Free foods have less than 20 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving.
For people with diabetes, free foods make good choices for snacking or as flavor enhancers.
One serving of dill pickles can contain up to 60 percent of your daily value of sodium.
According to the American Heart Association, the current sodium recommendation is less than 1,500 milligrams per day.
Homemade broths are free food rich in nutrients such as calcium and magnesium.
Broths come in flavors such as beef, chicken, vegetable, and mushroom.
Select low-sodium broth or bouillon, or try sodium-free bouillon.
The acetic acid in vinegar provides its lip-puckering quality, and it might serve useful for blood glucose control.
Plus, researchers reported a relationship between vinegar intake and satiety.
When participants increased the amount vinegar they ate, they seemed to experience greater satiety, too.
The blood sugar- and appetite-lowering effects seen in this study are still widely debated given the scarcity of evidence.
Consider the following versatile ways vinegars add flavor without extra fat, salt, or sugar.
Use vinegar in moderate amounts as often as you like.
Eating herbs won’t damage your waistline either.
An entire cup of cilantro leaves or dill sprigs contains only 4 calories.
Toss herbs into your next meal for added health value, flavor, and color.
Consider using them as flavor accents in recipes, or let them take center stage as main ingredients.
Also, fresh herbs should be added during the last minutes of cooking to preserve their flavors.
Use herbs in moderate amounts as often as you like.
Spices are a health-conscious cook’s secret weapon for preparing nutritious, flavorful foods.
Spices are also rich sources of antioxidants with therapeutic properties.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon on your cereal and reap as many antioxidants as 1/2 cup of blueberries.
Plus, cinnamon may aid blood sugar control.
Use spices in moderate amounts as often as you like.
Red cabbage also contains anthocyanins, which lend its vibrant red hue and more anti-inflammatory potential.
These are classic ways to eat cabbage, but this crunchy vegetable can be fixed a few other ways.
Americans already love lettuce, eating on average 30 pounds per year – only potatoes surpass its popularity.
Darker color leafy greens tend to be more nutrient-rich than lighter varieties.
Generally, lettuces are classified into four categories: head lettuce, romaine, loose leaf, and butterhead.
These are all often found in the boxed or bagged field greens mixes.
Choose whatever leafy green suits your taste buds.
Eat leafy salad greens in moderate amounts as often as you like.
Free Food: Cranberries
Whole cranberries, either fresh or frozen, offer loads of nutrients for minimal calories.
If your cholesterol levels are less than perfect, eating cranberries could help out.
Cranberries also could minimize your visits the dentist.
Some describe it as pleasure, others as pain.
They are also free for the adding – and rather tasty!
These close relatives can bring immense amounts of heat to foods in small doses.
Hot sauce is another condiment to keep on hand.
The heat of a sauce depends on the peppers used.
Capsaicin has been shown to suppress appetite, stimulate fat breakdown, and boost metabolism.
Wasabi, horseradish, and hot sauce can be eaten in moderate amounts as often as you like.
But it turns out there aren’t just four flavors, but five.
In fact, Parmesan’s yummy quality is 20 times that of aged cheddar.
Besides being tasty, Parmesan is a good source of bone-building calcium.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, and a carotenoid called lycopene.
Cooked tomatoes, like those in salsa, pack more lycopene than any other food.
Diets rich in lycopene have been linked with reduced risk for prostate, lung, and stomach cancers.
Onion’s odorous compounds have been shown to inhibit blood clotting and reduce cholesterol and triglycerides.
The recipe was simple: soybean oil, egg yolks, vinegar, and a few other flavorings.
Today, mayo made with canola oil or olive oil is a more healthful alternative to soybean oil-base varieties.
Either of these oils is more healthful than soybean oil.
Choose light or reduced-fat mayo made with canola or olive oil for the most health value.
Light mayo made with olive oil tastes a bit tangier than canola mayo and makes a good sandwich spread.
Sour cream and cream cheese can also be included in your meals in moderate amounts.
Lemons are typically used to complement Mediterranean fare.
Limes are popular for balancing out the spicy flavors found in Latin American, Asian, and Indian cuisines.
Use fresh lemon or lime juice rather than bottled to pack the most nutritional punch and flavor.
To add zest to recipes, use the citrus peels for extra tartness and color.
Use the juice or zest of limes and lemons in moderate amounts as often as you like.
