November 2017
As the academic quarter winds down and finals loom around the corner, students, faculty and staff can benefit from the boost that sweet potatoes and mushrooms provides. These November superfoods featured at Campus Dining, compliment each other well and are full of nutrients and rich flavor. Not only do sweet potatoes and mushrooms embrace fall season in color with their shades of earthy brown and burnt orange; both can easily be the center of a hardy, healthy meal.
Mushrooms are more and more frequently used as a substitution for meat, as they are rich in vitamins and minerals. These fungi consist of around 90% water, and they do the trick if you’re looking for a source of lean protein that fills you up. They are also a great source of potassium — in fact, one portobello mushroom typically contains more potassium than a banana! Mushrooms work well as an addition to pasta or vegetable dishes, and add a tasty bite to any meal.
Now for something sweet! Sweet potatoes are a fun food that can be eaten raw, blended, baked and in the form of the popular sweet potato french fry. These vegetables are a great source of vitamin A — an antioxidant with a variety of health benefits including cancer prevention. They also contain potassium which helps maintain low blood pressure. Whether in the form of a casserole, pie, or side dish, you can feel good about incorporating this superfood into your diet!
Next time you’re at Campus Dining, keep an eye out for these superfoods and enjoy their unique flavors and nutritious value!
Super Food Quick Facts:
Sweet potatoes are different from yams and potatoes! They are classified as a root vegetable from the same family as the morning glory flower.
Mushrooms are the only produce ingredient loaded with vitamin D and also serve as a natural pesticide.
A type of fungus known as armillaria bulbosa, was discovered in 1992 as one of the largest living organisms, sizing larger than the blue whale. Now that’s a giant mushroom!