Super Recipes for Super-Foods

　　There are some powerfully protective and health-promoting nutrients that we know about these days. Can you say lycopene, carotenoids, or vitamin C?
Some are vitamins or minerals, some are phytochemicals, and some are things that aren't even digested (soluble and insoluble fibers). And there are certain foods that -- because they contain impressive amounts of several powerhouse nutrients -- just seem to be "super" foods.
We aren't talking about spending money on megavitamin supplements or exotic plant extracts. If we map the food sources for all these super-nutrients, we find a clearly marked path toward certain fruits and vegetables, along with other plant foods like beans and whole grains.
But frankly, most Americans probably won't heed these life-enhancing suggestions if it means significantly changing what, where, or how they eat. Many people would rather pop a pill and call it a day. I hear it all the time. People say to me: "Just tell me what to take."
So let's get some inspiration going by proclaiming this Super-Foods Week -- and it's all about pumping particularly protective foods into your daily diet.
These foods are so chock full of protective nutrients and energy-boosting vitamins that eating them is almost like taking a vitamin supplement -- but better. The great part about these super-foods is that they come with a nature-made balance of nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber. There are probably all sorts of health benefits to these components that we haven't even discovered yet. Just this month, the Journal of Nutrition published a study indicating that a phytochemical found in spinach may help protect against prostate cancer.
I've got my own mental list of what I would pick as the top 10 or 15 super-foods, but I was curious to find out what foods would make the lists of people who work for top nutrition organizations and health newsletters.
Melanie Polk, RD, director of nutrition education for the American Institute for Cancer Research, stresses the importance of eating a large variety of plant foods. But she was able to help me in my quest for the top 10 super-foods.