As the years go by, you may find yourself becoming more concerned with the ability of foods to provide more than basic nutrition and oral gratification. Studies show that certain foods can make significant contributions to improving health. Here are five all-star foods that not only taste great but also help ward off disease.

Strawberries

The rich array of phenols in strawberries makes them a triple-threat protector—anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and heart-helpful. They guard against rheumatoid arthritis, liver cancer, atherosclerosis, and other maladies. Delicious medicine indeed!

hot tip: They’re very perishable, so try to buy them the day you’ll use them. And organic is infinitely preferable—conventionally grown berries get a lot of pesticides. They should be firm, plump, and dark red, with a sweet, strawberry scent. Rinse well, pat dry, and store loosely in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

Salmon

Utterly delicious, and oh-so-good for you, salmon supplies a massive helping of protein, to be sure; however, it’s the omega-3 fats that are its main attraction. The benefits to improved heart health are nearly endless; its anti-inflammatory effects contribute to reduced risk of fatal arrhythmia, lowered triglyceride levels, and increased protection against high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. And this cold-water fatty fish also provides protection against cognitive decline.

hot tip: Buy wild-caught, not farmed, whenever you can. Wild salmon is freshest April through September. Smell it to make sure it’s fresh—it should seem faintly briny, but not fishy. Ask your fishmonger for a bag of ice, or bring your own cold bag; it’s best to keep it chilled at all times, especially in the summer months. Store it in the bottom back of the fridge, and use within 24 hours. Grill, broil, roast, poach—it’s all good!

Spinach

This leafy green vegetable is low in calories but high in vitamin K, which strengthens bone mass and limits damage to neurons in the brain—yes, more protection against cognitive decline! And there are 13 flavonoid compounds that provide antioxidant power and protection against cancers, especially prostate and ovarian. Iron to provide increased energy and folate to guard against heart attack also help to make this veggie a can’t-lose proposition.

hot tip: The leaves should be bright green and crisp, with no yellowing, bruising, wilting, or slimy coating. Store loosely packed in a plastic bag in the veggie drawer of the fridge for up to four days. Rinse well just before cooking (even the prewashed, bagged kind). Cook quickly, no more than a minute or two; blanch, steam, or sauté.

Pomegranate juice

This gorgeously colored fruit has been prominent in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, but is only now coming into its own in Western culture. The most convenient and readily available form is the juice, and though lacking the fiber of the whole fruit, it is rich in a unique polyphenol called punicalagin. This element causes the pomegranate to be one of the highest-rated fruits for antioxidant activity, and provides protection against atherosclerosis and prostate cancer, as well as numerous other contributions to improved health.

hot tip: Try to find a brand with as little added sugar as possible. Use for sauces, salad dressings, smoothies.

Green tea

Endless studies have shown that this mild-mannered beverage is actually an aggressive warrior against numerous potentially fatal conditions. Cardiovascular maladies of all sorts are blocked, including heart attack, stroke, and hypertension, and there are multiple compounds that fight a wide array of cancers. Green tea has been shown to promote fat loss, increase exercise endurance, and even fight the flu. The list goes on and on. This is one beverage you want to keep on your daily menu without fail.

hot tip: It should be as fresh as possible. For loose-leaf tea, pinch a small amount and smell it—it should seem sweet and grassy; for bagged tea, check the expiration date. Buy in small amounts, and store in an opaque container with a good seal—dark glass or ceramic is best. Keep the container in a cool, dark cupboard. Brew a pot and serve it hot for breakfast, cold for lunch, and freeze it for a granita for dinner.

By Neil Zevnik
Better Nutrition Magazine - August 2010

Enjoy these recipes!

Grilled Planked Salmon with Pomegranate and Port Reduction

This intensely flavored and vividly colored dish is filled with all sorts of preventive goodness. Garnish the plates with ruby-throated nasturtium blossoms from the garden for an even more beautiful presentation!

Serves four
4 6-oz. filets of wild-caught salmon

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

2 ts. minced shallots

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

1/4 cup port wine

a dozen or so dried cherries

1. Cedar cooking planks, soaked in water according to directions
2.Preheat grill to medium high.
3.Make reduction: in a small skillet over medium heat, cook shallots in one Tbs. olive oil until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pomegranate juice, port wine, and cherries, and bring to a slow boil. Reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
4.Moisten salmon filets on both sides with remaining Tbs. olive oil. Place planks on grill with salmon on top, close grill lid, and cook until firm but not dry, about 10-13 minutes depending on thickness.
5.Divide spinach (see below) among four plates, and top with salmon filets. Drizzle a ribbon of the reduction over the salmon and spinach, and serve any extra reduction on the side.
PER SERVING: 194 CAL; 35 G PROT; 13 G TOTAL FAT (3 G SAT FAT); 11 G CARB; 80 MG CHOL; 88 MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 8 G SUGARS

Seared Baby Spinach with Lemon and Garlic

Serves four

8 oz. baby spinach leaves, well washed

2 Tbs. grapeseed oil, divided

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1.Heat 1 Tbs. grapeseed oil in large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat; throw in spinach and wilt lightly, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Remove spinach to colander, press out as much liquid as possible; then place on three layers of paper towels and squeeze out more liquid.
2.In same pot, cook garlic in remaining Tbs. oil until slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, lemon zest and lemon juice, and stir until just warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
PER SERVING: 124 CAL; 3 G PROT; 5 G TOTAL FAT (4 G SAT FAT); 13 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 180 MG SOD; 5 G FIBER; 0 G SUGARS

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Expert Tip

“Add whole salmon oil to your regimen,” says Robert Newman, PhD, a professor and fish oil reseacher. “Hundreds of trials support the efficacy of fish oil omega fatty acids in promoting cardiovascular health.” He recommends New Chapter WholeOmega.

