From an article by Allison Young for
Women’s Health magazine,
here is a way to make eating heathily
much more interesting.
Take a look at 8 fresh cancer fighting,
age-defying, energy boosting
ingredients to add to your plate:
Kefir
With more protein and less sugar than yogurt, but the same tangy taste, probiotics and creamy texture, Kefir is thought to be an immune system enhancer, and may protect against colon cancer.
What is kefir?
Try It Instead of yogurt in salad dressings or smoothies. Plain kefir is in the dairy aisle, but Lifeway makes a dessert-ready frozen variety too.
Jicama
This slightly sweet and crunchy root veggie stars inulin, a belly-flattening
fiber that acts as a prebiotic to promote helpful bacteria in the gut.
It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, which may boost collagen and
fight wrinkles.
Try It Cooked or raw in slaws, stir-fries, tacos, and
salads, or tossed in lime juice and sprinkled with chili powder. Find it
at farmers’ markets or Mexican groceries
Chia
One tablespoon of these nutty-tasting edible seeds has as much fiber
as a bowl of oatmeal, plus bone-building calcium and heart-healthy
omega-3s.
Chia is also a good source of iron, which many women don’t get
enough of,
(Related: 8 Surprising Foods for Heart Health)
Try It
On cereal, salads, and soups, or use it to thicken puddings and
stir-fries. (The seeds absorb liquid and acquire a gel-like texture.)
Available at natural grocery stores.
Sprouts
Three-day-old broccoli plants may contain
up to 50 times more
of the
anticancer agent sulforaphane
than mature stalks,
but without the
pungent taste.
Try Them On sandwiches, wraps, pizza, baked potatoes,
stews, stir-fries, tacos, and just about anything else you can think of.
Black Garlic
Fermentation gives this garlic its sweet, clove-and-caramel flavor and
concentrates its natural antioxidants to nearly double that of a raw
bulb. These compounds help lower cholesterol and can help decrease
cancer risk, says Janet Helm, R.D., of NutritionUnplugged.com. And the black stuff comes with no nasty breath!
Try It In fondue, sauces, pizza, and, believe it or not, cookies, brownies, and cakes. Order some at blackgarlic.com.
Kelp
A possible anti-breast-cancer crusader, kelp is loaded with vitamin
K, calcium, and other essential nutrients. And its natural alginate
fiber may help block fat, says nutritionist Christine Avanti.
Try It
In powdered form, mixed into meatballs and soups; use sheets (kombu) as
uber-low-cal wrappers. Some specialty stores carry Sea Tangle Kelp
Noodles (kelpnoodles.com), which have just six calories per serving!
Nutritional Yeast
A single serving of these cheese-like flakes has an incredible nine
grams of satiating protein and provides more than your RDA of B vitamins
to help boost energy, squash stress, and decrease your risk for chronic diseases.
Try It
As a dairy-free sub for Parmesan on popcorn, potatoes, pasta, or
scrambled eggs. You can find this yeast in specialty markets or
health-food stores.
Barley
This sweet, nutty supergrain is rich in niacin (for healthy hair and
skin) and cancer-fighting lignans. Plus, “the soluble fiber keeps your
cholesterol levels healthy, cutting your risk for heart disease,” says
Geagan.
Try It In place of pasta, rice, or
oatmeal. Or swap Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Barley Flour
(bobsredmill.com) for up to a third of the flour in baked goods. Both
are available at regular grocery stores.
