http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-10-superfoods-for-fall.html
Top 10 Superfoods for Fall
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Care2 Healthy and Green Living
Sweet Potatoes and Pumpkin
I go crazy for these flavors come fall, and no wonder: The dark orange vegetable family outdoes all others in vitamin A content. Sweet potatoes are also packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Other dark orange vegetable standouts include pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, and orange bell peppers.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Crucifers such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards and turnips contain indole alkaloids that may help prevent cancer. They are also high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Along with their fabulous flavor, once you get the hang of cooking them, they may have an added bonus: they may help bolster memory as you age. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that women who eat the most of these foods are the least likely to be forgetful.
Pomegranates
Pomegranates have very high antioxidant activity, offering brain and memory protection. And research shows that drinking pomegranate juice may help with lowering the risk for hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis.
Beets
The pigment that gives beets their super-beautiful fuschia depth-betacyanin-is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent. Beets’ potential effectiveness against colon cancer, in particular, has been demonstrated in several studies. Beets are also particularly rich in the B vitamin folate.
The Alliums
Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, chives and shallots contain sulfur compounds that may protect against heart disease and some cancers, they can all help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.
Beans
An excellent source of protein, antioxidants, folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates, beans are flavorful, nutritionally dense, inexpensive and versatile. Read about heirloom varieties and cooking tips.
Olive oil
Several large studies suggest that the monosaturated fat in olive oil is good for the heart. Olive oil lowers bad cholesterol levels and increases good cholesterol. It is high in antioxidants–and is one of the superstars of the Mediterranean diet. Recent research shows that heart-attack survivors on a Mediterranean diet had half the death rates of those on an ordinary low-fat diet.
Tea
The caffeine content in tea is useful for stimulating alertness, mood and motivation, but is also a rich source of the antioxidant called catechins. Studies suggest that catechins protect the artery walls against the damage that causes heart disease and prevents formation of blood clots. It also does wonders for the spirit on a cool autumn day.
Red Wine or grape juice
Grapes provide vitamin C, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6–red grapes also contain powerful phytochemicals (especially phenolics) that may help decrease risk of cardiovascular disease. These phenolic compounds are housed mostly in the skin of the red grapes, which is what makes red wine red and dark grape juice red or purple. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic stilbene found in the skins of red fruits including grapes, may be responsible for some of the health benefits ascribed to the consumption of red wine. Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-oxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activity.
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33 comments
add your comment »What a surprise: eating from nature's garden is healthy!!
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If you want to buy Apricot Seed Kernals, search for it on eBay (lot's of listings), or Google it. I found a farm in Canada that grows Apricots and sells the seed kernals through their website, both whole seeds and ground seeds (for putting in capsules, as they are very bitter tasting).
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Both the U.S. and Canadian governments have banned the sale of Apricot Seeds or Kernals, simply because Big Pharma and the Cancer Societies reject the statement that these seeds can cure cancer. Both of these Societies do not want a cure, otherwise they wouldn't have anything to "research" anymore, and they'd lose all their funding. For more on Big Pharma and how it's destroying peoples' lives, and health, read some of Mike Adams postings at NaturalNews.com. Otherwise, it has great nutritional and supplemental advice.
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If anyone knows, Could you please sent me the recipe for the pic on this page. It looks awesome!!! I couldnt seem to find it one this page..
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One sees these "Superfood" lists/books on a regular basis. What most of them miss is the importance of spices in our diet. Apart from the fact that they all have high antioxidant activity (clove, oregano, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric have the highest antioxidant activity of all foods - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition survey 2006) many of them have other well researched health benefits in respect of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, heart disease and others.
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If you want the benefits of wine, without drinking the wine, try a Grape Seed Extract. Usually one dose is equivalent to 26 or more glasses of wine.
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Shark Cartilage and Wheatgrass. For cancer and a host of other conditions.
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Two more: Chlorella and Spirulina. With a cautionary note: Chlorella could aggravate an IBD condition; and Spirulina stimulates the immune system, which might aggravate any auto- immune illness. Best to try them slowly if you suffer these.
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Apricot Seed Kernels should be here, too. They (and some other seeds and vegetables) provide vitamin B17 (known also as Laetrile), a potent anti-cancer food.
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Great article! Saving this one. Two more superfoods that I learned about should be included as well: How about dried plums (aka prunes). Just 4 dried plums measure almost 3,300 on the ORAC scale (antioxidants), where the recommendation is to get from 3,000 to 5,000 daily for maximum health benefits. Not only that, they also provide plenty of fiber (3 grams in 6 prunes) and are a good source of potassium.
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