“Stop scrolling. I need your help.”

With these six words, Alicia “Kozak” Kozakiewicz is doing everything she can to help those who are missing be found.

Kozak, a motivational speaker and internet safety expert in Raleigh, North Carolina, was 13 years old when she was lured from her Pennsylvania home and kidnapped by an online predator before he transferred her to Virginia, Kozak told Fox News Digital.

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Kozak, 35, credits her “miraculous” rescue to the work of her missing person poster that at the time was seen across the U.S.

“I want to help share that miracle with others and give others the chance of that miracle,” Kozak shared.

Kozak was just 13 years old when she went missing from her Pennsylvania home before she was found with the help of her missing person poster (shown here). (The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

Kozak uses her online platform to share the posters of missing individuals who may not be getting as much news coverage as other cases.

“Every missing person deserves media attention,” said Kozak. “Unfortunately, sometimes that isn’t feasible and the stories that are told are likely to be limited.”

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“Through the ‘Stop scrolling!’ videos, we’re able to give the missing person a greater chance of being seen and recovered,” she added. 

“You never know who’s going to have that one right tip.”

In honor of Missing and Unidentified Persons Awareness Month in May, Alicia Kozak shared 30 missing persons posters in the hope that more people would see the posters. (@itsaliciakozak)

In 2002, Kozak was raped and beaten before FBI agents stormed the property where she was held captive on Jan. 4 – four days after she was declared missing. 

Her attacker, whose name she will not mention, reportedly served at least 17 years before violating the terms of his parole, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

The man is no longer in prison, Kozak said.

Since she was set free, Kozak uses her experience to try and help save the lives of others. 

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In May, which was Missing and Unidentified Persons Awareness Month, Kozak — with the help of her boyfriend Eric Lind — used her platform to launch a “Missing Persons Challenge.”

Each day, Kozak was uploading new videos of missing persons to her Instagram and TikTok, where she has a combined 265,000 followers. She encouraged users to circulate the missing persons’ posters in the hopes of bringing them home.

Kozak said that thanks to social media, users have the power to share these posters with millions of other people across the globe “in seconds.”

“I was one of the lucky ones, but we don’t have to leave it to luck.”

— Alicia Kozak

In the comments section of Kozak’s poster videos, people are trying to ignite conversations about her posts, even sharing their favorite colors or their pets’ names. They’re doing anything they can to increase viewers and the number of shares.

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“It’s about engagement. People want to help that video be seen by others,” Kozak said.

Kozak has spoken with family members of those she’s highlighted over the past month, and some have reached out to her asking to make a video of their loved one who is missing.

“One of the most important things is hope — and what I really wish is that these posters provide that hope and that support to that family who has maybe been working to get that story out there, and they feel helpless,” said Kozak. 

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“It is one of the most helpless situations to have somebody be missing,” she continued. 

“You don’t know where to go, you don’t know where to turn and often the media doesn’t listen.”

With the help of boyfriend Eric Lind, Kozak has been sharing videos on Instagram and TikTok and including different posters of missing people. (Alicia Kozak)

When it comes to missing persons, people may make assumptions as to why a person is missing and end up believing that “they are somehow less worthy of being found,” Kozak said.

“Every missing person deserves to be found,” she added. 

“It doesn’t matter what their background is [or] what they’ve been struggling with. If anything, it’s more of a reason to be concerned.”

Kozak recently shared the poster of a missing person who was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, Kevin Eby — and interviewed his wife and son on her YouTube channel.

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In the video, she asked the family what people can do to help find Eby and what they should be looking for, in his case.

Since Kozak first shared Eby’s poster and spoke with his family, Eby was found — but not alive.

For the month of May, Kazak highlighted missing persons by sharing their missing persons’ poster. Kozak said she’d like to continue the efforts in featuring the faces of missing kids and adults whose cases may not be receiving as much media attention as others. (@itsaliciakozak)

“I always celebrate [the stories of] the one’s that are brought home safely. I take a moment and just feel that joy,” Kozak said.

