My CNN Debut….

Meeting Dr. Sanjay Gupta at the Sweet Auburn Market

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. I have been blessed with some great media opportunities, thanks to my fab PR maven, Laura Scholz of Scholz Communications. Through the power of twitter, Laura connected me with one of the producers at CNN. Last Friday, I appeared on a segment discussing how few fruits and vegetables Americans eat. You can see that segment here: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2010/09/24/hm.few.good.foods.cnn.

: Behind the scenes with CNN and Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Also, this past Friday after I appeared on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta, I had the pleasure to tape a segment with Dr. Sanjay Gupta at the Sweet Auburn Market talking about superfoods. I was so flattered to be asked to do the segment and it was so much fun! He was extremely gracious and complimentary. I hope I get to do more segments like it. I’d love to work with him again! Here is a link to the segment: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2010/09/29/gupta.super.foods.cnn.

Talking blueberries with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

So what is a superfood? Superfoods are those foods that pack an extra nutritional punch – they are packed with nutrients and relatively few calories, hence the term nutrient-dense. Of course there are many different superfoods, but the following are my list of my favorite ones that are widely available and affordable:

Sweet potatoes – one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat because it provides such an array of vitamins and minerals to help the immune system, the skin, and the eyes to name a few.
Berries, particularly blueberries – the darker the color, the better as these luscious berries are nutrient powerhouses and help with memory and may lower bad cholesterol.
Leafy greens – think dark green like spinach, kale, collard greens or chard, these greens contain lots of vitamins and minerals like folate and calcium that benefits the heart and may help prevent some types of cancer.
Broccoli – packed with vitamins and minerals, it also contains nutrients that may help your body turn on its natural detoxifying enzymes.
Nuts and seeds – great source of protein and healthier fats that may help lower bad cholesterol, just don’t overdo it.
Legumes (think beans and peas) – packed with protein and fiber, these delicious goodies help lower bad cholesterol.
Fatty, cold water fish (such as salmon, halibut, mackerel, herring and sardines) – the omega-3 fats in these fish help with brain health and fight inflammation in the body; think wild versus farm-raised when purchasing.
Quinoa (becoming more widely available in supermarkets) – really a seed, it is packed with protein and fiber and a good replacement for rice or couscous in dishes.