Consume Super Foods for Super Health and Disease Prevention
Copyright 2006 Frank Mangano
We all know that when it comes to nutrition, all foods are
not made the same. Whole wheat flour is better than white
flour, almonds are more nutritionally sound than peanuts,
and grilling is a much healthier alternative form of
cooking than frying.
When it comes to what we put in our bodies, we ought to be
aiming for what the Man of Steel eats on a regular
basis-super foods.
Super foods are not new to the marketplace. In fact, you
may have lots of super foods in your pantry or refrigerator
at this moment. What is new, however, is the realization of
just how "super" these foods really are for our health and
well-being through independent studies by health experts.
Super foods by definition are foods that are nutritionally
dense, high in fiber and are believed to fight disease and
increase longevity. And not surprisingly, most super foods
are the ones you'll find in nature that don't require any
kind of processing or refining. Take berries, for example.
Every berry is considered "super" but a study done on
blueberries and strawberries properties elicited some
exciting results for berry lovers.
The study, published in the journal of Neurobiology and
Aging, used 60 different rats and divided the rats into
three groups. One group was fed strawberry extract, and the
other was fed blueberry extract. The third was the control
group and was not fed any berry extract. The rats were then
released to run through a water maze, but not before they
were exposed to a radioactive iron source which was meant
to simulate age-related cognitive decline. After the run
through was completed, results revealed that the control
group showed significant impairment in learning ability,
while the groups of rats that ate berry extract showed a
resistance to cognitive decline.
While scientists who performed the study say more testing
needs to be done, this study suggests that consuming
berries protects the brain from radiation damage and
decline in learning ability.
It's believed that the chemical responsible for
blueberries' superpower is anthocyanin-what gives
blueberries their color and may also play a role in their
antioxidant activity. Blueberries, according to the USDA
Human Research Center, are ranked #1 in antioxidant
activity when compared to 40 other fruits and vegetables
(Antioxidants help rid the body of cancer-causing free
radicals).
Berries aren't the only super foods with super properties.
Just as Superman's powers aren't relegated solely to super
speed or super strength, each super food brings with it its
own special power:
Avocados-Avocados do have a considerable amount of fat in
them, but the right kind of fat. Like olive oil, avocados
have healthy amounts of monounsaturated fat which help
lower "bad" cholesterol levels (LDL) while raising the
"good" ones (HDL). Avocados are also great to combine with
other foods as its properties help the body absorb
nutrients from other nutrient-dense foods (like lycopene
found in tomatoes, for example).
Beans- The old school days song of beans being good for
your heart is true, thanks to the high amounts of betaine
found in them. In addition, beans also have high amounts of
lutein, which won't bring x-ray vision, but will help in
protecting your eyes from sunlight.
Dark Chocolate-Believe it or not, chocolate, the dark
variety, can help lower blood pressure and improve blood
flow. The special power dark chocolate has lies in its
flavonoids, a type of anti-oxidant. Even though flavonoids
are found in apples, tea, onions and peanuts, research
indicates that dark chocolate has the highest level of
flavonoids. That doesn't mean you should go out and eat it
to your heart's delight, but you no longer need to attach
"guilty" with the "pleasure" you'll get out of eating
moderate portions of dark chocolate each week.
Oats-Eating raw oats isn't exactly an appetizing meal, but
they're quite appetizing in oatmeal. Oats are a great
source of vitamins and minerals, have a low glycemic index
level, are high in fiber, low in sugar and have been proven
to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
This is just a partial list of the super foods that can
bring you a life of abundant health. Remember: Eating
exorbitant amounts of almonds or blueberries does not equal
more health. As with all things, moderation is key.
----------------------------------------------------
Frank Mangano is a natural health expert and best selling
author who teaches you how to dramatically improve your
health naturally, without expensive and potentially
dangerous prescription drugs. To learn more, visit one of
the most comprehensive and reliable sources of natural
health information on the web:
http://www.naturalhealthontheweb.com
We all know that when it comes to nutrition, all foods are
not made the same. Whole wheat flour is better than white
flour, almonds are more nutritionally sound than peanuts,
and grilling is a much healthier alternative form of
cooking than frying.
