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Super Foods and their Super Powers |
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Written by Knight Ridder
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Wednesday, 10 May 2006 |
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Page 1 of 3 Blueberries are brain food.
If there’s one good-for-you food that has cut through the din of conflicting diet headlines, it’s the tiny indigo berry native to North America, which scientists have discovered contains powerful disease-fighters that may improve memory, intelligence and coordination.
But blueberries aren’t the only food with bragging rights.
Nutrient-dense foods containing health-promoting phytonutrients are being dubbed “super foods.”
“Super foods are foods that have longevity and contribute to good health,” says Steven Pratt, an Ophthalmologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital of La Jolla, Calif., and co-author of the best-selling “SuperFoodsRx” and the new “SuperFoods HealthStyle.”
Nutrition experts agree we’ve only begun to scratch the surface in our efforts to discover how foods prevent disease in the body.
One of the most surprising super foods to hit the headlines is dark chocolate. It is loaded with health-promoting polyphenols — antioxidants that may help lower blood pressure and promote vascular health. Cocoa has more polyphenols than red wine or green tea. 
Hershey’s recently introduced an extra dark chocolate that touts antioxidant power equal to three cups of tea, two glasses of red wine or 1 1/3 cups of blueberries. Impressive stats, but the Web site (www.hersheys.com) points out that scientists are still investigating exactly how antioxidant scores relate to their activity in the body.
When it comes to super foods, there’s a lot of controversy. But you can feel good about adding any of these to your grocery cart.
1. Beans
Why? High in folate, fiber and antioxidants; help lower cholesterol and LDL levels, scavenge free radicals, moderate insulin levels and reduce cancer risk.
How much? Two ½-cup servings a day, cooked or canned.
2. Blueberries
Why? More antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable; contains substances to fight cancer, heart disease, age-related memory loss.
How much? ½ cup of fresh or frozen, ¼ cup dried daily. Eat any berry at least three times a week.
3. Broccoli
Why? Loaded with antioxidants; contains cancer-fighting sulforaphane, indoles and carotenoids, and promotes eye health.
How much? ½ cup raw or 1 cup cooked every day.
4. Oats
Why? Mighty nutrition profile that gets better with its phytonutrients — lignans, caffeic and ferulic acids.
How much? At least three servings of whole grains a day, one cup cooked oatmeal, ½ cup uncooked rolled oats or ¼ cup steel-cut oats.
5. Soy
Why? Source of vegetable protein; isoflavones that maintain bone strength; omega-3 fatty acids, for heart health.
How much? 1 serving of soy foods a day, size depends on form, try edamame for snacking out of hand.
6. Spinach
Why? Packed with iron and carotenoids for eye health.
How much? At least 1 cup cooked spinach or dark leafy greens a day.
7. Sweet potatoes
Why? Boosts immune system, reduces cholesterol in arteries, helps fight age-related macular degeneration and cancers.
How much? At least 1½-cup serving or this, carrots, butternut squash, pumpkin or orange bell peppers a day.
8. Tomatoes
Why? Protect against heart attack, cancers and age-related macular degeneration.
How much? One serving a day with a little bit of healthy fat, such as olive oil, to help absorb the lycopene; one medium raw tomato, about one cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup sauce or six ounces juice.
9. Walnuts
Why? Source of “good” polyunsaturated fats, high in omega-3 fatty acids; contain ellagic acid, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. Can reduce the risk of heart attack.
How much? 1½ ounces per day; one ounce equals 14 walnut halves
10. Wild salmon
Why? Omega-3, reduces the risk of heart disease and heart attack by lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol, also reduces inflammation of arthritis and autoimmune diseases.
How much? Three ounces fresh, roughly the size of a deck of cards, or ¼ cup canned, 12 ounces a week.
11. Extra-virgin olive oil
Why? Reduces cardiovascular disease, lowers blood pressure and prevents some types of cancer.
How much? 1 tablespoon most days
12. Dark chocolate
Why? Highest antioxidant content of any food, the darker the chocolate, the higher the count
How much? 1-ounce serving daily, also try grapes, red wine and green tea, which boost good cholesterol.
Sources: “12 Best Foods Cookbook” and “SuperFoods HealthStyle”
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