You don’t have to deprive yourself of great-tasting food to improve your health. Instead, eat more foods that taste good and also are good for you.

By Marilyn Pribus

Too many people think when they make a commitment to eat healthily, they close the chapter on enjoying food,” says certified nutritionist Stephanie Gailing. This is not the case at all, says the Seattle-based nutrition education consultant whose clients include the Web site called World’s Healthiest Foods. “People can still really like what they eat.” ■ “We are making discoveries almost daily contributing to the body of nutrition knowledge,” says Helen Rasmussen, senior researcher at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Many studies are exploring phytonutrients, nutritionally important plant-based chemicals or compounds that aren’t necessarily needed for normal body function but might have particular health benefits. Here are some foods especially rich in phytonutrients.

1. Whole grains

“Anything that’s whole grain packs a nutritional wallop,” declares Rasmussen. The whole grain — whether it’s oats, wheat, brown rice, corn, barley, quinoa, or other lesser-knowns — includes the germ, trace vitamins and minerals, and healthful polyunsaturated oils and is replete with fiber, which helps with regularity.

“White rice [and other refined grains],” Rasmussen says, “are really sort of bubkes.” (Translated literally as “beans,” this Yiddish word means “absolutely nothing.”) Manufacturers often strip out the best parts of grains to increase shelf life, then add back some of the ingredients and call them “enriched,” although they have far less nutritional value.

Hint: So-called “wheat bread” generally contains “enriched” wheat or white flour with some added coloring rather than whole grain. When shopping, check for the words “100-percent whole grain.” The key word to look for is “whole.” Whole-grain products are susceptible to spoilage. Store them in a cool place or even the refrigerator or freezer.

2. Dark, leafy greens

Spinach, chard, collard or beet greens, deep-hued baby lettuces, kale, and bok choy are in this low-calorie, high-nutrition family. Greens offer fiber, calcium, iron, and many phytonutrients, including lutein, which has been identified as promoting eye health. Greens also are rich in folate, which could counteract homocysteine, an amino acid produced by the body. Studies show a statistically significant relationship between high levels of homocysteine and increased incidence of stroke, cardiovascular and other diseases, and memory problems in people over age 65.

Hint: Generally, the darker the green, the better. Serve uncooked in salads or sandwiches, add late in pasta preparation, or prepare by steaming briefly over broth.

3. Cruciferous veggies

This family of vegetables includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. “These could be called the ‘stinky’ family,” Rasmussen admits wryly. “Stink is not a vitamin or mineral,” she continues, “but this wonderful phytochemical called sulforaphane ... appears to detoxify certain carcinogens and is believed to stimulate the body’s own cancer-protective enzymes.” In fact, research shows a statistically significant lower incidence of skin, breast, and prostate cancers in people who regularly eat cruciferous vegetables.

Cole slaw or sauerkraut is a great way to serve cabbage. Broccoli and cauliflower can be served raw with a dip. Cruciferous veggies are less likely to, um, give offense when cooked. Steam or microwave as briefly as possible, or add late to a stir-fry. Boiling or other overcooking steals away many phytonutrients.

Hint: Some healthful foods, such as cruciferous veggies, beans, and whole grains, can produce embarrassing side effects. The enzyme in Bean-O and Bean-zyme — products available in grocery or drug stores or online — helps greatly by acting on complex indigestible sugars to reduce or eliminate intestinal gas.

4. Omega oils

Omega-3 and omega-6 oils are essential fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties. (Essential means the body cannot make the substance.) These “good” fats have been shown to be useful against inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, including heart disease, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and others, and are used to improve symptoms of depression.

The body needs both omega-3 and omega-6 oils. The latter are found in cereals, eggs, poultry, whole grains, and most vegetable oils. However, most diets shortchange the body on omega-3 oils, so it’s important to deliberately seek them out.

“Fish is great because it is a rich source of omega-3,” says Rasmussen. But, she warns, fish store PCBs, mercury, and other pollutants in their bodies. Smaller fish such as salmon are safer than large ones like tuna, but children, pregnant women, and seniors with cognition issues should be wary. For others, Rasmussen suggests fresh fish no more than twice a week and says farm-raised salmon show higher levels of mercury than wild. She also recommends limiting canned tuna to six ounces (one can) a week.

Flaxseed, walnuts, peanuts, and, to a lesser extent, other nuts are excellent alternative sources of omega-3 for vegetarians or those who don’t like fish. Flaxseed meal can be added to cereal or used in baking, and flaxseed oil can be added to a salad or taken in a capsule. Nuts, of course, can be added to a salad, trail mix, or dessert or simply munched.

Hint: Oils and nuts are high in calories, so be prudent if weight management is an issue. Also, omega oils can turn rancid quickly, so store products in the fridge or freezer.

5. Berries

Blueberries have been getting favorable press lately. “Well-deserved,” declares Rasmussen. “A lot of the berries — blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries — have antioxidant properties that are of interest to researchers.”

Oxidants, she explains, are forms of oxygen called “free radicals” that accelerate the aging process and contribute to diseases ranging from cancer and cardiovascular disease to arthritis and psoriasis. Antioxidants protect the body and its cells from free radicals. “Antioxidants are sort of like someone who comes in overnight and stitches up cells that have been damaged,” says Rasmussen. This beneficial group of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients are found mostly in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Berries also are rich in fiber while living up to their reputation of being good tasting and good for you. Sprinkle berries on cereal, pudding, salads, ice cream, or sorbet; blend them into smoothies; or cook them in muffins, hot cereal, or a pie.

Hint: The edible skins of many fruits interact with sunlight to form pigments that contain valuable phytonutrients, so scrub carefully and eat the skins.