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Superfoods for better health

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Superfoods to keep you healthy

There are foods that are available that have higher levels of phytonutrients that are believed to promote better health, these are called superfoods. More antioxidants, higher vitamine C more fiber and etc. There are many foods that fall under the superfood name, but only some of the more popular one's will be listed here along with their benifits. In Europe, any foods marketed as superfoods must be backed up with medical claim with research. There are many foods that fall under the superfood name, so only the more popular ones will be listed here.

Mango

The Mango can be found in many sub-tropical regions around the world. The ripe fruit varies in size and color depending on the species of tree. Normaly the fruit is red and yellow when ripe, the red side having been facing the sun and the yellow being in the shade.

The fruit has a sweet taste with an unusual sweet aroma. It can be eaten as is, used in smoothes and as juice. It is rich in phytochemicals and nutrients to include vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids.

Blueberry

Blueberries are a native of north America that grow as shrubs. They bear fruit fom May to October with July being the peak time. Researchers have shown that blueberry anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, flavonols, and tannins inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development and inflammation in vitro.

Can be eaten off the bush, in smoothies, on cereal and many other ways.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a cool weather plant of the cabbage family. Broccoli is high in vitamin C and fiber, and has high anti-cancer properties. Properties such as 3,3'-Diindolylmethane, glucoraphanin, sulforaphane can be found in broccoli all of which have anti-viral and anti-cancer benifits.

Broccoli is usually boil or steamed. Boiling may reduce the levels of compounds, but steaming and microwaving and etc. have shown not to.

Red grapes

The red grape has long been known to have cancer preventive properties. Red grapes help thin the blood, helps reduce LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and clogging arteries, Raisins are a great source of energy.

Black,red and purple graps have the higest levels of antioxidants. Red wine has more antioxidants than white. Purple grape juice is high in antioxidants. Raisins have triple the amounts of antioxidants that fresh grapes.

Include more fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants to your diet each day with a meal or as a snack and take advantage of their benefits.

Video on some superfoods

Garlic

Garlic has a very long history of being able to prevent many things from the cold to vampires. The cloves of the garlic are eaten and also used as the seed to grow garlic. Also edible are the stem and flower. When eating large amounts of garlic, a person will emit the odor from their body.

It has been claimed that garlic prevents heart disease including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. Garlic has allium sativum, which is shown to have beneficial properties.

Superfoods Rx: 14 foods

SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life

by: Steven G. Pratt, Kathy Matthews

Amazon Price: $3.20 (as of 05/31/2012)

A great best selling book that covers 14 superfoods by Dr. Steven Pratt. The book includes recipes and shows you how to incorporate these foods into life. Sure, everyone knows that an apple is a better snack than potato chips, but do you know that a daily handful of walnuts or a bowl of blueberries can actually improve your well-being and longevity? Steven Pratt, M.D., witnessed the positive results that occurred when his patients changed their diets to include certain powerhouse foods -- those he has identified as SuperFoods. Backed by proven research on fourteen of the most nutrient-dense foods, this book puts these tools in your hands, and on your plate, to give you more energy, greater protection against disease, and a healthy lifestyle now and for the future.

Spirulina

Spirulina is also known as blue-green algae. It is found around the world and is available as a tablet, flake, and powder. To get scientific - Spirulina are free-floating filamentous cyanobacteria characterized by cylindrical, multicellular trichomes in an open left-hand helix.

Spirulina has a high amount of protein, which is a complete protein with all the essential ammino acids. It is also rich in gamma-linolenic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Also found are the vitamins B1, C, D,and E, and it is a rich sorce of minerals.

Wheat and barley grass

Wheat grass is the young grass shoots of wheat, if you let it grow you have wheat. You will get the highest nutritional value while it's still young ( about 10 days). Nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, proteins, active enzymes, and chlorophyll. These are great in detoxing the body, improving digestion, preventing cancer, diabetes and heart disease, curing constipation, detoxifying heavy metals from the bloodstream and cleansing the liver.

Wheat grass is taken as a juice pressed from the grass or in tablet form.