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Nutrition News
The Seven
Foods You Should Be Eating
By Eric Harr
The National Institutes of Health recently reported that the debilitating
disease, Type II diabetes, afflicts more than 16 million Americans. And that
number is on the rise due, in large part, to how we eat.
"Too many calories devoid of nutritional value, too little exercise and obesity
are the key risk factors for this dreadful condition," says Dr. Elaine Gavalas,
PhD., an exercise physiologist, nutritionist and contributing author of
"Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide" (Future Medicine, 1998).
You can decrease your risk of Type II diabetes, says Gavalas, in addition to
preventing heart disease, cancer, obesity, hormonal imbalances and other
illnesses simply by adding more healthy foods to your daily diet rather than
depriving yourself of foods you enjoy. You're also likely to drop a few pounds
and experience a boost in energy.
While it's nearly impossible to come to consensus on the healthiest foods, a
1999 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found
that people who ate more of the following foods had a "30 percent lower risk of
death from all causes."
Garlic
Arguably the most powerful disease and ailment-fighting food on the planet.
Studies abound extolling the health virtues of this wonder food, but perhaps
garlic's greatest practical value is its antiviral property: it kills viruses
responsible for colds and the flu, according to tests by Dr. James North, Ph.D,
a microbiologist at Brigham Young University.
"Eat garlic when you feel a sore throat coming on," he says, "and you may not
even get sick."
Green Tea
Researchers from The University of Kansas recently measured the antioxidant
content of green tea and found that it is roughly 100 times more effective than
vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E at protecting cells from damage
believed linked to cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
According to Elizabeth Somer, M.A., a registered dietitian from Salem, Ore.,
olive oil provides a double-whammy boost to your health. The reasoning goes like
this: "Saturated fats in meat and fatty dairy products raise your 'bad' LDL
cholesterol, which tends to clog arteries and lower your 'good' HDL cholesterol,
which tends to clear arteries," she says. "So your goal is to lower LDL and
raise HDL."
In contrast, the polyunsaturated fats in most vegetable oils, such as corn or
soy oil, lower LDL but also lower HDL. Olive oil works its magic by lowering
your bad cholesterol without affecting your good cholesterol.
Red Grapes
Research has shown time and again that moderate consumption of red wine
increases health and longevity. It has to do with the powerful antioxidant
properties of something in red grapes called bioflavinoids.
Whole Grains
A 1999 University of Minnesota study found that eating whole grains can increase
longevity because they contain anti-cancer agents and stabilize blood sugar and
insulin levels.
Best sources: Cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving, and multigrain
breads, such as pumpernickel, rye or whole wheat.
 Whole Water
While water isn't classified a "food," it is one of the most important
ingredients to good health. There is a new body of research out showing the
benefits of "whole water."
The bottled water industry is a market-hyped minefield -- many of these products
are little more than slickly packaged tap water. The only two certified "whole
waters" available today are Evian and Trinity Springs, a small company from
Paradise, Idaho, which actually boasts the deepest known water source in the
world.
Ice Cream and Chocolate
The mental health properties of "comfort foods," such as ice cream and
chocolate, should never be underestimated. Medical studies have shown that the
phenylethlamines found in chocolate clearly boost one's mood. The Aztecs are
documented to have used cocoa as a medicinal ingredient. Even the celebrated
French physician Francis Joseph Victor Broussais declared of chocolate in 1788:
"Chocolate of good quality -- calms the fever, nourishes the patient and tends
to restore him to health."
Eating more "healthy foods," such as the ones on this list -- while also
indulging in foods that make you feel good, such ice cream and chocolate -- is a
healthier and more balanced way to improve your health through nutrition.
Eric Harr is the author of
The Portable Personal Trainer: 100 Tips to Energize Your Workouts and Bring out
the Athlete in You (Broadway, 2001).
(c) 2002, Eric Harr. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate International, a
division of Tribune Media Services.
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