All foods, have some nutritional value. But there are some that are so beneficial to your health they are known as 'super foods' These compliment the regular diet, provide nourishment for the body and fight disease. They can be in the form of herbs, cereals, fruits, concoctions or any other blend of natural ingredients. They are far more than just "supplements" like vitamins and minerals. They help us to embrace health instead of fighting disease. When you increase your superfoods consumption the inevitable result is a more nutrient dense, lower calorie, health promoting diet. Following is the list of Super foods
We have all heard of Adam's apple. The story goes that in the Garden of Eden, Adam ate a piece of the forbidden fruit that got stuck in his throat, and thus the term Adam's Apple came.
Some interesting facts about Apples and how they aid in good health:
Over 7,500 varieties of apple are grown throughout the world. The Greek and Roman mythology refer to apples as symbols of love and beauty but Apple contain vitamins like Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene, iron and potassium etc., The Vitamin C content may not be as good as Oranges but apples have very high mineral contents, pectins, malic acid which are good in normalizing the intestines.
Apple is good for treatment of anaemia, dysentery, heart disease, headache, eye disorders, kidney stones and promotes vigour and vitality. Apple juice is good to overcome a liverish feeling, further, apples are unlikely to cause allergic reactions and are excellent means of providing essential fluids to the body.
A new study whose findings have been published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease is sure to bring cheers for people suffering from this strange disease. This study suggests that eating and drinking apples and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress- and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods. Apples are also good for treatment of the Acid reflux condition also called gerd (gastro esophageal reflux disease).
As in vegetables like carrot, the colours in fruits like Apples are indicative of good health as shown below:
Green Apples - Good for strong bones and teeth, aids in vision, anti cancer properties.
Yellow Apples - Good for heart and eyes, immune system, reduce risk of some cancers.
Red Apples - Good for heart, Memory function, lower risk of some cancers and to maintain urinary tract health.
Fortunately, the delicately flavored and versatile almond is available throughout the year to make a healthy and tasty addition to both sweet and savoury dishes. The almond that we think of as a nut is technically the seed of the fruit of the almond tree, a medium-size tree that bears fragrant pink and white flowers.
Some interesting facts about Almonds and how they aid in good health:
Almonds contains no cholesterol - 90% of the fat is unsaturated.Thus helps in increasing the HDL(good)cholesterol in the body
In addition to their cholesterol-lowering effects, almonds' ability to reduce heart disease risk may also be partly due to the antioxidant action of the vitamin E found in the almonds, as well as to the LDL-lowering effect of almonds' monounsaturated fats. (LDL is the form of cholesterol that has been linked to atherosclerosis and heart disease). When almonds are substituted for more traditional fats in human feeding trials, LDL cholesterol can be reduced from 8 to 12%. Almonds are also rich in calcium, dietary fiber, protein and amino acids
Eating Almonds as a snack can be a healthy option. if substituted carefully, it can provide a powerhouse of nutrients without causing weight gain.
A quarter-cup(15-20) of almonds contains almost 99 mg of magnesium (that's 24.7% of the daily value for this important mineral), plus 257 mg of potassium.
Further research shows that eating almonds along with a high glycemic index food significantly lowers the glycemic index of the meal and lessens the rise in blood sugar after eating. (Jones AR, Kendall CW, Metabolism)
Almonds also consist Phytochemicals which inhibit tumour cell growth
Amla or Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) is the fruit of this deciduous tree found mainly in India. It is greenish yellow in color and tastes sour.
Some interesting facts about Amla and how they aid in good health:
Amla is rich in natural vitamin C. Due to high Vitamin C content Amla has anti oxidative properties.
It has a cooling, diuretic and laxative properties. It helps in cleansing the mouth, and strengthens teeth and bones. It increases the red blood cell count and helps to promote good health. It also has antioxidant properties.
The dried Amla fruit is useful in the treatment of Hemorrhage, diarrhea, and dysentery.
Amla has laxative properties and therefore useful in the treatment of constipation and piles. It also has antibacterial properties and helps in preventing infections and healing ulcers.
Amla helps in preventing skin infections. It has cell rejuvenating properties and therefore used in maintaining good health of skin and hair. It helps to keep the hair glossy and shining. Amla is also known to have anti aging properties.
Amla also helps to prevent respiratory disorders such as common cold, bronchitis, and other respiratory tract infections. The high content of vitamin C helps to boost the functioning of the immune system of the body and thereby helps in preventing a wide range of diseases.
Amla provides many essential minerals such as chromium, zinc, and copper which helps in maintaining proper functioning of the metabolic activities of the body.
In combination with iron it is used as a remedy for anaemia, jaundice and dyspepsia
Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family, and is closely related to cauliflower. Broccolo, its Italian name, means "cabbage sprout." Because of its different components, broccoli provides a range of tastes and textures, from soft and flowery (the floret) to fibrous and crunchy (the stem and stalk).
Broccoli, after extensive scientific research, is now viewed as one of the top powerhouses when it comes to nutrient density and benefits.
Some interesting facts about Broccolli and how they aid in good health:
The nutritional value of broccoli starts with it being jam-packed with vitamins and minerals.
On the vitamin side, it contains Vitamins B1 (Thiamin), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6, B9 (Folate), Vitamin C and A.
Not only does broccoli contains Vitamins but it's a particularly good source of folate (naturally occuring folic acid).
Increasing your intake of folic acid is thought to be of major benefit in preventing heart disease.
