NY Daily News discusses the diet of Nets forward Jeff Green and featured comments from Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM, sports nutritionist in the Women's Sports Medicine Center at HSS, on the nutritional value of some of his favorite foods.

While Green’s meals are mostly more nutritious, his off days usually include pizza. But even pizza hits several nutritional markers that make it beneficial for your body, noted Skolnik. “Pizza gives you cheese, and that’s calcium, and that’s good for your bones. There’s tomato sauce, and that’s Vitamin C,” she said. “That gives you tissue repair for all that tissue breakdown that happens when you’re pounding every day, and for your immune system. And then there’s starch in the bread, and that fuels our muscles. You could make it more by putting peppers and onions on that pizza, or making a side salad with it.” Skolnik cited, “Food is supposed to be pleasurable as well as nutritious, so you want that food that you like, and also make an effort to get some other foods that maybe you’ve got to try on, because you’re not used to, but you know it’s good for you.”

When it comes to one of Green’s favorite meals — baked salmon and rice – Skolnik explained, “Salmon is one of those foods that’s considered a great brain food.” She continued, “It has protein, and protein helps both to build and repair your muscles, and it also helps your brain. It awakens it to help it think more clearly. And then it has these really good, healthy fats. It’s anti-inflammatory, which means not only does it help recover every day, but it also helps with disease prevention. So for the adults out there thinking about hypertension and diabetes and other heart diseases, salmon is one of those superfoods.”

Read the article at NYdailynews.com.