If you are what you eat, and you eat plenty
of super foods, does that make you invincible?
Of course not, but the relationship between
nutrition and health is undeniable. The American
Heart Association asserts that eating certain foods
can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. What's
more, just about every nutrition expert recommends a
well-balanced diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and fish, and low in saturated fats, trans fats,
cholesterol and sodium.
How can you decide what foods are super? Here's a
guide to the super foods and why they are good for you:
Antioxidants are dietary
substances believed to help
prevent heart disease by
helping your body repair
cell damage from free
radicals (highly reactive atoms
produced naturally in the body
or introduced by substances like
tobacco smoke or toxins.) Free
radicals can damage cells, proteins and DNA by
altering their chemical structure. Research suggests that
antioxidants may also lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol,
thus reducing plaque buildup in the artery walls. Foods
high in antioxidants include
blackberries,
walnuts,
strawberries,
artichokes and
cranberries.
Flavanoids are the powerful antioxidants responsible
for dark chocolate's status as a good-for-you treat.
They are also found in
apples,
peanuts,
onions,
tea
and
red wine.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid are still the darlings of hearthealthy
living and for good reason. The omega-3 fatty
acids found in oily fish such as
salmon,
mackerel and
blue fin tuna, are known to lower triglycerides and
increase HDL ("good") cholesterol. They also help
prevent blood from clotting. If you are a vegetarian
or simply don't like fish, try
flaxseeds or
walnuts.
Oats and Other Whole Grains are good sources
of fiber as well as selenium, potassium and magnesium.
Consumption of dietary fiber is known to help
lower cholesterol.
Nuts are known to improve cholesterol.
Watch portion size and avoid
those that are heavily salted.
Walnuts are an especially
good choice because they
contain omega-3 fatty acids.
