Super Foods For Super Health

We all hear about the many wonderful foods thatFor best results take a tablespoon a day of extra
are good to eat, and good for us. We alwaysvirgin 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 itof polyphenols.
be simpler to have a few super foods that youGarlic
can always turn to? To help you in yourAnother component of the Mediterranean diet,
endeavors to lead a healthy lifestyle and a healthyGarlic is great for your cardiovascular system. By
life you can use the list compiled below as quickeating garlic regularly you can reduce your blood
reference list of 9 super foods. These superpressure, triglyceride levels and your LDL(bad)
foods and 14 others can be found in SuperFoodscholesterol. Garlic also has anti inflammatory
Health-Style, by Steven G. Pratt M.D.agents and antibiotic properties.
ApplesTo grab all the health benefits of garlic eat one
Apples are a great food for many reasonsclove several times a week. Raw garlic is best,
including the ability to reduce the risk or heartbut cooked is good too. Keep in mind that dried
disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, andgarlic and garlic supplements don't have the same
type-2 diabetes. They also benefit the respiratorybenefits 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 andfoods, but don't let that fool you. Eating honey
polyphenols. Studies show that the real benefitdaily increases the amounts of antioxidant in the
comes from the synergistic interaction betweenblood, helps to prevent constipation, and reduces
these ingredients.cholesterol and blood pressure.
To take best advantage of apples for yourIf you are running low on energy, reach for the
health, eat a wide variety and make sure thathoney, not sugar. Honey does a better job of
you eat the peel, which contains several timesmaintaining 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
Avocadosflavor. One to two teaspoons several times a
When you want to help you body absorb moreweek should do the trick.
nutrients from the foods you eat, have anKiwis
avocado too. Fat soluble phytonutrients, likeIf you want extreme quantities of Vitamin C and
beta-carotene, are more easily absorbed by theE that can reduce risk of asthma, osteoarthritis,
body because of the monounsaturated fat in theand colon cancer, and boost your immune
avocado.system, then grab a kiwi or two. An interesting
Avocados also help you keep your weight downpoint to keep in mind is that dietary vitamin E
because they help you feel full, which triggersappears to lower the risk of Alzheimer's, and by
your body to stop eating. They are calorie rich atconsuming kiwis, you get vitamin E without the
48 calories per ounce, so for best results eatcalories that most other vitamin e rich foods
one-third to one-half an avocado two to threecontain, like nuts and oils.
times a week.Another stellar ingredient is lutein, which lowers
Dark Chocolatethe risk cataracts and macular degeneration. To
When you want a little indulgence with your healthget all the above benefits and reduce the risk of
food, try dark chocolate. It contains lots ofblood clots, then consume one kiwi, two to three
polyphenols which lower blood pressure and is atimes a week.
natural anti-inflammatory. You should keep in mindOnions
that blood pressure lowering qualities are only inFor the benefits of onions, you can just reread
dark chocolate, but not in its cousin, milkthe benefits of garlic, because they are pretty
chocolate.much the same.
In 2000 a study published by the AmericanTry to eat dishes containing onions at least three
Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that the affecttimes a week, and make sure that you let the
on blood flow from high flavonol cocoa was similaronion sit for 5 to 10 minutes after you cut it
to taking a low-dose aspirin. These means thatopen. If you apply heat too soon you will
dark chocolate could possibly be used to treatdeactivate 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 Sweetheart benefits. And remember the more pungent
Dart Chocolate, as Dr Pratt has found it has morethe onion, the better it is for you.
polyphenols than any other dark chocolate he hasPomegranates
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 Oillowering your blood pressure. Studies also suggest
There has been much discussion lately about thethat pomegranates can slow the progression of
benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Well olive oil isprostate cancer and reduce the risk of
one of the main components of that diet and itsatherosclerosis.
benefits are outstanding. It is a great substituteInstead of fighting with the little pulpy seeds to
for other oils and fats and has been shown toget your dose of pomegranate, try four to eight
reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer, lowerounces of 100% juice several times a week. Be
blood pressure, and improve the health of yoursure to stay away from juices with added sugar.
cardiovascular system.