“And when somebody is found deceased, I take a moment of silence,” she added.

While Kozak may never have met those who were missing, she does feel impacted by their stories after communicating with their families, she said.

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“It can be really heavy … but that’s part of being an advocate,” she noted.

Kozak received a text from the parent of one of the individuals’ photos she shared earlier this month who was found deceased. She shared the text with Fox News Digital. (Alicia Kozak)

Kozak said that while not all stories have a happy ending, families just want an answer, or at least hope.

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“What kept me going was that I knew my family loved me and I knew they were looking for me,” Kozak shared.

She went on, “I knew they were going to do anything and everything to find me and I held onto that hope and I held onto that love — and that’s what got me through it.”

“Somebody somewhere was the last person to see the missing person. Somebody somewhere has the answers, and we can bring those answers to light.”

— Alicia Kozak

Hope prevailed as Kozak was brought out of her nightmare and reunited with her family.

“It wasn’t until my dad hugged me that I knew I was saved and nothing and no one would hurt me again,” Kozak stated.

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Kozak remembers her dad saying, “If we could duplicate that hug all over the world there would be no more wars.”

Kozak hugged her father after she was reunited with her family — and she remembers her day saying, “If we could duplicate that hug all over the world there would be no more wars.” Here, Kozak is photographed with her parents, Mary and Charles Kozakiewicz, after FBI agents rescued her from her captor. (Alicia Kozak)

Kozak said, “That hug was so powerful. It was safety, it was security, it was a miracle.” 

Kozak started sharing her when she was just 14 years old – one year after being rescued. She said it’s been her purpose as she was “given a second chance at life.”

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“If my poster was not out there I do not believe that I would be here today,” she added.

Kozak has been an advocate for missing persons since she was 14 years old. She speaks across the country and works alongside organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. (Alicia Kozak)

Kozak has testified before Congress in hopes of passing “Alicia’s Law,” which provides “a dedicated steady stream of state-specific funding to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces,” according to her website. 

Alicia’s Law has been passed in at least 11 states.

She also founded the “The Alicia Project” as a way to promote “internet and child safety awareness, advocate for missing and recovered persons and battles against child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.”

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Kozak has worked alongside the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), but she credits her boyfriend, Lind, for his help on the “Missing Persons Challenge.”

“He has helped me with this more than I could have ever asked,” Kozak said.

“I find it beautiful how the people commenting connect over shared hope. Hope is powerful when magnified.”

— Alicia Kozak

Lind has been the editor on Kozak’s TikTok videos and Instagram Reels – making them extra engaging for audiences.

Many of their videos have been seen by hundreds of thousands of people with the goal of tracking down the missing.

“I find it beautiful how the people commenting connect over shared hope,” Kozak said. “Hope is powerful when magnified.”

Kozak believes there is a direct correlation between the amount of missing persons recovered and their very public poster. (Alicia Kozak)

Fox News Digital was unable to track down up-to-date statistics on the success rates of missing person posters being the key to tracking down missing or unidentified people, though Kozak said she feels the visual is effective in many ways.

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“I do believe that there has been a direct correlation between these videos and several of these missing people returned home,” Kozak commented.

“I do believe that there has been a direct correlation between these videos and several of these missing people returned home,” Kozak commented. Here, a parent thanks Kozak in a private message for bringing attention to their missing loved one’s case. (Alicia Kozak)

Kozak’s advice is for everyone to have a decent photo of a loved one handy.

“Please make sure that you have a clear current photo and that’s not to say something bad is going to happen to you family member or that they will go missing, but it’s really good to be prepared so you can put the best information out there,” Kozak explained.

It is estimated 460,000 children are reported missing each year.

— National Crime Information Center

Missing person posters have been circulating since the National Child Safety Council initiated the “Missing Children Milk Carton Program” in December 1984.

The Library of Congress considers Etan Patz to be the “first missing child on a milk carton.”

