Discovery Tuesday: "Well"

Note: The credits for all 12 Creative Commons-licensed photos in this post are listed at the end. You'll need to read the featured article to determine which photo does not belong -- that is, it didn't make the list of the 11 best foods you may or may not be eating.

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Last week while reading an online article on gardening, I glanced to the right side of the screen where seven words in tiny type instantly diverted my thoughts from July planting to wondering if I was missing out on the latest nutrition wisdom:

The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

Could any dietitian resist checking out an article with this title? Not I.  So I stopped reading about what seeds to sow for late summer bounty and clicked on the link so I could reassure myself I was eating some if not all of those "best foods." 

Except for sardines, which will never pass my lips, I discovered my diet incorporates the  items, although the frequency varies from rarely (tumeric) through occasionally (pomegranate juice) to often when in season (blueberries, pumpkin).

But I'm not sharing this article with you because I think it's the best best foods list.  Although eleven is a manageable number and one more than the ubiquitous top ten lists, I'd like to see a few more foods added, especially in this season of abundant fresh produce.  Also,  I agree with several commenters' concerns about the list-maker's credentials. To supplement these 11 or 10 foods  (no sardines for vegetarians, please!)  you could refer to Leslie Beck's page of Featured Foods.  And I highly recommend compiling Kelly Rossiter's Planet Green posts on Farmers' Markets:  you will have a week-by-week list of  fruits and vegetables -- some of which might be unfamiliar -- to purchase and prepare in new and delicious ways.  Of course  I also need to give a shout-out to Melanie of Dietriffic whose lists are consistently practical, interesting to read,  well-researched and based on the latest nutrition science.

No, the main reason I've highlighted this particular post is to introduce you to Well, the blog in which it was published. It's new to me and perhaps to you, also.  Here's the description of this  blog:

Healthy living doesn't happen at the doctor's office. The road to better health is paved with the small decisions we make every day. It's about the choices we make when we buy groceries, drive our cars and hang out with our kids. Join columnist Tara Parker-Pope as she sifts through medical research and expert opinions for practical advice to help readers take control of their health and live well every day.

I wish I had stumbled upon Well about 10 months ago when it was launched. Now I have quite a bit of catch-up reading to do. Here are just a few of the past posts I want to read. Perhaps they will pique your interest, too:

• Why Children Are Not Little Adults
  
• Should Doctors Lecture Patients About Their Weight
• More on Wasted Food (podcast)
• Getting the Most Out of Vegetables
• Look for a Few Good Cookbooks (Mark Bittman asks for readers' help)
  

Now that I've finished reading the Best 11 Foods and writing this post I can return to the gardening article.  Earlier I stated this "top 11 list" distracted me from planning my summer-to-fall garden but in fact it actually helped my decision-making:  I'll be adding  Swiss chard to the list of seeds to sow this week.
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Photo credits (left to right):
Top row - Beets me; Morning Dew; Day of the Chard; Cinnamon Craze
Middle row - Pomegranate 1; prunes italie noires; pumpkin seeds; sardines
Bottom row - Tumeric; Blueberry Lemonade - Frozen blueberries; Spiced Roast Pumpkin Soup; sweet potatoes