| Super foods in and of themselves are enough to | | | | stimulates phase-2 enzymes, but in a different |
| provide you super nutrition for optimum health, | | | | way. |
| but try eating these certain foods together and | | | | Do these examples give you a good idea of the |
| you'll find even more nutritional power than when | | | | power of certain food combinations? The best |
| the foods are eaten by themselves. | | | | way to assure you get the benefits of these and |
| Certain foods work together and synergistically to | | | | other food combinations is to eat a variety of |
| bring out the best in each other and help you | | | | whole, unprocessed, raw, super food fruits, |
| better absorb or digest the good stuff in each | | | | vegetables, nuts, beans, spices, and whole grains. |
| food. For example: | | | | What are super foods? They are the "best in |
| Eggs and spinach: when you eat eggs with | | | | show" of the different food groups. They have |
| spinach, a certain kind of fat in the egg yolks | | | | the maximum nutritional value and more of the |
| helps you absorb the critical vitamin lutein, that is | | | | vitamins, minerals, proteins, healthy fats, |
| very high in spinach. Lutein is an important vitamin | | | | phytonutrients, and antioxidants than most other |
| for your eyes and helps prevent macular eye | | | | foods. And they have the least of the "bad stuff" |
| degeneration as you age. Spinach has the highest | | | | - unhealthy fats, sugars, and artificial junk. |
| amount of lutein of any fruit or vegetable - three | | | | They provide you the best nutrition and health |
| times higher than broccoli. By combining it with | | | | benefits with the least amount of calories. |
| eggs, you absorb more of this powerful vitamin. | | | | These are 10 top super foods gathered from |
| Tomatoes and fat: When you combine tomatoes | | | | more than a dozen experts' top ten lists: |
| with a healthy fat, such as olive oil, the lycopene | | | | |
| in tomatoes is more effectively absorbed. | | | | 1. Salmon, wild caught |
| Lycopene in tomatoes is particularly effective | | | | 2. Turkey (chicken as a close second) |
| against prostrate cancer - but only when it's | | | | 3. Eggs, free range |
| consumed with a small amount of fat. Lycopene, | | | | 4. Dark berries |
| like other members of the carotenoid family, is a | | | | 5. Broccoli |
| fat-soluble substance. The body can't absorb it | | | | 6. Spinach |
| efficiently in the absence of fat. | | | | 7. Tomatoes |
| Oranges, apples, grapes, and blueberries: each of | | | | 8. Nuts (particularly walnuts, almonds, pistachios, |
| these fruits is very high in antioxidants. A recent | | | | pecans) |
| study measured the amount of antioxidants in | | | | 9. Beans (particularly the dark ones - kidney and |
| each fruit individually. Then they combined them | | | | black beans) |
| and took additional measurements. They found | | | | 10. Unprocessed dark chocolate and red wine |
| that the mixture of fruits was more powerful | | | | Here's one of my top recommendations for |
| against damaging free radicals than when any one | | | | optimum nutrition: eat this "super food salad" |
| fruit was eaten by itself. | | | | every day. You'll be getting the whole raw super |
| Broccoli and tomatoes: both of these super foods | | | | foods that are loaded with all the enzymes, |
| have special cancer fighting nutrients. Broccoli | | | | vitamins, minerals and antioxidants of these top |
| contains chemical compounds known as | | | | super foods - and you'll get the magic and |
| glucosinolates, which are helpful in flushing out | | | | benefits of the above food combinations. |
| carcinogens. The lycopene in tomatoes is an | | | | Recipe for my favorite super food salad (try it |
| antioxidant. Antioxidants are crucial in preventing | | | | every day for one week and see how you feel): |
| cancer because they stop free radicals from | | | | 1 cup spinach |
| damaging cellular structures and DNA. A recent | | | | 1 hard boiled egg |
| study showed that rats with tumors that were | | | | 1/4 cup walnuts |
| given a diet of tomatoes and broccoli had | | | | 1/4 cup dried cranberries |
| significantly smaller tumors than animals fed just | | | | 1/4 cup fresh blueberries |
| one of these foods. | | | | 1/4 apple sliced |
| Chicken and broccoli: combine broccoli with foods | | | | 1-2 florets raw broccoli |
| that are high in selenium, such as chicken, turkey, | | | | 2 slices of tomato |
| or brazil nuts. The combination of broccoli's | | | | Grilled chicken breast (or grilled salmon or both) |
| glucosinolates and selenium has more powerful | | | | 1/4 cup kidney beans |
| antioxidant effects than either food eaten alone. | | | | 1 slice of sweet onion |
| Brussels sprouts and broccoli: (ok - just eat | | | | Anything else you want to addolive oil based |
| broccoli with everything) - brussels sprouts have | | | | dressing of your choice |
| the phytonutrient crambene, which stimulates | | | | Have it with a glass of red wine and end it with a |
| phase-2 enzymes, substances that help prevent | | | | small square of healthy dark chocolate. Life |
| carcinogens from damaging DNA. Broccoli is high in | | | | doesn't get better than this. |
| indole-3-carbinol, a phytonutrient that also | | | | |