An A to Z of Healthy Eating - U, V, W, X, Y & Z
There aren't a great deal of food words beginning with the tail-end letters of the alphabet, so, in this final article in the series, I'm going to cover U, V, W, X, Y, Z. I can think of ten foods beginning with these letters: veal, venison, walnuts, watercress, watermelon, wheat, yams, yofu, yoghurt and zucchini, and I'll discuss five of these in detail.
Watercress is a superb addition to any salad. It's packed with a variety of essential nutrients including calcium (for bones, muscle and teeth), potassium (for muscles and nerves) and vitamin C (for a healthy immune system). Watercress is believed to be important in purifying the blood, breaking up kidney and bladder stones, and stimulating the thyroid gland.
Wheat is a traditional part of our diet, but, unfortunately, that doesn't make it okay to eat in the kind of quantities typically eaten in the west. It certainly provides a number of very useful nutrients, such as iron, zinc and a variety of B vitamins, but the protein in wheat (gluten) can cause intestinal problems for some people. I strongly encourage people to cut down on the amount of wheat they consume, and to try alternatives such as rye and spelt instead.
Yams, otherwise known as sweet potatoes, are easily digestible and great for reducing inflammation in the digestive tract. They're a great source of nutrients including calcium (needed for healthy muscles, nerves, bones and teeth), magnesium (for nerves and muscles) vitamin C (for warding off illness) and Beta-carotene (makes Vitamin A - needed for healthy eyes). Yams can be used in place of regular potatoes, and, like their better known cousins, can be boiled, roasted or mashed.
Yofu is a combination of two kinds of food - one that begins with 'yo' and another that ends in 'fu'. 'Yogurt' and 'tofu', in case you hadn't guessed! Yofu contains all the goodness of yogurt and tofu, namely 'good bacteria', calcium and vitamin D from yogurt, and iron, amino acids and vitamin K from tofu. I like to use yofu as a dip for crudité of vegetables, or as a cool accompaniment to a spicy stir-fry.
Zucchini, also known as courgettes, are a great addition to any stir-fry. They're a source of a variety of nutrients including calcium, iron and vitamin C.
If you'd like to combine some of these ingredients for lunch or a snack, why not try my recipe below:
Whole Wheat Wraps with Watercress and Yofu
Ingredients:
10 whole wheat tortilla wraps
With any of the following fillings:
1 bunch watercress, chopped
225g seared tuna chunks
2 avocados, stoned, peeled, sliced
20 asparagus tips, blanched
1 small red onion thinly sliced
50g chopped coriander
15-20 black olives, chopped
1 small raw zucchini, grated
lemon and lime wedges to squeeze
cracked pepper to taste
yofu mixed with fresh herbs and seasoning to add as a dip
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