When it comes to minerals, healthy broccoli contains: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
These vitamins and minerals aren't just found in tiny trace amounts either. For example, did you know that broccoli actually contains more Vitamin C than many citrus fruits? Or that it has more calcium than an entire glass of milk? Or that it's an even richer source of fiber than whole wheat bread?
As good as this news is, it gets even better. The real potent nutritional value of broccoli lies in substances called isothiocyanates. Don't let the name scare you.
Isothiocyanates are a class of very potent anti-carcinogens. Meaning, they fight and help prevent cancer.
Studies shows that the compound offers tremendous protection against stomach cancer - the second most common form of cancer in the world.
A different study showed that consumption of broccoli was strongly associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease death in postmenopausal women .
It was also found that chemicals present in broccoli and cabbage may protect against lung cancer.
Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli is good. The news: Broccoli sprouts are even better. At a mere 3 days old, they contain at least 20 times as much of disease-fighting sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as their elders; SGS has been shown to:
Kill tumors Save your sight Protect your heart
So go ahead and have a good serving of Broccolli and protect yourself.
In recent months, cinnamon has gotten a lot of attention as a spice. The fact is, cinnamon has been used since ancient times for various medical complaints.
Cinnamon makes one feel warm, safe, and protected. Wise Ones relied on the scent of cinnamon to promote contented and uplifted feelings.
Some interesting facts about Cinnamon and how they aid in good health:
Over the years, researchers in America have found that cinnamon actually helps in restoring our cell's ability to respond to insulin, thereby removing a lot of glucose from the blood and lowering the risk of diabetes.
Cinnamon is also known as the spice that gives us energy. So, in a way, even non-diabetics can get a lot of benefits if they consume cinnamon daily as an energizing tonic.
Cinnamon is rich in magnesium. Therefore it seems obvious that daily intake of this ready and cheap spice will offset many a disease that are related to insulin/magnesium imbalances.
It helps in Weight Loss and Weight Control (With each cup (cinnamon win water)you drink, you can burn up to 90 extra calories)
It also works as a home remedy for problems like Indigestion, Diarrhea , Cold and flu.
Cinnamon acts as an easiest room freshener. A dish of ground cinnamon will fill the surrounding area with a sweet scent.
It also has antibacterial properties, and the cinnamon helps stop bleeding from little nicks and cuts.
While America has the Food Guide Pyramid, the European Union went so far as to claim Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the Official Oil of Choice. The FDA allows foods containing olive oil to carry labels that say "may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease".
Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
Some interesting facts about Extra virgin Olive oil(EVOO) and how they aid in good health:
The beneficial health effects of EVOO are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3)
It is also a good source of Vitamin E. Studies show that EVOO could reduce your risk for breast and colon cancer, lower your blood pressure and improve your cardiovascular health.
It is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, EVOO’s protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. EVOO activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.
Garlic is a fine herb and a king of the culinary scene. The saddest thing about garlic is that there are tons of people allergic to it. Mentioned in the Bible itself, garlic has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries
Some interesting facts about Garlic and how they aid in good health
Nearly every diet on the planet uses garlic. Similiar to fermented foods, garlic aids digestion and thus improves your body's ability to get the nutrients it needs from food.
Garlic does magic as well. It's most powerful nutrient, Allicin an amino acid, is not in fresh garlic. But , Allicin is instantly present when garlic is cut, pressed or chewed. Allicin is responsible for garlic's odor, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well.
In addition to Allicin, garlic's healthy compounds include phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, aginine, flavonoids and polyphenols. That's 10 powerful agents in one of the 10 Super Foods.
It is most frequent used to treat hyperlipidemia and hypertension. Garlic has proved beneficial against bacterial, fungal and viral infections
In a metaanalysis of studies of patients with cholesterol levels exceeding 200mg/dl ingestion of a garlic supplement of 900mg daily(0.5 – 1 clove) decreased total serum cholesterol levels by about 9%.
It reduces clotting time and should be used with caution when using aspirin or other anti-coagulant drugs
It also produces the healthy red cells that can fight and kill things such as tumours
Garlic can also fight off diseases and complaints such as,
* Whooping cough * Earache * Flatuance * Colic * Fertility problems * Conditions caused by a lack of minerals in the body * Intestinal worms and other similar parasites
You are strongly advised to ingest garlic in whatever form. It is such a wonderful curing herb that if it wasn't natural you'd have to invent it, and probably make a fortune by doing so!!
A food and spice commonly eaten in many parts of the world Fenugreek seed is the ripe fruit of an annual herb. It is a cold season crop and is fairly tolerant to frost and very low temperature. It contains alkaloids and protein high in lysine and L-tryptophan
Some interesting facts about Fenugreek and how they aid in good health:
Fenugreek has steroidal saponins which inhibits cholesterol absorption and synthesis. It improves the glycemic control and lowers elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
A few small studies have found that fenugreek may also help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
The benefits of fenugreek in breastfeeding stem from the diosgenin in its seeds, a compound similar to estrogen. As such it increases milk production and stimulates breast tissue growth. It is also beneficial during painful menstruation and labor pains.
It is an efficacious treatment for painful testicles and premature ejaculation . It is generally taken for weight loss, anorexia & for appetite loss.
Fenugreek is used for fevers, muscle aches and even as a cure for impotence.
Externally fenugreek is used for boils, eczema ,skin inflammations, ulcers, and cellulite .
Fenugreek side effects are minimal and this herb is generally regarded as safe when taken in recommended dosages. Increased amounts (over 100g daily) may cause diarrhea and nausea.
(Caution:If you are pregnant or nursing, you should probably not take fenugreek or other herbs)
