10 Super Foods for Achieving Super Health

Here are some true Super foods packed with the protective substances that may guard your heart, keep cancer at bay, boost your bone strength, protect your sight, improve your mood and may help you lose weight. Include them in your food plans and reap the benefits.

Awesome Avocadoes: Ounce for ounce, they contain more blood pressure-lowering potassium than bananas. Avocadoes are rich in good-for-you monounsaturated fats, and cholesterol-lowering beta-sitosterol and cancer protective glutathione, along with vitamin E, folate, vitamin B6 and fiber.

Blueberries – Brain-boosting: These little blue superstars are the antioxidant chair- leaders, that can make you regular with nearly 4 grams of fiber per cup and a good dose of vitamin C. They also have cancer-protective ellagic acid that may boost your brain health and vision.

Brazil Nuts: This anti cancer tree nut is a “trigger food” that may cause cancer cells to self – destruct. It is a great source of selenium, a promising anti-cancer trace mineral that also promotes DNA repair and boosts immunity. Imagine, just two medium nuts contain enough selenium to reduce the incidence of prostrate, colon and lung cancers.

Broccoli: (not liked by a past president) – but is a vegetable you can easily get two potent cancer-blockers that modify natural estrogens into less damaging forms and increase the activity of enzymes that fight carcinogens. Aim for three servings a week of broccoli or its cruciferous cousins like cabbage, and cauliflower.

Butternut Squash – a winter gem: This tasty fruit (considered a fruit) is an exceptional source of beta-carotene, the antioxidant your body converts to vitamin A. But it’s also an overlooked source of bone-building calcium.

Edamame – an Asian delight: This tasty green soybean is one of the oldest snack foods, and one of the most beneficial in helping to lower bad cholesterol, protect against colon cancer, and strengthen bones. You’ll find edamame in natural food markets and some supermarkets. Just steam them and pop the beans out of their pods. I like steaming them with herbs including some hot peppers. It is even more delicious with these additions.

Dynamite Flaxseeds: These tiny nutty-flavored seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, which may block hormone- related cancers. They are packed with plenty of protein and fiber. Sprinkle one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds into yogurt, cereals, salads, soups and muffin/bread batters.

The All Empowering Kale: This leafy green is high on the vegetable list in antioxidant power, with lutein and zeaxanthin protecting against age-related eye diseases. You can get the benefit by eating kale, as well as collards, spinach and turnip greens.

Kiwifruit – New Zealand’s wonder: The small fuzzy fruits (considered a berry) come high on the list as the most nutrient dense fruits (high in nutrients but low in calories) of all. Two of these mighty wonders have more potassium than a banana, twice the vitamin C and fiber of a small orange, including folate, magnesium, vitamin E, copper and lutein.

Lentils – Eat them to nurture your Heart: Lentils are packed with heart-protective nutrients including folate and fiber. In a ½ cup serving there is 9 grams of protein, with iron and fiber that make a good meat substitute. Lentils cook very quickly and are easy to prepare unlike other beans.

Summary

So here you have it! Print this list and put it on your refrigerator so you have it at your fingers’ tip to add them to your grocery-shopping list. If you have never tried or eaten some of these, add at least one of these healthy “diamonds” weekly until you experience eating them all. Explore and make small changes as you proceed on your healthy journey. Just remember we are what we eat! Let’s all chose the foods that will make our bodies strong and healthy and kick diseases away. We can do it together.