| We all hear about the many wonderful foods that | | | | For best results take a tablespoon a day of extra |
| are good to eat, and good for us. We always | | | | virgin olive oil that is cold pressed and greenish in |
| hear about eating fruits, and vegetables, and nuts. | | | | color. This green color helps you spot high levels |
| But that's a big list to sort through, and wouldn't it | | | | of polyphenols. |
| be simpler to have a few super foods that you | | | | Garlic |
| can always turn to? To help you in your | | | | Another component of the Mediterranean diet, |
| endeavors to lead a healthy lifestyle and a healthy | | | | Garlic is great for your cardiovascular system. By |
| life you can use the list compiled below as quick | | | | eating garlic regularly you can reduce your blood |
| reference list of 9 super foods. These super | | | | pressure, triglyceride levels and your LDL(bad) |
| foods and 14 others can be found in SuperFoods | | | | cholesterol. Garlic also has anti inflammatory |
| Health-Style, by Steven G. Pratt M.D. | | | | agents and antibiotic properties. |
| Apples | | | | To grab all the health benefits of garlic eat one |
| Apples are a great food for many reasons | | | | clove several times a week. Raw garlic is best, |
| including the ability to reduce the risk or heart | | | | but cooked is good too. Keep in mind that dried |
| disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, and | | | | garlic and garlic supplements don't have the same |
| type-2 diabetes. They also benefit the respiratory | | | | benefits as fresh garlic. |
| system by preventing lung cancer and asthma. | | | | Honey |
| By consuming apples your body gets fiber, | | | | Honey is not often seen on many lists of healthy |
| potassium and antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and | | | | foods, but don't let that fool you. Eating honey |
| polyphenols. Studies show that the real benefit | | | | daily increases the amounts of antioxidant in the |
| comes from the synergistic interaction between | | | | blood, helps to prevent constipation, and reduces |
| these ingredients. | | | | cholesterol and blood pressure. |
| To take best advantage of apples for your | | | | If you are running low on energy, reach for the |
| health, eat a wide variety and make sure that | | | | honey, not sugar. Honey does a better job of |
| you eat the peel, which contains several times | | | | maintaining blood sugar and energy than other |
| more antioxidants than the inside. As they say, | | | | sweeteners. And choose dark honeys over light |
| eat an apple a day. | | | | ones, because they are higher in antioxidants and |
| Avocados | | | | flavor. One to two teaspoons several times a |
| When you want to help you body absorb more | | | | week should do the trick. |
| nutrients from the foods you eat, have an | | | | Kiwis |
| avocado too. Fat soluble phytonutrients, like | | | | If you want extreme quantities of Vitamin C and |
| beta-carotene, are more easily absorbed by the | | | | E that can reduce risk of asthma, osteoarthritis, |
| body because of the monounsaturated fat in the | | | | and colon cancer, and boost your immune |
| avocado. | | | | system, then grab a kiwi or two. An interesting |
| Avocados also help you keep your weight down | | | | point to keep in mind is that dietary vitamin E |
| because they help you feel full, which triggers | | | | appears to lower the risk of Alzheimer's, and by |
| your body to stop eating. They are calorie rich at | | | | consuming kiwis, you get vitamin E without the |
| 48 calories per ounce, so for best results eat | | | | calories that most other vitamin e rich foods |
| one-third to one-half an avocado two to three | | | | contain, like nuts and oils. |
| times a week. | | | | Another stellar ingredient is lutein, which lowers |
| Dark Chocolate | | | | the risk cataracts and macular degeneration. To |
| When you want a little indulgence with your health | | | | get all the above benefits and reduce the risk of |
| food, try dark chocolate. It contains lots of | | | | blood clots, then consume one kiwi, two to three |
| polyphenols which lower blood pressure and is a | | | | times a week. |
| natural anti-inflammatory. You should keep in mind | | | | Onions |
| that blood pressure lowering qualities are only in | | | | For the benefits of onions, you can just reread |
| dark chocolate, but not in its cousin, milk | | | | the benefits of garlic, because they are pretty |
| chocolate. | | | | much the same. |
| In 2000 a study published by the American | | | | Try to eat dishes containing onions at least three |
| Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the affect | | | | times a week, and make sure that you let the |
| on blood flow from high flavonol cocoa was similar | | | | onion sit for 5 to 10 minutes after you cut it |
| to taking a low-dose aspirin. These means that | | | | open. If you apply heat too soon you will |
| dark chocolate could possibly be used to treat | | | | deactivate the thiopropanal sulfoxide, which is the |
| ailments like minor pains or headaches. | | | | substance in the onion that gives us the most |
| For the best results use Newman's Own Sweet | | | | heart benefits. And remember the more pungent |
| Dart Chocolate, as Dr Pratt has found it has more | | | | the onion, the better it is for you. |
| polyphenols than any other dark chocolate he has | | | | Pomegranates |
| found. Like avocado, chocolate is high in calories, | | | | Pomegranates are packed with tons of |
| so shoot for no more than 100 calories a day. | | | | phytochemicals like potassium, which is great for |
| Olive Oil | | | | lowering your blood pressure. Studies also suggest |
| There has been much discussion lately about the | | | | that pomegranates can slow the progression of |
| benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Well olive oil is | | | | prostate cancer and reduce the risk of |
| one of the main components of that diet and its | | | | atherosclerosis. |
| benefits are outstanding. It is a great substitute | | | | Instead of fighting with the little pulpy seeds to |
| for other oils and fats and has been shown to | | | | get your dose of pomegranate, try four to eight |
| reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer, lower | | | | ounces of 100% juice several times a week. Be |
| blood pressure, and improve the health of your | | | | sure to stay away from juices with added sugar. |
| cardiovascular system. | | | | |