› Weight Loss on a Budget › Nutrition & Dieting Recipes › Foods You Should Eat Daily – Part II
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November 18, 2008 at 1:25 am #266780
rtebalt
By Lisa Iwanycki
Power foods. They’re the foods that are so good for you, they not only make you stronger and more energized, but they can actually help prevent just about any illness.
Chili peppers
Main vitamin or nutrient: CapsaicinIf you’re an active guy, you want your body to be in top shape so you can get the highest level of performance when you’re busy functioning in full force. Capsaicin is a nutrient found in chili peppers that is a natural anti-inflammatory and helps improve circulation. Chili peppers literally clean your blood of mucus and toxins, making it easy for oxygen to be supplied to your cells, so this spicy beast will keep you in top shape for years to come.
Even more important is that chili peppers help prevent prostate cancer, a leading killer in cancer-related deaths among men. So get the inside of your mouth fireproofed for this spicy number and keep your body ablaze.
Alternatives: Cayenne pepper, jalapeno peppers
Main vitamin or nutrient: Beta-carotene and alpha-caroteneFor hundreds of years, carrots have been thought to promote good vision, and modern researchers have proven this belief to be true. Carrots are especially good at improving night vision because the body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is absorbed by the retina. There, it is transformed into a pigment that aids night vision.
Consuming beta-carotene also prevents the eyes from getting cataracts. Think about it: If you eat your carrots now, you’ll be able to check out babes when you’re 95. Not a bad deal.
But beta-carotene isn’t the only cancer inhibitor in carrots: Scientists are finding that alpha-carotene is even better than beta-carotene at preventing tumor growth.
Carrots are also good for your skin. Having a sufficient amount of beta-carotene in the body will protect it from common skin problems and diseases. For example, if you’re in the sun a lot, carrots help protect the skin against the damage caused by UV rays.
Alternatives: Sweet potatoes, winter squash
Kiwi fruit
Main vitamin or nutrient: Vitamin CNot only is vitamin C the primary antioxidant that destroys free radicals and helps lower the rate of certain types of illnesses, but consuming it daily can protect the body against respiratory problems, such as asthma or dry coughs.
Also, eating kiwifruit once a day can lower the risk of blood clots in the body, preventing heart attacks and strokes. In fact, kiwis can replace the daily aspirin people with heart problems are required to take, because they prevent clotting in the vessels that supply the brain and heart with blood.
Beans
Main vitamin or nutrient: Fiber and proteinBeans are high in fiber, which is beneficial for a number of reasons. Fiber is necessary for maintaining a healthy digestive system. It moves easily and quickly through the digestive tract, cleaning it and allowing it to function properly.
The fiber in beans also helps people maintain or lose weight. This is because high-fiber foods have a low glycemic index, which means that your blood sugar levels will not rise quickly after you eat them. Beans are a low-calorie food that will make you feel full and curb your cravings for higher-calorie foods.
Blood sugar levels remain more stable when beans are included in meals, so they make an excellent choice for dieters.
Alternatives: Tofu, peas, lentils
Dark berries
Main vitamin or nutrient: AntioxidantsAntioxidants in your food can save you from almost anything when it comes to your health, and this includes slowing down the aging process. The dye that is released from the skin of this fruit is the most nutritious part because it is the richest in these age-defying, disease-fighting antioxidants.
Aside from keeping you looking and feeling young, antioxidants prevent illnesses and ailments that come with age. For one, dark berries lower bad cholesterol and they are more cardio-protective than wine — so eat your heart out, and your heart will thank you later. Another way they slow age-related diseases is by protecting your brain from memory-related problems, such as Alzheimer’s or loss of memory after a stroke.
Alternatives: Plums, cherries, red wine
eat better, feel better, look better:
The foods listed in this article — together with those I supplied you with in Part I — are power foods that you should be adding to your diet every day. If you follow my recommendations, you will feel stronger and more resilient, your doctor will be appreciative and impressed, and your girlfriend will notice a change in your energy levels. Added to all of that, your mirror will provide you with an improved look.
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› Weight Loss on a Budget › Nutrition & Dieting Recipes › Foods You Should Eat Daily – Part II