves of garlic and instead tosses in seven, you are doing a great favor for your health — if maybe not your breath. The same goes for onions, chives, leeks, ramps and shallots. All of these are alliums — a Latin word meanin…
When we think about superfoods — a relatively modern word used to describe foods known for their sky-high nutritional benefits — we often think of fruits or vegetables that are trendy or exotic in some way, like açaí berries or kale. Though beans do not enjoy as much time in the spotlight, t…
Whole grains are making a comeback — here's how to incorporate them into your cooking
Beets have a curious mix of attributes. They might be hot pink or striped, sweet or nutty. Plus, their leaves are just as edible as the root itself. From top to bottom, beets bring a sweeping range of nutritional qualities. “Beets are healthy for a variety of reasons,” says Amy Glueck, a cli…
Writing off parsnips simply as white carrots isn’t just scientifically incorrect. It greatly undersells this versatile root vegetable. Parsnips are related to carrots and parsley, but their nutritional benefits are arguably better than either one of them. Their taste is earthy, sweet and nut…
Before the word “superfood” entered everyday language, there was the grapefruit. As far back as the 1930s, people turned to it for weight loss because of an enzyme that was said to melt away pounds. Though science has long debunked that the fruit has any magical properties (and doctors stron…
November ushers in the holidays, bringing with it a bounty of seasonal food ready to take its place at the table. Sweet potatoes seem tailor-made for fall: Their deep golden insides recall the color of blazing autumn leaves, and they lend a sugary note to the savory dishes everyone craves du…
It can be difficult to get excited about leafy greens. Though their health benefits are well documented, tucking into a bowl of lettuce seems underwhelming when compared to the pizzazz of, say, exotic fruits or vegetables. But leafy greens can lend a surprising amount of depth to cooking: As…
If the old farmers’ saying is correct, stalks of corn should have long passed the “knee-high by the Fourth of July” milestone and be well on their way to reaching maturity for harvest, which can last from late summer to late fall. It’s a crucially important time: Corn is planted on some 90 m…
Melons seem like they’ve been perfectly engineered for summertime. Light and refreshing, they are right at home on the breakfast table or packed in the cooler for a poolside snack. “Melons are low in calories, filling and a natural source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They make a g…
Though they cover 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and are full of life, oceans are also a deep mystery — about 95 percent of them remain unexplored. But the 5 percent we do know about is home to vibrant coral reefs, underwater volcanoes and countless plants and animals. King crabs, oysters…
In the long view of history, asparagus is a relative newcomer to the United States. It didn’t make its way here until the mid-1800s, even though it had been grown in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. The vegetable was so prized by ancient Egyptians they offered it up to their …
Everyone knows how important greens are to good health, but it can be daunting to sit down to — let alone get excited about — a heaping bowl of kale. Microgreens deliver an abundance of nutrition in a fraction of the volume.
