Superfoods - Did you get your fair share over Christmas?
| Published: 18th December 2007 14:17 |
'Superfoods' was the buzz word for 2007 when talking about what we should and should not be eating. However did you know that over the Christmas period you are likely to have eaten a number of 'Superfoods' and in the process given your body a kick start for the New Year? Have a look at our Christmas Top 5 Superfoods and make sure that you continue to include them in your diet in 2008:
Nuts
Have you eaten your fair share of nuts over Christmas? Although they have a high calorific content, nuts are full of essential vitamins, minerals and fibre and can help reduce heart. Brazil nuts in particular can also help protect you against cancer, depression and Alzheimer's disease.
Turkey
Don't feel guilty about how much turkey you have eaten over Christmas and don't restrict you turkey intake to the festive season. Turkey is lean and particularly low in calories. It also contains selenium which has been shown to inhibit cancer development and it is also good for the immune system.
Greens
Hopefully these were served up in abundance with Christmas dinner, but once again you must make sure that they form part of your regular diet. Dark greens such as broccoli, spinach and green beans are packed with vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and phytonutrients. They are also high in fibre and low in calories. Broccoli is particularly good for you as it contains folic acid (which helps prevent heart disease), Lutein (which can slow down the onset of impaired vision in older age) and Sulphoraphane (which has anti-cancer properties)
Berries
Whether they were served with the turkey or hidden in the Christmas pudding or the trifle, berries are a great food source and contain antioxidants which help us protect ourselves from diseases such as cancer. In addition they provide us with vitamin C and are a good source of fibre
Cocoa
Did you over do it on chocolate this Christmas? If so there is some good news as cocoa does have some redeeming qualities. Small amounts of cocoa can help to keep the heart healthy and reduce our chances of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and keeping the heart wall healthy. However it is only dark chocolate that contains flavanols, which is the ingredient that can help us keep our heart healthy. Remember that your diets should be balanced and that too much fatty food can cause us damage.
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