David W. Grotto - 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life

CONTENTS

To my wife, Sharon, for her unwavering support and love

To my mother, Eileen, who watches over me from above

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book would not have been possible without the help of my wonderful research assistants Traci Beierwaltes, RD; Jessica Colletta, MS, RD; Katherine Finn, MPH, RD; Jill Stiens, MS, RD; and Anne Marie Van Vossen, RD. Thanks to Julie Moreshi and Julie Davis from Benedictine University who helped me find many of these talented professionals. Thanks to Doris Acosta and her amazing public relations team, my fellow spokespersons, and countless others from the American Dietetic Association for their support, encouragement, and dedication to the message of positive nutrition.

Immense gratitude to Vicki Dieter, my daughters fifth-grade English teacher, who instilled a passion in herand me along with herto write! Thanks also to my wonderful literary agent, Rick Broadhead, whose spare-no-prisoners approach fortunately whipped my proposal into shape and guided it into the very talented hands of my editor, Philip Rappaport, who masterfully made 101 Foods come to life! Thank you also to all of the wonderful folks at Bantam Dell who made this book a reality.

Thank you to the many colleagues, friends, and family members, especially my father and mother-in-law, who worked behind the scenes and offered me great advice and encouragement during my maiden voyage as an author.

To my incredibly wonderful and loving wife, Sharon, who kindly indulged me in this project, rolled up her own food-splattered sleeves, and became a partner in it, while all along keeping our family happy, healthy, and well-fed! I am also grateful to my beautiful children, Chloe, Katie, and Madison, who were so loving and supportive during the process. I am proud of the great patience and enthusiasm they showed while taste-testing and retaste-testing an amazing number of recipes and thank them for giving me their most honest opinions!

FOREWORD

Food facts, health guide, recipe book, diet plansall under one cover! 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! is truly a lifesaver. Finally, a book that not only lists super foods but discusses the history of the food, health benefits, and most important, how to incorporate the foods into your daily diet for maximum health benefits. Dave Grottos emphasis on what to eat rather than what not to eat is a refreshing approach that makes it easier to commit to a lifetime of healthy eating. When one turns the pages and finds the list of lifesaving foods contains glorious fruits, herbs and spices, coffee, and yes, even chocolatethe commitment suddenly becomes one of indulgence, not drudgery. This book reinforces the importance of having a variety of foods in our diets and validates the science behind the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid for the increased need for fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Along with new ways to incorporate traditional foods that we have been eating since childhood, Dave Grotto introduces us to foods that have a long history of existence but that are relatively new to many of our diets.

As a registered dietitian, I commend my colleague and friend for bringing us a fresh approach to healthy eating. I have always maintained the philosophy that if one views changing eating habits as going on a diet then the going off the diet phase will soon reappear, negating any potential health benefits. In todays world of escalating health costs and the rise of chronic disease, each of us must accept the responsibility of personal preventive health. Dave Grotto, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, has provided us with the guidance and knowledge to accept the challenge. With an eye to taste and enjoyment, he will teach you to add the lifesavers of powerhouse foods to your diet while slowly removing, but not necessarily eliminating, those foods with fewer benefits.

As you turn the pages of this innovative book, have a note pad ready! You will be making a list of new foods to buy, recipes to try, and health tips to follow. And I can ensure you will have numerous health tips and food facts to contribute at your next dinner party or family gathering. Join me on the journey of eating well to live well!

Heres to your health!

Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RD, LD

President, MSE & Associates, LLC

President, American Dietetic Association (20032004)

Introduction

WHY 101 FOODS?

1. The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms

2. A manner of living.

My eighty-seven-year-old fathers favorite expression is When you wake up in the morning and both feet hit the ground, youre having a good day! Indeed! But certainly the definition of life encompasses more than waking up and just existing, right? Isnt it also enjoying a life as pain-free and disease-free as possible? That is a truly desirable manner of living.

Sometimes it seems that our joyous holiday or regular dinner conversations revolve around nagging health ailments that constantly interfere with living. George now has gout, Grandma has diabetes, Suzy has irritable bowel syndrome, and your sister complains that she cant lose those last ten pounds (well, maybe twenty), even on the latest deprivation diet. In response and without fail, someone at that dinner table always comes up with a home remedy or a wonder food, heard about from a friend, that is sure to cure the ailment. Yes, everyone feels that they have some expertise in the field of nutrition, but whether their advice is sound or even safe to follow can be a roll of the dice. Still, there are foods that hold vast curing and ameliorative powers. You just need to know how to find them.

Seeking out simple interventions and using food as medicine has long been the approach of many cultures throughout the world. Before the advent of modern medicine, the family was dependent on a mothers intuition accompanied by her time-honored remedies as the first line of defense in preserving the familys health and well-being. Going to see the doctor at the first sniffle, cough, or other sign of distress used to be Plan B, not Plan A. But as utilization of modern medicine increased, the focus on using food as medicine declined. We have embraced the convenience of statin drugs for reducing cholesterol, when the inclusion of foods with innate heart-protecting propertiessuch as fatty fish, oats, almonds, and beansmight be just as effective. And many of the shortcuts of modern medicine are not without their costs. In fact, Americans who visit physicians following adverse reactions to medications account for well over two million physician visits each year!

This book aims to bring life-saving foods back into our health plans and to resurrect traditional medicinal uses for foods, many of which are now backed by modern science.

My Story

Ive been a practicing registered dietitian for over twenty years. But my interest in nutrition first began when I was fifteen. I was battling acne, weight problems, panic attacksand Im sure a few other things at the timeand realized I had to make some changes if I was ever to see sixteen. I was working at a health food store at the time but ironically had very little interest in trying any of the products to help myself (except for the natural candy, which had all of the sugar, fat, and calories as other candy bars). I bought breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner at the fast food establishment across the street and started smoking. A customer who befriended me suggested that I try adding some veggies, fruit, and whole grains to my dietnot all at once but a little at a time. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I made some of the suggested changes and quickly discovered what good health really felt like.