When it comes to what we put in our bodies, we ought to be
aiming for what the Man of Steel eats on a regular
basis-super foods.
Super foods are not new to the marketplace. In fact, you
may have lots of super foods in your pantry or refrigerator
at this moment. What is new, however, is the realization of
just how "super" these foods really are for our health and
well-being through independent studies by health experts.
Super foods by definition are foods that are nutritionally
dense, high in fiber and are believed to fight disease and
increase longevity. And not surprisingly, most super foods
are the ones you'll find in nature that don't require any
kind of processing or refining. Take berries, for example.
Every berry is considered "super" but a study done on
blueberries and strawberries properties elicited some
exciting results for berry lovers.
The study, published in the journal of Neurobiology and
Aging, used 60 different rats and divided the rats into
three groups. One group was fed strawberry extract, and the
other was fed blueberry extract. The third was the control
group and was not fed any berry extract. The rats were then
released to run through a water maze, but not before they
were exposed to a radioactive iron source which was meant
to simulate age-related cognitive decline. After the run
through was completed, results revealed that the control
group showed significant impairment in learning ability,
while the groups of rats that ate berry extract showed a
resistance to cognitive decline.
While scientists who performed the study say more testing
needs to be done, this study suggests that consuming
berries protects the brain from radiation damage and
decline in learning ability.
It's believed that the chemical responsible for
blueberries' superpower is anthocyanin-what gives
blueberries their color and may also play a role in their
antioxidant activity. Blueberries, according to the USDA
Human Research Center, are ranked #1 in antioxidant
activity when compared to 40 other fruits and vegetables
(Antioxidants help rid the body of cancer-causing free
radicals).
Berries aren't the only super foods with super properties.
Just as Superman's powers aren't relegated solely to super
speed or super strength, each super food brings with it its
own special power:
Avocados-Avocados do have a considerable amount of fat in
them, but the right kind of fat. Like olive oil, avocados
have healthy amounts of monounsaturated fat which help
lower "bad" cholesterol levels (LDL) while raising the
"good" ones (HDL). Avocados are also great to combine with
other foods as its properties help the body absorb
nutrients from other nutrient-dense foods (like lycopene
found in tomatoes, for example).
Beans- The old school days song of beans being good for
your heart is true, thanks to the high amounts of betaine
found in them. In addition, beans also have high amounts of
lutein, which won't bring x-ray vision, but will help in
protecting your eyes from sunlight.
Dark Chocolate-Believe it or not, chocolate, the dark
variety, can help lower blood pressure and improve blood
flow. The special power dark chocolate has lies in its
flavonoids, a type of anti-oxidant. Even though flavonoids
are found in apples, tea, onions and peanuts, research
indicates that dark chocolate has the highest level of
flavonoids. That doesn't mean you should go out and eat it
to your heart's delight, but you no longer need to attach
"guilty" with the "pleasure" you'll get out of eating
moderate portions of dark chocolate each week.
Oats-Eating raw oats isn't exactly an appetizing meal, but
they're quite appetizing in oatmeal. Oats are a great
source of vitamins and minerals, have a low glycemic index
level, are high in fiber, low in sugar and have been proven
to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
This is just a partial list of the super foods that can
bring you a life of abundant health. Remember: Eating
exorbitant amounts of almonds or blueberries does not equal
more health. As with all things, moderation is key.
----------------------------------------------------
Frank Mangano is a natural health expert and best selling
author who teaches you how to dramatically improve your
health naturally, without expensive and potentially
dangerous prescription drugs. To learn more, visit one of
the most comprehensive and reliable sources of natural
health information on the web:
http://www.naturalhealthontheweb.com
posted by Peter Smith at 10:45 PM
