Healthy Eating: Eight Foods I Thought I'd Never Eat, but Did…

Some foods just have that look about them, possessing a reputation for turning off potential consumers. Others may smell funny or just sounds gross once their name rolls off the tip of your tongue. Sometimes, these minor barriers keep people from exploring some of the foods that may actually increase their health and boost their immune system. We're all guilty of it, including me, as you will see below…

1) Skim Milk

Up until my father was diagnosed with diabetes, all I knew as a child was whole milk. I don't even think I was aware that any other kind existed. My entire family reluctantly switched to the 2% variety, but I vowed never to drink skim milk. To me, it resembled spit and I had no interest in it whatsoever, but one morning while I was staying at a friend's house, I was faced with a decision: use skim milk or starve for breakfast. The only option to accompany my Cocoa Krispies was the watery-looking beverage. I tried it and it was actually bearable. I did not, however, quickly make the switch. After college, I became more health conscious and decided to make minor cutbacks in my daily intake. For me, switching to skim milk was a reasonable compromise.

Side Note: If you have a hard time swallowing the idea of skim milk, take into consideration that this option provides a healthier choice when cooking, which is hardly noticeable. Adding fat-free milk to everyday recipes, such as macaroni & cheese, cornbread, and other creamy dishes really cuts down on the number of calories you consume throughout the day.

2) Deer

When I was in college, I met someone who hunted for a hobby and made his own jerky. Normally, I wouldn't stray from my usual chicken, turkey and beef selections of meat, but I was curious. Although it was a bit too salty for my taste, it was surprisingly delicious. Sometimes, the occasional thought of Bambi crossed my mind, but soon passed. What's the difference? I certainly don't think of Elsie the Cow every time I eat a hamburger.

3) HotUnsweetenedTea

I come from a long line of coffee drinkers and absolutely go crazy for hot chocolate, but as for tea, I always looked at the "brown stuff" as boring and unpleasant to the taste. But, there is a whole new world to explore when considering adding hot tea to your diet. For anyone who is a hardcore tea drinker, you know there is a distinct difference between an orange pekoe blend and Lipton Iced Tea. Continuing to further a healthy lifestyle, I decided to exchange my soda habit with the calorie-less beverage. I had to take baby steps, adding lemon and honey to my cups, but gradually, I began to welcome the unsweetened flavored varieties, and eventually accepting green tea. Making the transition was easy with fruity flavors, such as Apple Cinnamon; Raspberry; Tropical Fruit; Passion Fruit; Green Cantaloupe; and Lemon.

The Best Tea in the World: Tazo
Every flavor I have tasted from this brand is indescribable. I like how you can see all of the natural ingredients through the tea bag. To learn more, as well as visit a cool, well designed website, check out www.tazo.com. I recommend Passion from this company, which is my favorite selection.

Side Note: Tea, especially green tea, possesses a wide-range of possible health benefits. Drinking between 3-5 cups per day increases your chances of reaping this physiological rewards. Black tea is thought to decrease the risk of heart disease, as well as clear away the bacteria that cause cavities and bad breath. Green tea contains polyphenols, which have been known to kill cancer cells. Green tea also boosts the immune system, as well as decreases cholesterol levels. White tea may block DNA mutations.

4) Blueberries

It is quite common to avoid a food item because of the way it looks. Visually, a blueberry isn't the most attractive berry of the bunch, but once you get over the small piece of fruit that resembles a purple belly button, you may be a bit more accepting. Coming to the last packets of my Fruit n Cream oatmeal, I noticed the last two selections happened to be Blueberries and Cream. "What the hell," I said to myself…I'll give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised with the taste, although I had to get used to the texture of the berry.

Side Note: Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Center have ranked the blueberry as the healthiest fruit when compared to other fruit and veggie varieties. The blueberry also contains a high amount of antioxidants.

5) Zucchini

As a child, I never really warmed up to zucchini and squash, but last month, I encountered the discount vegetable rack and decided to try something different. After all, the price for two nicely sized zucchinis was 30 cents. I had no idea how to cook them so after an unsuccessful search on www.allrecipes.com, I decided to peel them; cut them into slices (about ¼ inch thick); toss them in garlic powder and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter; and sauté them in a skillet. An inviting aroma filled the kitchen. I removed the zucchini from the stove just as they began to brown. I tried one and was surprised that the vegetable still retained crunchiness when cooked. The taste was sweet and almost meaty in a way, reminiscent of eggplant or something along those lines. I poured the rest of the sliced vegetables on top of rice and served as a side dish. Delicious!

6) Brown Rice

When you get used to eating something for a long time, it's hard to let go. One day, I was in a hurry and accidentally grabbed a box of brown Boil-in-the-Bag rice from the grocery store. Pulling the bagged rice out of the box, I realized just how visually unappealing uncooked brown rice was to me. It looked a bit dirty and if you ask me, when it's cooked, it doesn't appear any better. But it was here and I didn't really have much to lose. I cooked the rice and found that although the gritty texture was distracting, it was still edible. Then, upon reading that brown rice was a better alternative than white rice, I ceased the resistance and began regularly purchasing the healthier option.

Side Note: So, just how much healthier is brown rice? White rice contains fewer nutrients than brown rice because it has been stripped off the outer layer, which is consisted of bran. The outer layer contains the most nutrients, which is why brown rice offers close to three times the amount of dietary fiber; vitamin E; magnesium; phosphorus; and potassium than white rice.

7) Clams

I could tolerate small amounts of shrimp, clam, lobster and haddock, but seafood wasn't really my thing. The thought of scallops, squid, snails, mussels and clams were repulsive to me. It wasn't until I saw my boyfriend eating fried clams at Red Lobster that I said to myself, "if he can do it, so can I," because he hardly eats anything in that range. Without the crunchy coating, I wouldn't be able to swallow one, but doused with tartar sauce, these little suckers are a real treat.

Side Note: Clams are practically fat free, as well as high in protein.

8) Peanut Butter Flavored Cereal

There was something kinda unnatural to me about peanut-butter flavored cereal. I chose to stay away from it, but when my boyfriend brought home Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch from the Dollar Store, I decided to give it a whirl (only because it had chocolate puffs in it). It was pretty good and for some reason, I couldn't stop eating several bowls in a row.

Side Note: Whereas one serving of Cheerios contains 110 calories; Peanut Butter Crunch, as well as Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch contains about the same amount of calories.