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They're ordinary items that are probably in your
refrigerator or kitchen pantry right now: beans, blueberries, broccoli,
oats, oranges, pumpkin, soy, spinach, green or black tea, tomatoes,
turkey, walnuts, wild salmon, and yogurt. But these may not be ordinary
foods at all. They may be so special, they've earned the title
"superfoods." That's the word from Steven G. Pratt, author of "SuperFoods
Rx; Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life." His premise is that
these vitamin-packed goodies have superpowers when it comes to keeping
us healthy, improving our well-being, and helping us to live longer
provided we do our part by eating them regularly, reports The Rocky
Mountain News. Here are those 14 "superfoods" and their superpowers:
Beans - They lower cholesterol, fight heart disease,
stabilize blood sugar, reduce obesity, lesser cancer risk, and relieve
hypertension. -Eat four 1/2-cup servings a week. Don't like beans?
Substitute green beans, snap peas, green peas, or chick peas instead.
Blueberries - They lower the risk of heart disease and
cancer and help maintain youthful, health) skin. -Eat 1 to 2 cups a day.
When they aren't in season, eat cranberries, raspberries, strawberries,
cherries, currants, and purple grapes.
Broccoli - It boosts your immune system, reduces the
incidence of cataracts, builds bones, and fights birth defects and heart
disease. -Eat 1/2 to 1 cup a day. Can't stand broccoli? Eat Brussels
sprouts, red and green cabbage, cauliflower, bok Choy, and kale.
Oats - lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease
and diabetes, and are high in fiber and protein. -Eat five to seven
servings a week. Don't want it that often? Try wheat germ, brown rice,
barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, and quinoa.
Oranges - They support heart health while preventing
cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic ailments. -Eat one a day.
More variety? Try lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, or limes.
Pumpkin - It's not just for pie. Pumpkin lowers the risk
of various cancers, while it promote; youthful, healthy skin. Eat
1/2 cup a day. Want an alternative? Try carrots, carrots, butternut
squash, sweet potatoes, and orange bell peppers.
Soy - it prevents heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis,
as well as relieves menopausal and menstrual symptoms. Eat at
least 15 grams daily. Don't like soy? Try tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edama.
Spinach - Popeye was on to something! Spinach lowers the
risk of cardiovascular diseases, variety of cancers, age related macular
degeneration, and cataracts. -Eat 1 cup of steamed spinach or 2 cups of
raw spinach a day. Don't like it? Then eat kale, collards, Swiss chard,
bok choy, romaine lettuce, mustard, or turnip greens.
Tea (Black or green) - Tea boosts the immune system, helps
prevent cancer and osteoporosis lowers stroke risk, and promotes
cardiovascular health. -Drink at least one cup a day.
Tomatoes - They lower cancer risk, increase your skin's
sun-protection factor, and play a role in preventing cataracts and
age-related macular degeneration. -Eat one tomato a day. Don't like
them? Try watermelon, persimmons, or pink grapefruit instead
Turkey (skinless breast) - It's not just for Thanksgiving.
Turkey is not only the perfect health) low-fat protein, but also builds
a strong immune system. -Eat three or four 3-ounce servings 1 week. Want
something else? Skinless chicken breast is a great alternative.
Walnuts - How nutty is this? Walnuts reduce the risk of
heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, --Eat 1 ounce five times a week.
Other options: almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, pea- nuts, pumpkin and
sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews.
Wild salmon - It lowers risk of heart disease and cancer.
"Eat it two to four times e week. Don't, like salmon? Go for Alaskan
halibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, sea bass, or
clams.
Yogurt - In addition to being a great source of protein
and calcium, yogurt promotes
strong bones and a healthy heart. -Eat 2 cups a day. Want something
else? Try kefir.
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