As technology improved, posters are now more visible outside of milk cartons, police stations or storefront windows.

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In 2015, the National Crime Information Center, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, estimated around 460,000 children are reported missing each year.

Kozak will continue to make more videos in hopes of recovering more individuals and reuniting them with their families, she said. (Alicia Kozak)

Kozak realizes she cannot help find every single child or individual who goes missing, but she’s determined to try.

“Somebody somewhere was the last person to see the missing person,” she said. “Somebody somewhere has the answers, and we can bring those answers to light.”

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“I was one of the lucky ones, but we don’t have to leave it to luck. We can all take action and help.”

The quiet beaches and rural villages of Normandy, France, exploded with fire and fury in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. 

D-Day. The climactic battle of World War II. 

The United States and its Allies landed nearly 160,000 men, with more than 9,000 killed or wounded, in the first 24 hours alone.

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“The Great Crusade,” as it was called by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, left a lasting imprint on the Norman people and the local landscape. 

The epic battle draws an estimated 5 million visitors to Normandy each year. Many of them arrive in early June when the region is alive with festivals, memorials and reenactments celebrating an invasion the French call le debarquement — the landing. 

Belgian WWII enthusiasts dressed as soldiers sit in a jeep at Utah Beach, in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, northwestern France, on June 6, 2019, as part of the D-Day commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of the World War II Allied landings in Normandy. (JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images)

D-Day Festival Normandy, an annual celebration hosted by the Normandy tourism board, offers scores of events and ceremonies across the sprawling 50-mile invasion-day battlefield. 

It began this year on May 27 and ends June 18. 

The Allies landed nearly 160,000 men, with more than 9,000 killed or wounded, in the first 24 hours alone.

Here’s a countdown to 12 D-Day sites every visitor should see to understand the full scope of this “Day of Days.”

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Major battle sites and museums are punctuated by countless private tributes from the citizens of Normandy who express their appreciation for la deliverance in many ways large and small. 

12 – Iron Mike Memorial

The Iron Mike Memorial outside Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy marks the site of a heroic fight by outnumbered American paratroopers to hold the bridgehead at La Fiere and prevent amphibious landing forces from being slaughtered on Utah Beach.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

American paratroopers landed soon after midnight on June 6, with the main objective of securing the far western edge of the invasion beachhead for the amphibious landings to follow at sunrise. 

The Iron Mike Memorial at La Fiere pays honor to the outnumbered paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne who from June 6 to June 9 heroically repelled repeated German attacks at a bridgehead over the Merderet River. 

The climactic bridge battle scene of the fictional film “Saving Private Ryan” was inspired by the ferocious fighting here at La Fiere. 

11 – German cemetery at La Cambe

This photo taken on May 29, 2019, shows a general view of a German military cemetery at La Cambe, northwestern France. The D-Day ceremonies on June 6, 2019, marked the 75th anniversary since the launch of Operation Overlord, a vast military operation by Allied forces in Normandy, which turned the tide of World War II, leading to the liberation of occupied France and the end of the war against Nazi Germany.  (Damien MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)

The ebullient heroism of many Normandy battlefield sites that pay homage to victorious Allied troops is contrasted by a grim German cemetery just inland from the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc. 

La Cambe is the final resting place of 21,000 German soldiers — the identities of many unknown — buried under short, thick, black crosses. 

The stark, sober landscape pays testament to the fact that no nation’s youth suffered more under the Nazis than Germany itself. An estimated 200,000 Germans were killed or wounded in the two month-long Battle of Normandy that followed D-Day. 

10 – Angoville au Plain

Many Normandy churches honor the heroism of D-Day liberators with stained glass showing paratroopers falling from the sky as if delivered from heaven. This church in Angoville-Au-Plain near Utah Beach served as an aid station manned by medics Kenneth J. Moore and Robert E. Wright. They are created with saving 80 lives over two days of both American and German soldiers as well as treating a local child wounded in the battle around the village.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

The scope of D-Day is almost too large to fathom. 

