Everyday Food Can be "Superfood"

By Tinrin Chew, RD, CSO

A “superfood” is a whole food. Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed or are minimally processed in a way that none of the nutritional characteristics have been intentionally modified.The term “superfood” is also used to describe foods with high nutrient or natural chemical compounds—phytonutrients/phytochemicals,  which may bring health benefits while also being low in saturated fats, artificial ingredients, food additives or other contaminants. There are more than 500,000 phytochemicals discovered in plant foods, for example, polyphenols, resveretrol, indo-3-carbinol, carotenoids, etc.Nutrition is an important part of cancer treatment. Eating the right foods during your treatment may help you:

• Feel better
• Keep up your strength and energy
• Maintain your weight and your body’s store of nutrients
• Better tolerate treatment-related side effects
• Lower your risk of infection
• Heal and recover faster

Eating well also means eating a variety of foods that will help give your body the nutrients needed to help fight cancer. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, fluids, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.Below is a list of “superfoods” that would be great to incorporate into your diet regularly.

• Wild Salmon
• Kale
• Avocados
• Basil/Mint/rosemary/thyme/oregano
• Olives/Olive Oil
• Walnuts
• Green Tea
• Sweet Potatoes
• Dark Chocolate
• Asparagus
• Pomegranates
• Garlic/onion
• Yogurt
• Blueberries
• Coffee