“Calling Birds” and Black Foods
“Calling Birds” and Black Foods
Did you know that the “calling birds” in the 12 Days of Christmas are really “colly birds”? Colly birds are blackbirds, “black as coal.”
Did you also know that most black foods are good for you? We often promote color in nutrition, and as dietitians, we suggest a rainbow of colors for your fruits and vegetables: red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and even white. But what about black foods?
Black Beans are a protein considered part of the meat and bean group AND the vegetable group. A half-cup serving is about 110 calories, 7 grams of fiber, 8 grams of protein, and almost no fat. Canned beans are my favorite, but you can use dried too. If you use canned, drain and rinse them to cut the sodium. Black beans are a great source of antioxidants, the highest of all the beans. If you have never tried Black Bean Brownies – they are good!
Black Tea is as good as green tea, just different. They are the same plant, but black tea is dried slightly longer than green tea. Black tea is also high in antioxidants and contains no calories! Black tea has flavonoids, which are so good for your heart. Have it hot or cold, and if you can, without added sugar.
Black Olives have benefits too. Black olives are the ripe fruit of the olive tree. Often considered high in calories, olives average seven calories each. Most of their calories come from monounsaturated fat (the good stuff). They also contain vitamin E. Oh, yes, they are also a good source of flavonoids—more information: California Ripe Olives.
Black Grapes are not as typical as green and red grapes, but they have benefits. One guess what the component is that makes them healthy? Yep, flavonoids. They also contain resveratrol, another phytonutrient that helps your heart—one serving of 10 grapes = 35 calories.
Blackberries are another fruit high in antioxidants. Again, blackberries are among the top-ranked fruits in antioxidants—a half-cup = about 30 calories and nearly 4 grams of fiber.
Black Walnuts are not the same as English walnuts, which most of us use. Black walnuts cannot be mistaken for English walnuts because they are black and have a distinct flavor. Another plant source of protein, a ¼ cup of black walnuts, is about 200 calories, 8 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and about 1 gram of saturated fat (18 grams total fat, but the other 17 grams are unsaturated). Walnuts are a few plant sources of omega-3 fats found in salmon and other cold-water, fatty fish.
Black Rice! Yep, if you have not yet heard of black rice, get on board. While not as common as white or brown rice, it is probably right there with them High in fiber and iron, oh and antioxidants. Read more here about black rice.
So, remember the colors in your food, but make sure you include black foods too! There are plenty more than those listed here! What is your favorite black food?
