Foods to Use in the Kitchen

Some foods are said to have a calming effect because of the nutrients they contain. Most are common kitchen ingredients that can easily be included in everyday meals. Here are some ways to use them in the kitchen.

Dark chocolate is an ingredient used in desserts for its rich cocoa flavor. Avocado is described as containing folate and glutathione. Berries and oranges add color and tartness to fruit salads. Apples can be sliced or cooked and added to desserts and drinks. Asparagus is also described as being rich in folate.

Dark chocolate can be used in desserts in small pieces or melted. It can be spread on bread at breakfast, eaten with fruit as a snack, or mixed with warm milk to make a warm drink. Avocado can easily be added to everyday meals by slicing it onto breakfast toast, mashing it with salt and lemon, or adding it to a salad.

How to eat berries and citrus
After washing, berries can be eaten as they are, added to yogurt, blended into a smoothie, or mixed into a salad. Oranges and apples can be eaten fresh at breakfast, either juiced or sliced. Freshly squeezed juice provides more vitamins than juice that has been left to sit. Asparagus can be boiled and served with olive oil, grilled, or lightly browned in the oven; overcooking reduces both its texture and nutritional value.

How to include these foods in everyday meals
These ingredients can be used in different recipes at different meals. For example, you could have a slice of avocado at breakfast, a piece of fruit as an afternoon snack, and a few squares of dark chocolate in the evening. Preferences for the flavor and texture of these ingredients vary from person to person, so adjust amounts in a recipe to taste.

What to look for when shopping
When buying dark chocolate, check the cocoa percentage on the package. Studies cited in connection with a calming effect generally refer to chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa; products with a lower percentage have a higher proportion of sugar. When choosing an avocado, look for fruit that yields slightly when pressed gently and is neither very firm nor very soft. Choosing in-season, locally grown berries and citrus can offer freshness and better value; imported, out-of-season produce is often picked earlier and shipped farther, which can affect flavor and nutritional value. Airtight packaging is another criterion when choosing dark chocolate, as it helps preserve its color and aroma on the shelf. For asparagus, upright, firm stalks and tightly closed tips are considered signs of freshness.