Originally published February 26 2006
Superfoods benefit the body and the brain
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Miami Herald takes a look at how superfoods can improve your general health.
DARK CHOCOLATE: The magic word here is flavonoids, the same kinds of antioxidants that make tea so potent a health brew.
Research shows flavonoids have a role in helping lower blood pressure and in keeping your arteries from clogging -- both good news for your heart.
AVOCADOS: Avocados have the same thing going for them that olive oil does: healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.
These are the ''good fats,'' and they appear to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
Fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate and antioxidants up the ante.
And Pratt cites research showing that avocado helps the body absorb more nutrients from other foods -- the tomato in the same salad, for instance.
BEANS: They haven't gotten the same media buzz as blueberries, but some beans have even more health-promoting antioxidants.
They also have as much cholesterol-lowering fiber as oats, and lots of lean protein.
All of that is good for your heart.
They also are rich in B vitamins and potassium.
It's loaded with lutein (great for eyes) and many other carotenoids, which are healthful antioxidants; plus other antioxidants like coenzyme Q, in serious doses; plus several B vitamins plus C and E; plus iron and other minerals; plus betaine, a vitamin-like nutrient research suggests is good for your heart.
And with almost no calories, you can eat as much as you want.
YOGURT: Nutritionist Jo Ann Hattner says if she could pick only two superfoods, they would be yogurt and tea, because their health-giving attributes have been known for centuries.
Oats' combination of nutrients appears to have more healthy effects than if each nutrient were consumed separately -- which seems to be true of all whole grains.
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