The tales of individual heroics found throughout the region give the massive battle a human touch. 

The tiny village of Angoville-au-Plain is one of those places. Two U.S. Army medics, who landed in the first wave of paratroopers, ended up in this village apparently lost to the rest of their units. 

Kenneth J. Moore and Robert E. Wright turned the village’s 700-year-old church into an aid station. Over two days, they saved 80 lives of both American and German soldiers; they also treated a local child wounded in the battle. 

“U.S. Army medics Kenneth J. Moore and Robert E. Wright turned the village’s 700-year-old church into an aid station, saving 80 lives over two days.” 

They used the pews as beds and several of the benches still bear bloodstains today. 

A small cemetery outside the church includes the graves of Americans killed on D-Day. 

The heroics of American paratroopers are remembered in the stained-glass windows of churches near the invasion beaches of Normandy, including in Angoville au Plain. 

9 – Sainte Marie du Mont/Brecourt Manor

Brecourt Manor near Utah Beach in Normandy was the site of a heroic assault by American paratroopers on D-Day to take out German artillery. The attack was immortalized in the epic HBO WWII series “Band of Brothers.” (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

The pretty little village of Sainte Marie du Mont sits just inland from Utah Beach. It housed a German garrison on the morning of June 6. 

American paratroopers landed in and around the village to clear and secure a causeway that would allow seaborne raiders to move inland. 

In the early hours of the landing, a small group of paratroopers in Sainte Marie du Mont heroically assaulted and silenced four German heavy guns that were firing on the troops on Utah Beach from nearby Brecourt Manor. 

The incredible attack is dramatically recounted in the epic HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.” A memorial marks the site today, under French and American flags. 

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The small cathedral in the center of Sainte Marie du Mont offers images of U.S. troops crammed in for church services on the first Sunday after D-Day, among other haunting reminders of the battle. 

8. Carentan/Dead Man’s Corner Museum

Dead Man’s Corner Museum in Carentan, France.  (Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Carentan is a small crossroads town on the estuary that separated Omaha Beach to the east and Utah Beach to the northwest. 

The ferocious three-day battle to take the town and link up the invasion forces is portrayed dramatically in episode three of HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.”

The building that houses the Dead Man’s Corner Museum was the headquarters of the German garrison defending Carentan on D-Day. It was then taken over as headquarters of the unit of America’s 101st Airborne Division that liberated the town. 

The museum gets its name not just from the deadly combat of 1944, but because the building was reportedly haunted even before the war.

7. Bernard Lebrec farmhouse

Bernard Lebrec makes and sells local apple spirits at his family farmhouse near Omaha Beach. His ciderie offers a museum of D-Day artifacts and a monument to U.S. Army engineers who turned the area around the family farm into an aircraft landing strip almost overnight.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

The main road along Omaha Beach (D514) is speckled with apple orchards and family farmhouses, with distilleries that produce the local specialties: effervescent hard cider and an apple spirit called Calvados. Most offer samples and shops that sell Norman gourmet specialties.

The Bernard Lebrec family farm in Englesqueville la Percee, a short distance from the famous cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, is built into the turrets of an old medieval castle. 

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Visitors can sample Lebrec’s cider or calvados, scan his collection of World War II memorabilia and stick a pin in one of the maps on the wall that track his visitors from around the globe. 

His property — his backyard — also contains a monument to U.S. Army engineers, who turned an adjoining orchard into a landing strip in just three days, helping drive the Allies deeper into Normandy and ultimately onto victory.

6 – Arromanches

A horse trots along Gold Beach in Normandy, in the British D-Day invasion sector. In the water is a giant caisson, a remnant of a mulberry, one of two artificial harbors the Allies amazingly towed across the English Channel and built almost overnight to assist the invasion. (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

This coastal village on Gold Beach in the British invasion sector is just a couple miles east of deadly Omaha Beach in the American invasion sector. 

It’s an ideal spot to take in the scope of the invasion. 

