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