Power Foods For Your Health

Power Foods For Your Health

There is powerful medicine out there. So powerful, in fact, it may help prevent some of today’s deadliest diseases; diseases such as, Cancer, Heart Disease and Diabetes, just to name a few. The best part is, you don’t need a prescription, you won’t break the bank buying it and you’ll actually enjoy taking it. To find this medicine you need only to take a trip to your local grocery store. I’m talking about food, “power food,” to be exact.

The key to food’s medicinal attributes lies in the antioxidants they contain. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA,) has put together a list of the 20 foods that have the highest concentration of antioxidants, and are believed to help prevent the damaging effects of free radicals, which are a major cause of cell damage.

Power Foods

Small red beans
Wild blueberries
Red Kidney beans
Pinto beans
Cultivated Blueberries
Cranberries
Artichoke
Blackberries
Prunes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Red Delicious & Granny Smith apples
Pecans
Sweet Cherries
Black plums
Russet potatoes
Black beans
Plums
Gala apples
Walnuts

Knowing Them on Sight

Here’s an easy way to recognize a lot of these “power foods” next time you’re perusing the aisles of your neighborhood supermarket, color! Fourteen out of the 20 power foods
are fruits and vegetables, and all are vividly colored. Those colors are the signal that these foods have high concentrations of antioxidants. So, even if you can’t remember which ones are on the USDA’s list, you can’t go wrong choosing those with deep, rich, and vibrant colors.

Incorporating Them in Your Diet

There are many easy ways to incorporate these foods into your diet, and you can use one or more of them in each meal without a lot of preparation. The following are examples of the types of meals and snacks that can easily be made.

A fruit smoothie:
This is a great way to get in at least two of the berry choices on the USDA’a list, and it’s incredibly easy. Just pick two of your favorites, put them in a blender with some non-fat plain yogurt and a little fat-free milk (the amount can vary depending on how thick you like it), and blend! It’s that simple. Or, you can have some high fiber cereal and add a handful of your bright blueberries on top.
Salads:
Why not try a leafy green salad with cranberries and walnuts. Sprinkle a little extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar on top as your dressing and you are eating your way to health, especially heart-health with the omega 3 fatty acids the walnuts will give you.

Three-bean soup:
This one’s great for the upcoming winter season, and again so easy to make. Take some black, pinto, and kidney beans, blend them with some fat-free sour cream and milk, and heat on the stove.

There is a plethora of ways to incorporate these power foods into your daily diet. All it takes is a little creativity and a will to commit yourself to a healthier lifestyle.

So, here’s to eating and living well!!!!!