Diners at some of the waterfront cafés in Arromanches can see the hulking steel remnants of one of the Allied “mulberries” – artificial harbors towed across the English Channel and erected almost overnight to assist the unloading of the stunning stream of men and equipment that poured into Normandy in the days and weeks that followed D-Day. 

Nearby are the German guns of Longue Sur Mer – haunting concrete bunkers that housed artillery that battled with Allied warships on D-Day – and several museums. 

The town square of Arromanches is a popular gathering spot for World War II reenactors.

5 – Utah Beach Landing Museum

U.S. veteran Charles Wilson, 90, of Kentucky, poses for a photo next to a sign at Utah beach, in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, northwestern France, on June 2, 2014. Wilson landed on June 6, 1944, in Utah Beach with the U.S. army’s 4th infantry division; this was the first time since that day he’d returned to Normandy. D-Day ceremonies on June 6 mark the anniversary of the launch of the military operation by Allied forces that turned the tide of World War II.   (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Utah Beach marked the far western end of the five British, Canadian and American invasion beaches. 

The beautiful Utah Beach Landing Museum serves as the centerpiece of the many landmarks and monuments that mark the D-Day battle here. 

The museum on a low bluff overlooking the beach is surrounded by numerous other sites, including several devoted to the ships and naval forces that delivered the invaders and ran logistics on the beach during the invasion. 

The WWII U.S. Navy D-Day Monument near the Utah Beach Landing Museum at Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France.  (Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Among them: the Higgins Boat Monument, dedicated to the iconic landing craft made by New Orleans boat builder Andrew Higgins, the U.S. Navy Normandy Monument and the recently added Lone Sailor Monument. 

Café Le Roosevelt, located across the street from the museum, is a popular stop to relax on busy tours and enjoy the taste of Norman fare. 

4 – Pointe du Hoc

On June 6, 1984, President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of D-Day, at the site of the Allied invasion, Pointe Du Hoc, Normandy, France. Flowers were laid at the base of the stone memorial by the sea shore. Government officials and World War II veterans sat and listened to the speech. (Ronald Reagan Library/Getty Images)

Pointe du Hoc, a towering cliff between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, is the site of an incredible assault by U.S. Army Rangers on D-Day. 

They scaled the cliffs by ropes and ladders under fire from German defenders to take out a nest of deadly artillery overlooking the invasion beaches. 

“When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again,” President Ronald Reagan said on this spot on June 6, 1984, in his famous “Boys of Pointe du Hoc” speech, written by White House speechwriter Peggy Noonan. 

“When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again.”

“They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe.” 

The ground atop the cliff is still pockmarked by artillery shells, the remnants of German batteries and monuments to the Rangers. 

3 – Pegasus Bridge

American tourist Frankie Capobianco, left, greets British reenactors at Pegasus Bridge in Benouville, Normandy, on the 75th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2019. Pegasus Bridge, named for the symbol of the British 6th Airborne Division, was the site of a heroic assault on German bridgeheads in the earliest minutes of the epic D-Day invasion of France.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

Nowhere is the dauntless spirit of British invaders on D-Day more evident than at Pegasus Bridge. The heroic attack, led by Maj. John Howard, is legendary in the annals of warfare on both sides of the Atlantic.

Howard’s Ox & Bucks Infantry of the 6th Airborne Division made a daring glider assault, crash landing the aircraft just after midnight, to capture two bridges over the Caen Canal and parallel Orne River. 

He reported the successful capture of the two bridges with the code words, “Ham and Jam.” The real battle had only just begun: Howard and his unit held off repeated attacks while awaiting seaborne relief. 

Maj. John Howard led the heroic assault on Pegasus Bridge by British paratroopers on D-Day, calling out the code words “ham and jam” to report his unit secured two critical bridgeheads in Normandy. The phrase “ham and jam” was remembered in a loving tribute to Maj. Howard that his family left at Pegasus Bridge on June 6, 2019, on the invasion’s 75th anniversary.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

The D-Day hero’s family left an incredible handwritten tribute to him at Pegasus Bridge to celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day in 2019. 

