Imagine being able to eat your way to health. Taking foods instead of drugs to ward off cholesterol problems, decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other diseases that have become all too common in our society. Imagine adding a few great tasting foods to your diet and telling your pharmacist good bye.
Well, imagining is over. Researchers have found several foods that are reported to have super qualities that improve the health of the user. Here is a list of 12 Super Foods that will help to improve your health today!
Blueberries: Blueberries are an antioxidant super food that are packed with phytoflavinoids and are high in potassium and Vitamin C. They will lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Actually inflammation is the key to most chronic diseases, so blueberries have lots of benefits. When choosing your berries recognize that the darker the berry the more anti-oxidants they have. Half a cup of berries a day is a serving and reportedly the frozen are as good as the fresh.
Omega-3 rich foods: new super foods are great for the hearts, joints and memory. Researchers have found that omega-3 fatty acids lower the risk of heart disease, help arthritis and can possibly help with memory loss as well as prevention of Alzheimer's. Omega-3 fatty on since are most prevalent in fatty cold water fish such as salmon, hearing, sardines and mackerel. These fatty acids can also be found in plant foods, most specifically flaxseed. It's actually quite easy to get an adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids every day or weekly by adding milled flaxseed to your salad or cereals. The addition of flaxseed in the milled state adds no additional flavor.
Another easy superfood is soy. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that a diet of soy fiber which would also include proteins from oats and barley will help to decrease or lower cholesterol levels. The product needed is from tofu, soy milk or edamame and not soy powder which means soy sauce won't do the trick. An important note: if you have a family history of breast cancer is not recommended to eat extra soy because it also contains plant-based estrogen which is necessary in the growth of breast cancer.
Fiber: a diet high in fiber will maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels and will help you feel fuller longer which is a great weight loss tool. Good sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Tomatoes: tomatoes contain lycopenes which are in antioxidants more potent than vitamin C. These lycopene stimulate immune function and can slow the progression of degenerative diseases. Work to include at least one medium tomato each day into your diet.
Sprouts: sprouts are highly nutritious and are produced when the seed starts growing into a vegetable. They've very in texture and taste and are high in living enzymes. Because sprouts are the beginning of a plant they are concentrated source of living enzymes that is lost when the food is cooked or not picked fresh from the garden. They are also much easier to digest than seeds or beans.
Acai: studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world. Pronounced ah-sigh-ee, this berry is from a special Amazon palm tree and harvested in the rain forests of Brazil. It tastes like a blend of beer and chocolate and packed with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. You can find it in several health food stores and go gourmet stores or currently produced as unsweetened pulp.
Nuts and seeds: Nuts are an incredible way to dramatically decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes as well as control your weight with no hunger pains. Nuts and seeds also reduce visible signs of aging like wrinkles and sagging skin. You can add nuts to your salad, cooking or just grab a handful in the afternoon to enjoy as a filling and satisfying snack.
Tea: recently green tea has received much press as a superfood for lowering cholesterol and inhibiting cancer. Green tea also has antioxidant which has been found to lower cholesterol levels and keep them lower individuals who drank a cup of tea a day.
Calcium: you know that calcium helps build strong bones and bodies and helps to prevent osteoporosis but other studies have shown that calcium also helps to improve weight loss. Calcium is found in dairy products such as milk and cheese or can be taken as a supplement. Interestingly calcium is also found in green leafy vegetables which means you don't need to each your ice cream in order to get your calcium.
You may have noticed that these "super foods" are nothing new or unusual. Instead these are foods which researchers and doctors have been telling us for years to include in our diet to improve our overall health. Just remember that health is not a sprint but rather a long distance run or marathon. You must eat good foods every day to maintain your health over the coming years and you won't change your health by increasing the amount of super foods you eat on a daily basis for just one week.
