The foods you eat can be your medicine, as Hippocrates suggested more than 2,000 years ago. Including a few super foods in your daily diet can help you boost your intake of health-protective compounds to help you stay healthy and resist the common diseases afflicting modern society, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables are among the best sources of antioxidants that can protect you from the free radicals that accelerate aging and the onset of chronic diseases. Eat at least one cruciferous vegetable daily to get your dose of health-protective and cancer-fighting antioxidants. For example, you could include Swiss chard in your omelet one day, add broccoli florets to your salad another day and prepare an Asian stir-fry with bok choy the following day. Cauliflower, Brussels sprout, rapini, kale, cabbage and aragula also belong to the cruciferous vegetable family. Vary them for maximum benefits.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
The main fat found in olive oil is called monounsaturated fattty acid, or MUFA. MUFAs can benefit your blood cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease. Olive oil is one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet, known for its heart-healthy properties. Use olive oil daily to get its healthy fats. You can use regular olive oil for cooking meat, vegetables and marinating; however, extra-virgin olive oil, which contains extra antioxidants and vitamin E, should not be heated. Use extra-virgin olive every day to drizzle over your salads or vegetables for optimal health.
Berries
Add a few berries to your diet daily to increase the variety of antioxidants for extra protection against diseases. All berries are rich in fiber and antioxidants, while low in calories and sugar. For example, you can have a handful of blueberries for breakfast, add raspberries to plain yogurt or mix strawberries with cottage cheese. For a fancy, yet healthy treat, dip a few strawberries in 70 percent dark chocolate.
Plain Yogurt
Yogurt can contribute to intestinal health due to its probiotics content. Choose a brand that guarantees you are getting a minimum amount of gut-friendly bacteria and opt for a plain variety to keep your sugar intake low. To spice things up, mix your daily serving of plain yogurt with either a handful berries, unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon, 1 tbsp. of almond butter, a handful of walnuts or sprinkle it with ground flaxseed.
Good-Quality Protein
Include a good-quality source of protein at each of your meals every day to help you feel satisfied. Free-range eggs, wild-caught fish, free-range chicken, grass-fed beef and game meats are your best options to minimize your exposure to the contaminants, hormones and antibiotics present in commercially-raised meat, poultry and eggs or farmed fish. In addition, choosing good-quality protein sources raised on pasture and fed grass in the case of beef alter their fat composition, increasing their omega-3 content that can help you optimize your health.
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