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Health food is food considered beneficial to human health and a healthy diet required for human nutrition. Foods marketed as “healthy” may be natural foods, organic foods, whole foods, and sometimes vegetarian or dietary supplements.
1. Cabbage
Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
Absent from most American kitchens, this cruciferous vegetable is a major player in European and Asian diets.
Nutrition facts:
1 cup (89 grams) of raw green cabbage contains:
Calories: 22
Protein: 1 gram
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin K: 85% of the RDI
Vitamin C: 54% of the RDI
Folate: 10% of the RDI
Manganese: 7% of the RDI
Vitamin B6: 6% of the RDI
Calcium: 4% of the RDI
Potassium: 4% of the RDI
Magnesium: 3% of the RDI
Health Benefits of Cabbage:
- Cabbage is a low-calorie vegetable that is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
- Cabbage contains powerful antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation.
- Your body needs vitamin C for many important functions, and it is a potent antioxidant. Red cabbage is particularly high in this nutrient, providing about 85% of the RDI per cup (89 grams).
- Cabbage contains insoluble fiber, which keeps the digestive system healthy by providing fuel for friendly bacteria and promoting regular bowel movements.
- Cabbage contains powerful pigments called anthocyanins, which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Potassium helps keep blood pressure within a healthy range. Increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods like cabbage may help lower high blood pressure levels.
- Cabbage is a good source of soluble fiber and plant sterols. These substances have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol.
- Vitamin K is critical for blood clotting. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K1, with 85% of the RDI in 1 cup (89 grams).
- Cabbage is a versatile veggie that’s easy to incorporate into your diet. You can use it to make many different dishes, including salads, stews, soups, slaws and sauerkraut.
2. Pomegranate juice
The pomegranate is a fruit that contains hundreds of edible seeds called arils. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and bioactive plant compounds, but they also contain some sugar.
The pomegranate is popular drink for decades in the Middle East, pomegranate juice has become widely available only recently in the United States.
Pomegranates contain punicalagins and punicic acid, unique substances that are responsible for most of their health benefits.
Nutrition facts:
1 one cup of arils (174 grams) contains:
Fiber: 7 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Vitamin C: 30% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 36% of the RDI
Folate: 16% of the RDI
Potassium: 12% of the RDI
Health Benefits of Cabbage:
- The punicalagins in pomegranate juice have been shown to reduce inflammation, one of the leading drivers of many serious diseases, including cancer and diabetes.
- Pomegranate juice can be useful in men with prostate cancer, potentially inhibiting cancer growth and lowering the risk of death.
Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants. - The pomegranate extract can help fight breast cancer cells, but human studies are needed.
- Lower blood pressure levels in as little as two weeks.
- Pomegranate extract may be beneficial against several forms of arthritis, but human research is needed.
- Pomegranate can have benefits against heart disease. It improves your cholesterol profile and protects LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage.
- Pomegranate juice has been linked to reduced symptoms of erectile dysfunction, but more research is needed.
- Pomegranate has antibacterial and antiviral properties which may be useful against common gum diseases and yeast infections.
- Pomegranate may improve memory in older adults and post-surgery. In addition, studies in mice suggest that it may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
- Pomegranate may improve exercise performance by increasing blood flow.
3. Cinnamon
This old-world spice usually reaches most men’s stomachs only when it’s mixed with sugar and stuck to a roll.Cinnamon helps control blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease.
4. Swiss Chard
A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.you’ll find this slightly bitter, salty vegetable, which is actually native to the Mediterranean.
5. Sardines
Sardines are one of the best sources of heart-healthy, mood-boosting omega-3 fats. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
6. Guava
Guava has a higher concentration of lycopene — an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer.
7. Purslane
Although the FDA classifies purslane as a broad-leaved weed, it’s a popular vegetable and herb in many other countries, including China, Mexico, and Greece.
Purslane has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant.
8. Dried Plums
They are really prunes which contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are particularly effective at combating the “superoxide anion radical.” This nasty free radical causes structural damage to your cells, and such damage is thought to be one of the primary causes of cancer.
9. Pumpkin Seeds
The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
10. Beets
These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor underneath their rugged exterior.
They are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