A Spice a Day

Cinnamon has been used as a natural therapeutic for countless centuries. Today, it is a popular ingredient in dietary supplements because it is high in polyphenols, which may help lower glucose levels in those who have type-1 and type-2 diabetes (1). Cinnamon may also reduce one’s chances of developing heart disease, according to research, and may be suitable as an aid for ailments such as menstrual cramps and stomach ulcers. Furthermore, mounting research indicates that consuming cinnamon may lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (2).

Garlic has much research backing for supporting heart health as well. To that end, Brigham Young University discovered that garlic might decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels by an average of 10% (2). But, garlic’s health offerings do not end there. It also is an excellent source of vitamin B6, manganese and other minerals thanks to its rich organosulfur compounds like allyl sulfides. Organosulfur compounds may account for some of garlic’s best-established benefits such as decreasing cholesterol synthesis in the liver, inhibiting platelet aggregation, stopping inflammation responses, stimulating glutathione synthesis (an important antioxidant) and more (3).

Ginger is notably used to help stomach indigestion, stomach pain and nausea (1). Recent studies point to gingerol (a component of ginger) as working the same as anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin and ibuprofen) by inhibiting an enzyme that causes inflammation (1).

Oregano contains among the highest levels of antioxidants in the spice category. When used as a natural preservative in foods, oregano may inhibit the growth of bacteria and may have similar benefits in the body (1). A study published in Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology outlines the antimicrobial effects of oregano on the bacteria associated with ulcers. In a small animal study, a group taking oregano oil experienced less colitis symptoms, ulcers, abscesses and edema than those that did not. “A few other, smaller studies have proved oil of oregano to positively decrease inflammation from colitis, mortality rate among the rodents, and tissue damage as well as helping to regenerate the livers of rats” (4).

Turmeric (which contains a chemical called curcumin) is another spice that can offer improved health benefits, as it may stop blood cells from fusing together, thus preventing potentially fatal blood clots from forming (5). It may also quell inflammation, which can play a part in the onset of obesity and type-2 diabetes. Drew Tortoriello, M.D., research scientist at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center, and his team investigated the effects turmeric had on diabetic mice (5). It was unearthed that the mice given turmeric were less likely to develop type-2 diabetes and had reduced inflammation levels in their fat tissue and liver (5). Tumeric/curcumin also may be suitable for those with arthritis, colitis, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis. Turmeric also has antihepatotoxin, antiprotozoal, antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-fungal qualities.

Thyme contains high levels of antioxidants and a variety of beneficial compounds (flavonoids). Research suggests that the antioxidants in thyme may provide age-related benefits, including helping to maintain heart and cognitive health. A study published in the British Journal Nutrition suggests that thyme may also support brain wellness. One group of rats was given a thyme supplement and another group received a control. The control group did not receive any form of supplementation (6). After the study was completed, researchers analyzed the rats’ brains to determine whether the thyme supplementation produced any positive or adverse changes. Clinicians established that the levels of antioxidants in the brains of the mice receiving thyme were comparable to antioxidant levels of much younger mice (6).

Last, hot red pepper not only gives food an extra kick, but it also contains capsaicinoids that have been studied in supplement form as beneficial for weight management (7). Specifically, hot red pepper extract is said to act as a fat-burning agent, appetite reducer and blood sugar/insulin reducer. These positive effects, according to researcher, resulted in a reduction in body mass among those taking capaiscinoids. WF

References
1. McCormick & Company, Inc., “Spices for Health,” www.mccormick.com/SpicesForHealth/SevenSuperSpices/Cinnamon.aspx, accessed Sept. 10, 2009.
2. M. Karns, “5 Spices with Health Benefits,” Ladies Home Journal,  www.lhj.com/recipes/healthy/eating/5-spices-with-health-benefits/, accessed Sept. 10, 2009.
3. Linus Pauling Institute, “Garlic and Oranosulfur Compounds,” http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/garlic/#intro, accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
4. L. Endreszl, “Take Some Oregano and Call Me in the Morning,” www.healthnews.com/natural-health/herbal-remedies/take-some-oregano-call-me-morning-2081.html, accessed September 14, 2009.
5. K. Williams, “Ayurveda: Transforming the Face of Natural Healing,” WholeFoods Magazine, 32 (9), 66–67 (2009).
6. HealthyFellow.com, “Rosemary and Thyme for Brain Health,” www.healthyfellow.com/262/rosemary-and-thyme-for-brain-health/, accessed September 14, 2009.
7. OmniActive Health Technologies, “Capsaicinoid and Hot Red Pepper Fact Sheet.”

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, November 2009
“Consumer Bulletin” is reprinted with permission from Whole Foods magazine and is provided for educational purposes only by your local retailer. No part of this article is intended as medical advice. Always consult your health care provider for any medical problems.