Want Super Holidays? Eat Super Foods
We’re about to enter the most anticipated six weeks of the year. From Thanksgiving to NewYear’s Day, we will gather with family and friends, take time off, enjoy parties, and eat A LOT of food. Since we know it’s coming, why not prepare for it now by thinking about how to make that food as healthy as it can be? Here are five foods that should always be on your table.
Cold-water, wild fish
Tuna, trout and salmon are all high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower the risk of coronary disease. Fish also contains protein, magnesium, calcium, and important B-vitamins.
Tomatoes
There are so many ways to get tomatoes into your diet it is almost hard to miss them. Lycopene is the driving force behind the tomato’s nutritious contribution to any diet. More potent than vitamin C, lycopene is an antioxidant that can help suppress prostate cancer in men, and help support immune system function for everyone.
Sweet Potatoes
Substitute your beige baked spuds with this colorful, flavorful nutritional powerhouse. Sweet potatoes can be baked with the skin on, or sliced and baked as fries if you need your ketchup-dipping fix. Carotenoids, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C are just a few of the beneficial nutrients in these tubers.
Spinach
Not only does spinach create strong bones, preventing osteoporosis by blocking free radicals, it also has iron and other minerals that are good for the heart. Spinach also has lutein, which helps to prevent eye disorders such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Go heavy on the spinach, since it has almost no calories, and it is full of antioxidants and vitamins, which help control cancer and reduce stroke risk.
Oranges
We all know oranges for their power to ward off colds. But the vitamin C in oranges is pulling double duty by also lowering the risk of cancer. Studies have also shown that people who eat citrus throughout the day tend to eat less at meals, thanks to its high fiber content. This is a great benefit for those many Americans who want to lose weight.