
Some Healthy tips and facts...
Five Powerful Performers
Antioxidants
What they are Remember when that sliced apple turned brown before you had the chance to eat it? By cutting the fruit you expose it to the air, allowing oxygen to react with chemicals under the skin and cause discoloration. But sprinkling the apple piece with a little orange juice prevents oxidation. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is one of many antioxidants - compounds that combat oxidation and prevent damage to cells.
Where to find them Fruits, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains are loaded with antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, the mineral selenium and antioxidant phytochemicals such as lutein, lycopene, polyphenols, and indoles. Coffee, tea, berries, pomegranates, broccoli and wheat germ are just a few good choices. Rely on food for your antioxidants, not supplements. It’s the combination and balance of nutrients in the diet that lowers the disease risk, not any individual nutrients.
Phytochemicals
What they are Isothiocyanate, carsonol and ellagic acid are just some of thousands of naturally occurring disease-fighting chemicals in the plants we eat – fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Phytochemicals, from the Greek word “phyto” meaning plant, protect their host plant from infections and microbial invasions while providing color, aroma and flavor.
Where to find them Eat a rainbow of fruits, vegetables and other plants. Since many of the phytochemicals that give foods their protective nature also provide color, it’s important to eat from the full color spectrum.
Here are just a few of the thousands of health-boosting phytochemicals in color-rich fruits and vegetables.
|
COLOR |
PHYTOCHEMICAL |
FRUIT OR VEGGIE |
POSSIBLE BENEFITS |
|
Blue/Purple |
Anthocyanins, phenolics |
Purple figs, plums, blueberries, eggplant |
Healthy aging and memory, heart-disease and cancer prevention |
|
Green |
Lutein, indoles |
Kiwi, avocado, green cabbage, asparagus, green beans |
Healthy eyes and bones, cancer prevention |
|
White |
Allicin |
Cauliflower, onions, garlic |
Heart-disease and cancer prevention |
|
Yellow/Orange |
Carotenoids, flavonoids |
Bell peppers, carrots, cantaloupe |
Healthy eyes, heart-disease and cancer prevention |
|
Red |
Lycopene, anthocyanins |
Watermelon, cranberries, beets, tomatoes |
Healthy memory, heart-disease and cancer prevention |
Essential Amino Acids
What they are Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 amino acids important in human nutrition. The essential amino acids (EAA) are the nine the body can’t produce on its own, so you need to get them from your diet.
Where to find them Fortunately it’s easy to meet your EAA needs. They’re in a wide range of foods including vegetables, grains, dairy, legumes, meets and fish. Focus on eating a balance diet, and you won’t need to single out eggs, steaks or protein powders to meet your needs.
Dietary Fiber
What It Is Fiber is the carbohydrate in plants that our body can’t digest. Without fiber there would be no crunch in your raw vegetables, no bulk in your salad. Dietary fiber is divided into soluble, which dissolve in water, and insoluble, which doesn’t.
Where To Find It Different plant-based foods have varying amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. So eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to get a good mix of both types. If you rely on fiber supplements, however, you’re missing out on all the other health-promoting benefits of wholesome foods, cautions Tallmadge. Aim for about 28 grams per day or about 14 grams per 1000 calories.
| [dietary fiber in common foods] |
| FOOD DIETARY FIBER (G) |
| Apple with skin, medium---------------------------------------------- 3.3 |
| Applesauce, ½ cup----------------------------------------------------- 1.5 |
| Orange, average---------------------------------------------------------- 3.5 |
| Orange juice, 1 cup----------------------------------------------------- 0.5 |
| Broccoli, cooked, ½ cup--------------------------------------------- 2.6 |
| Sweet potato, medium with skin---------------------------------- 3.8 |
| Kidney beans, canned, ½ cup------------------------------------- 6.0 |
| Oatmeal, cooked, 1 cup---------------------------------------------- 4.0 |
| Wheat Chex, ¾ cup--------------------------------------------------- 5.0 |
| Corn Chex, 1 cup-------------------------------------------------------- 1.0 |
| Kashi GoLean, ¾ cup------------------------------------------------ 10.0 |
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
What They Are Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are subclasses of polyunsaturated fats. Both are important in immune function, inflammation, blood clotting, blood pressure and a plethora of other vital chemical reactions.
Where To Find Them You probably get more than enough omega-6s already, so focus on upping your intake of 3s. Snack on walnuts, and cook with soy products, soybean oil, canola oil and ground flaxseed to meet your ALA needs. EPA and DHA come from the sea. Enjoy salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, mackerel, bluefish and trout.




