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10 Superfoods
and More to Add to Your Diet

Do you find it tricky to determine if a food belongs to the group of superfoods (foods that can improve your health) or is just healthy? Check out the superfood list of lifespan essential foods.

The idea that what you eat can improve your health is not new at all. As way back as 424 B.C. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, stated,

"Your food shall be your medicine and your medicine shall be your food."

In our days we have the concept of so called superfoods; foods that give you that little extra and help you deal with health issues.

There is no agreed legal or medical definition of what a superfood is. The term is used to describe food with high so called phytonutrient content that some may believe confers health benefits as a result. ( Wikipedia ) A phytonutrient is a bioactive component from plants that have health benefits.

When you look at how the foods with high phytonutrient content can improve your health, you realize that you should include them in your diet, not just now and then, but every day.

This is what superfoods can do for you:

Image courtesy of mettus

• Prevent or reduce inflammation
• Help regulate your metabolism and burn body fat
• Lower your total cholesterol
• Lower your blood pressure
• Help protect you against heart disease
• Help protect you against cancer
• Help protect your organs from toxins
• Promote your digestive health

The concept of top superfood is appealing, especially while you are losing weight and as the term becomes more and more popular some "experts" seems to want to pass almost anything as top superfoods. I’ve even seen beef being called that that during my research.

You don’t have to look for any packaging with the label "Superfood Products" on it. (As of 1st July 2007, the marketing of products as such is banned in the European Union unless accompanied by a specific medical claim supported by credible scientific research.)

If you’re interested in research on this topic, Gary Williamson, Professor of Functional Foods at the University of Leeds, has drawn up a superfood list of 20 foods of what he calls 'lifespan essential' foods needed for a long and healthy life.

These foods are rich in naturally-occurring chemicals, so called polyphenols, found in plants which are widely accepted as having health benefits, and they can easily be found in any grocery store.

Professor Williamson's superfood list

• apples
• blackberries
• black tea
• blueberries
• broccoli
• cereal bran
• cherries
• cherry tomatoes
• coffee
• cranberries
• dark chocolate
• green tea
• oranges
• peaches
• plums
• raspberries
• red grapes
• red onions
• spinach
• strawberries

Losing weight can, by itself, lengthen your life by several years and eating health foods in general is of course even better. Who said that losing weight and eating healthily has to be boring?

Wouldn’t you pick at least 10 superfoods from the list above to incorporate into your diet? I'd go for strawberries dipped in dark chocolate for a start.

With you on the weigh,
Eva

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10 Superfoods and More to Add to Your Diet

10 Superfoods
and More to Add to Your Diet