“For our beloved Father and Poppa … remembered with pride and love every day. Ham & Jam Poppa!” 

2 – Sainte Mere Eglise

A well-known replica of the U.S. paratrooper, Pvt. John Steele, of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, whose parachute caught on the spire of the Sainte Mere Eglise church. The incident was portrayed in the movie “The Longest Day” by actor Red Buttons. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

This village a few miles inland of Utah Beach is celebrated as the first town in France liberated on D-Day and is the center of many celebrations of the battle. 

An effigy of American paratrooper Pvt. John Steele hangs in perpetuity from the church steeple in constant memory of the incredible events in the village on June 6.

The horrific scene of D-Day fighting in Sainte Mere Eglise served as the dramatic centerpiece of the 1962 ensemble-cast war epic “The Longest Day” (based on the much better book of the same name by Irish war correspondent Cornelius Ryan). 

By sheer coincidence, villagers and dozens of German soldiers had formed a bucket brigade in the town square that very evening to put out a large fire in the center of town – just as American paratroopers began to fall from the sky far from their intended drop zones. 

Reenactors from the Netherlands portray American paratroopers in Sainte Mere Eglise, Normandy, to celebrate D-Day’s 75th anniversary, June 6, 2019.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

Many GIs were slaughtered by the German troops who turned their guns to the sky – at least one American died horrifically as he fell into the flames.

Steele was shot as he hung from the church steeple but somehow survived and was taken prisoner. He quickly escaped, found his fellow paratroopers and rejoined the battle. 

Steele and fellow U.S. paratroopers remain legendary folk heroes in Sainte Mere Eglise, honored with monuments, street names, museums and an array of tributes.

1. Normandy American Cemetery

The Normandy American Cemetery on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach in France is one of the world’s most famous and most haunting reminders of the cost of liberating Europe in World War II. The remains of 9,368 American soldiers are buried here. The Walls of the Missing include the names of 1,557 troops still missing in action.  (Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

The American Battle Monuments Commission operates dozens of cemeteries around the world commemorating U.S. war dead and missing in action. 

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Many are larger, but none are more famous, pristine, haunting or hallowed than Normandy American Cemetery Overlooking Omaha Beach, where allied invaders suffered the greatest carnage on D-Day. 

Visitors first pass through a museum that gives context to the battle and the meaning of the pristine rows of crosses and Stars of David that line the cemetery; guests can also look up the location of individual soldiers.

A woman holds a bouquet of roses during the 78th anniversary of D-Day ceremony, in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial of Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach, Monday, June, 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)

The cemetery also highlights the daunting challenge that faced American troops on D-Day. 

They first had to cross a vast, wide sandy beach that was littered with obstacles, then make their way up a surprisingly high bluff – all while under withering enemy fire.

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Steps lead down from the cemetery to the beautiful, wide placid beach. 

Visitors today collect sand as a souvenir or splash in the gentle surf that ran red with American blood on June 6, 1944. 

Did you have a grandmother who used to serve cow tongue sandwiches — and you had to steel yourself for that first bite? 

How about that strange-smelling soup your next door neighbor always used to dole out liberally?  

Turns out some of the foods we may perceive as offputting have numerous health benefits.

No food is inherently “gross,” stressed Natalie Gillett, a registered dietitian and owner of Natalie Gillett Nutrition, a New Jersey-based private practice. Instead, such judgments are often shaped by cultural and psychological factors, she said.

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“The foods that may cause us to cringe are actually widely appreciated in different countries,” said Gillett. 

“It’s time to challenge these stigmas and give seemingly ‘gross’ foods a second chance to win you over with their health benefits and surprisingly delicious flavors that contribute to our overall well-being.”

Nutritionists are sharing the “gross” foods that are actually good for you to consume — many of them are packed with protein and tons of vitamins. (iStock)

Gillett also said that “slimy, smelly, chunky” are all food descriptions that may initially elicit a “yuck” factor. 

