Okay so maybe that's a slight exaggeration. After all there
are hundreds of foods that are good for you and millions
that are bad !! There are top twenty lists for muscle
building, for endurance, for speed, for losing weight, for
every contingency. These are the top twenty foods, in my
view ,which can contribute to general health, a healthy
diet, keeping illness at bay and in some cases helping you
live longer. Although there's 20 they're not in any
particular order. In this article I'll be covering my top
ten. Look for the follow up which continues with numbers
11-20.
So let's start off with:
1.Chocolate: Sorry ,only joking !! Its not chocolate but
the raw cacao bean which is the main ingredient of
chocolate. Whilst chocolate is really not a good
contributor to a healthy diet this bean is fantastic ! It
contains anti-oxidants that protect the cardio-vascular
system, tryptophan which makes you feel great, magnesium
and potassium as well as dopamine a neurotransmitter which
can help you get motivated. Use the raw bean in yogurt,
fruit salad, desserts, smoothies and just about anything
else you fancy.
2.The number 2 ingredient towards maintaining a healthy
lifestyle is one of the cheapest foods on the planet—
watercress. This little baby contains Vitamin C in
abundance, iron, folic acid and calcium. It will even help
protect you from cancer as it also contains phenylethyl
isothiocyanate , a cancer fighting ingredient.
3.Broccoli weighs in at number 3. One of the most under
rated superfoods and possibly the least popular as many
people think it tastes bland, this vegetable can also help
you live longer. Like water cress it can help prevent
cancer as it contains Indole-3-Carbinol. Also like water
cress it has lots of calcium,and iron as well as sulphur.
Why buy detoxifying remedies-this food will do it all for
you !
4.Alfalfa Sprouts: at number 4 the humble alfalfa sprout is
great for having a healthy lifestyle. This contains so much
stuff that's good for you that you'll be bouncing with
energy and vitality. Included are : Vitamin K, B vitamins,
magnesium, zinc, calcium, as well as amino acids and iron.
I'll ask you again: why buy expensive vitamin supplements
when you can buy these ?
5.Beetroots- love 'em or hate 'em these come in at number
five. The green leafy tops are great for a healthy diet-
they contain calcium, iron and beta-carotene. They're also
a great source of vitamin A , potassium and manganese. To
finish off with beetroot is also meant to improve your
circulation, purify the blood and detoxify your system. Wow
!
6.Nettles: Not a romantic food I know but nettles can help
you achieve a healthy diet. They can give you energy, and
reduce water retention and high blood pressure. Not bad for
starters but they also contain iron, potassium and vitamin
C as well as cleansing the bowels, the blood and the
urinary tract.
7.Ginger: ginger has been used for hundreds of years to
help treat sickness and nausea. But did you know that it
can also treat indigestion and bad circulation. It can
boost the immune system and if you grate it into honey and
lemon it will help you fight off colds and get rid of mucus.
8.Hemp seeds; weighing in at 8 to help you with a healthy
lifestyle is the humble hemp seed. These contain Omega 3
and Omega 6 essential fats as well as Vitamin E. Eat them
with salad, on their own or sprinkled liberally with sweet
potato, soup or just about anything else you fancy.
9.Flax seeds: Sprinkle these on salads and yoghurts. They
contain Omega 3 fats and a gel that lubricates the bowel.
Not pretty but effective! They can also help lower blood
pressure and help balance female hormones as they contain
lignans.
10.Artichokes: Fantastic for keeping to a healthy diet.
These have been used to stimulate liver cell regeneration
and to help stop fatty plaques building up inside the walls
of the arteries, which causes high blood pressure.
So what do you think? Are these superfoods or not ? Cancer
curing, aids to help you keep a healthy lifestyle. And
cheap and easy to buy. What more could you possibly want?
Look out for numbers 11-20 in my follow up article. Coming
soon.
----------------------------------------------------
Paul Costello is the vice principal of a high school , a
writer and a father. He is interested in diet and health
and has a great web site at :
http://www.ultimatedieting.info
No comments:
Post a Comment