EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
You simply can't ignore that a hallmark of the Mediterranean diet – one of the healthiest diets in the world – is olive oil. And while many foods contribute to the success of this diet, olive oil is an important part of the equation. People who regularly consume olive oil as part of a healthy diet live longer and have lower rates of heart and other diseases, especially breast and colon cancers.
Olive oil is very rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and, when substituted for unhealthy trans and saturated fats, it helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
But that's not all. Olive oil contains a multitude of health protective plant compounds called phenols with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that promote heart health and help protect against cancer.
Extra virgin olive oil is best because it's less processed and has higher quantities of these disease-fighting compounds.
Research says: In a study by the University of Cordoba in Spain, 21 people with high cholesterol levels consumed olive oil either phenol-rich or with most phenols removed.
Only the phenol-rich olive oil significantly increased levels of nitric oxide and reduced levels of oxidative stress in the blood. Nitric oxide is important for blood vessel health and dilation, while reducing oxidative stress helps prevent the damage to artery walls that leads to heart disease.
BROCCOLI
Broccoli is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables that includes Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, rutabaga and turnips.
Among them, broccoli and kale rate highest in nutritional value.
But all members of this group contain potent anti-cancer compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates that block enzymes in the body involved in the initial stages of cancer development and help detoxify cancer-causing compounds before they damage cells.
Cruciferous vegetables are linked to a lower risk of many cancers, including lung, prostate, colon, stomach, ovarian and breast.
Getting girls to eat their broccoli during teen years when breast tissue is forming may be important for reducing their risk of breast cancer later in life. Eat raw or lightly steamed; boiling removes beneficial compounds.
Research says: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers have found that broccoli sprouts contain 20 times more cancer-fighting compounds than mature broccoli, but raw sprouts can be a source of harmful bacteria and food poisoning. Mature broccoli has considerably more nutritional value, including vitamins C and A, and fibre.
SPINACH
Popeye had it right. Spinach is a cancer-fighting superstar, loaded with beta carotene, the B vitamin folate and a large supply of antioxidant-rich plant compounds.
A daily helping of spinach can reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Along with other dark green leafy vegetables, it's rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that absorb the most damaging of the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays and stop nasty free radicals from damaging eye tissues.
The folate in spinach can lower the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and, during pregnancy, reduce the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects.
Spinach contains vitamin K that plays a crucial role in bone strength, blood clotting and possibly preventing hardening of the arteries.
Research says: Cornell University researchers put spinach at the top of the list as the vegetable we should eat more often, based on its exceptional antioxidant profile and ability to suppress cancer.
Darker greens like spinach provide more nutrition and better defence against disease. Spinach contains four times more potassium, seven times more folate, eight times more vitamin E, 18 times more vitamin A, 20 times more vitamin K and 44 times more lutein and zeaxanthin than iceberg lettuce. |