“But hold onto your taste buds and keep your gag reflex in check, because these perceptions often lead us to overlook the remarkable nutritional value hidden within these foods,” she said.

Paulina Lee, a gut health functional dietitian and founder of Savvy Stummy, LLC in Texas, echoed Gillett’s sentiment. 

“Every culture has healthy foods that some may find unappetizing. Because individuals are different, they have different food preferences and cultural foods that they may have grown up with,” she said. 

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Preferences may vary due to smells, textures and tastes. Still, “it doesn’t make the food any less nutritious,“Lee explained.

So-called “icky” foods such as organ meats like liver have lots of B vitamins and protein that are beneficial to our health, according to Lee. 

Fermented foods, she also mentioned, “tend to have strange smells and odd textures, but which contain live bacteria or probiotics, that are beneficial for our gut health.”

Ahead, here are 8 foods that might elicit a “yuck” but are a big “yes” for your health.

Tremella mushrooms

Lee singled out these mushrooms — also known as silver ear mushroom, yin’er or snow fungus — as nutrient-dense stars. 

They are popular in China, she said, but some may find the slimy texture of the mushroom odd. 

“Despite its shape and texture, tremella mushrooms are an excellent source of fiber and vitamin D, and also contain antioxidants, vitamins B1, B2, and B6, folate, zinc, potassium calcium, magnesium, iron and copper,” she said, adding that Tremella mushrooms have hydrating and anti-aging properties.

“Tremella mushrooms are usually purchased in its dried form,” she said. “When preparing, they need to be soaked in water before cooking.” 

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Lee recommended adding them into stir-fries for a nice crisp texture or you can make sweet, nourishing dessert soup with tremella mushrooms, goji berries, jujubes and honey. 

Natto 

Natto is a traditional Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans “and characterized by a distinctive aroma, a wrinkly bacterial layer on the surface of the soybeans and a desirable degree of stickiness that may be off-putting to some,” said Lee. 

Despite its smell and appearance, natto has many nutritional benefits, said Lee, “like enzyme and probiotic potential to aid digestion, vitamin K2 content to help build strong bones and high fiber content to promote heart health.” 

Natto is a traditional Japanese meal produced by soybeans. The dish may have an offputting smell and appearance, but it offers nutritional benefits. (iStock)

If you’re ready to add natto to your next meal, Lee suggested enjoying it with soy sauce and mustard or adding it into rice, miso soup or omelets.

Cottage cheese

“Cottage cheese is one of those foods people have a visceral reaction to, which is a shame because it is a lean protein that is also rich in calcium,” said Rachel Engelhart, a registered dietitian with RE Nutrition LLC based in Washington, D.C. 

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“Many people take issue with the chunky consistency,” she added. 

“Choosing a whipped variety (like Friendship’s whipped 1%) might be preferable for people who take issue with the texture. As long as you don’t have a dairy allergy, there is nothing gross about cottage cheese!” 

Cottage cheese is a lean protein that’s rich in calcium, according to Rachel Engelhart, a registered dietitian based in Washington, D.C.  (iStock)

When it comes time to chow down on it, Engelhart said this versatile food can be served sweet or savory. 

Eat it as a “sweet meal or snack topped with berries and granola. Toast topped with jam and cottage cheese is also delicious, or for a savory twist, it can be enjoyed on toast with mashed avocado and cottage cheese topped off with some salt and pepper,” she suggested.

Fermented foods

As noted above, some people who are turned off by fermented foods may be doing their health a disservice.

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“Sauerkraut, a European classic, and kimchi, a Korean staple, may initially repulse you with their tangy flavors and unique textures. But hold on tight, because they are teeming with probiotics that promote a healthy gut microbiome and aid digestion,” said Gillett. 

Sauerkraut is a fermented food, meaning its produced through “microbial growth, and the conversion of food components through enzymatic action,” according to the National Library of Medicine. Fermented foods have become popular, mainly due to their proposed health benefits, the library added. (iStock)

As for how to eat this gut-health-supportive food more regularly, Gillett suggested topping your salads or sandwiches with a generous portion, for an “extra zing of flavor.”

“Blend kimchi or sauerkraut into dressings or sauces, injecting a tangy kick into your favorite dishes,” she said.

Sardines

Does your bodybuilding friend or gym partner chow down on sardines straight out of the can post-workout, much to your disgust? The person might be onto something. 

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“Although some might find sardines to be fishy and slimy, sardines are packed with nutrients, like vitamin D, vitamin B12 and selenium and are packed with protein,” said Lee. 

Sardines are rich in vitamins and packed with protein. Add some hot sauce, salt and pepper or lemon to enhance the flavor of sardines before laying over a salad for lunch. (iStock)

“Despite how sardines look and smell, they are low in mercury, and provide benefits like anti-inflammatory properties, promoting bone health, and supporting metabolism and detox.” 

To enhance their taste, Lee advised sprinkling salt, freshly ground pepper, and lemon or vinegar over them. 

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Or, “add them to crackers with some hot sauce or mustard. Add a few to your salad, or mix sardines with mayo, salt and pepper, like a tuna salad.” 

For another tasty use of sardines, add cream cheese to them for a sandwich.

Tuna fish

Ah, the lunchtime staple — how some folks hate thee. 

You may, however, be missing out on a lot of healthy perks.

“Tuna fish is a food that many think is gross because of its aggressive smell. The truth is that tuna fish is a wonderful source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12 so if you can get over the strong smell, it’s a really good food to enjoy on occasion,” said Engelhart.

Some canned tuna can be a very healthy addition to your diet. Try in a pita or consider making a tuna melt. (iStock)

Because tuna is also a source of mercury, Engelhart said it’s better to limit the intake of albacore white tuna to four ounces a week and skipjack light tuna to 12 ounces a week. 

When preparing it, try it mixed with mayo, as per tradition or opt for mashed avocado or greek yogurt, suggested Engelhart. 

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“It’s delicious stuffed in a pita, or topped with cheese on a tuna melt,” she said.

Organ meats

Pass the kidneys, please. 

“While liver, kidneys, and heart may seem daunting with their strong flavors and unfamiliar textures, they are celebrated in various culinary traditions worldwide,” said Gillett. 

“French cuisine delights in foie gras, a delicacy made from duck or goose liver. In Chinese cuisine, chicken livers and beef tripe shine in flavorful stir-fries and soups,” she added, commenting that these organ meats are powerhouses of nutrition – packed with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. 

Chicken liver is packed with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, according to Gillett. Consider marinating and tossing them on the grill for a nutritious dinner. (iStock)

“Chicken liver, for example, contains 350% of your daily value (%DV) for vitamin B12 and 72% DV for iron,” she says. “Try it for yourself by marinating and grilling slices of organ meats with onions and herbs, creating a rich and savory dish.” 

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Here’s another pro-tip from Gillett: If the visual challenge of organ meats on your plate grosses you out, “embrace stealth health by mincing them and adding them to meatballs or sausages.”

Insects

You may not be excited by this one, but believe it or not, insects “offer a sustainable and protein-rich food source, brimming with essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals,” according to Gillett. 

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As the nutritionists point out, just two tablespoons of cricket powder provide excellent sources of riboflavin, vitamin B12 and biotin – not bad for a small serving size.

If chewing on crunchy crickets doesn’t sound appetizing, Gillett suggested searching for cricket powder or crickets in the form of flour and protein bars to incorporate into everyday meals. (iStock)

“In Thailand, fried crickets and silkworm larvae are relished as crunchy snacks, while Mexico boasts chapulines — seasoned roasted grasshoppers,” she said. 

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“Incorporate insects into your diet by adding cricket flour to baked goods for an extra protein boost. The cricket-for-consumption market is slowly growing in the U.S. so you just may be able to find cricket protein powder and bars at a store near you,” Gillett added.