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Top Twenty Longevity Foods
Blueberries and other berries
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a comparison of 100 foods, lists the blueberry as one of the best fruit sources for antioxidants. Many studies indicate the blueberry’s possible role in fighting such maladies as memory loss, high cholesterol, diabetes, and strokes. Eating blueberries improves the blood flow through your body, which keeps both your brain and your heart healthier. Blueberries contain a compound called pterostilbene, which has been shown to be effective in reducing LDL cholesterol. It’s no wonder that blueberries have such an attraction as a health food: a mere ½-cup serving has as much antioxidant power as five servings of other fruits and vegetables. We eat blueberries year-round. They are great with yogurt or on cereal, and they make a great snack. When they are not in season, they can be expensive, but you can seek out less-expensive dried blueberries or even pure blueberry juice (no added sugar). We mix the juice with water before drinking it or add a bit of undiluted juice to our cereal.
Grapefruit
Over the years, many studies have associated eating grapefruit with weight reduction. At the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, researchers divided 100 obese men and women into four groups. One group received grapefruit extract, another drank grapefruit juice with each meal, a third group ate half a grape¬fruit with each meal, and the fourth received a placebo. At the end of 12 weeks, the placebo group lost on average just under half a pound, the extract group 2.4 pounds, the grapefruit juice group 3.3 pounds, and the fresh grapefruit group 3.5 pounds (they ate one and a half grapefruit a day). Grapefruit (particularly red grapefruit) can also significantly decrease cholesterol and fight heart disease. Eating one red grape¬fruit a day for 30 days has been shown to reduce cholesterol by 15 percent and triglycerides by 17 percent. One concern is that grapefruit can have an accelerating and dangerous effect on some prescription drugs. Check the label on any prescription drugs you are taking before you eat grapefruit.
Almonds
A true superfood, almonds are a fantastic source of protein, fiber, and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and zinc. They are high in vitamin E and contain monounsaturated fats, which can help to keep arteries supple. Stick to the raw, unsalted nuts for maximum benefit.
Apples
We grew up hearing “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” By golly, it’s true. Apples contain the phytonutrient quercetin, which prevents oxidation (damage) of LDL cholesterol, thus lowering the risk of damage to our arteries and, in turn, the risk of heart disease. They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber that seems to be effective in lowering levels of blood cholesterol. They are a rich source in polyphenols.
Avocados
Pound for pound, avocados provide more heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, and potassium than any other fruit. They are the number-one source of beta-sitosterol, a substance that can reduce total cholesterol, and lutein, an antioxidant that protects people from getting cataracts and lowers the risk of prostate cancer.
Beets
Low in calories but packed full of nutrients, beets contain high levels of carotenoids and flavonoids that reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, protecting artery walls and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. They are one of the richest sources of folic acid. The silica in beetroot helps the body utilize calcium and boost musculoskeletal health, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Many people drink beetroot juice for its cleansing and detoxifying properties.
Broccoli
Here’s a “mega-longevity” food if there ever was one. Researchers have identified a wealth of healthy compounds in this vegetable, including two powerful anticancer substances, sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. According to research at Johns Hopkins University, sulforaphane destroys ingested carcinogenic compounds and kills the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which can cause stomach ulcers and greatly increase the risk of gastric cancers. Indole-3-carbinol metabolizes estrogen, potentially protecting against breast cancer. Broccoli is also a good source of beta-carotene and potassium. Many nutritionists suggest eating broccoli three times a week, and now we know why. But no more since it slows down thyroid function.
Flaxseeds
The absolute richest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseeds reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes, and inflamatory diseases. They also contain high levels of lignin, thought to improve cholesterol profiles. Flaxseed is essential for vegetarians who cannot get their essential fatty acids from fish. It comes in seed or oil form, but make sure you refrigerate the oil, as it easily oxidizes.
Garlic
Numerous clinical trials have shown garlic to be an excellent cancer fighter. It has the ability to prevent development of cancers of the breast, colon, skin, prostate, stomach, and esophagus. Garlic stimulates the immune system by encouraging the growth of natural killer cells, which directly attack cancer cells. A study at the University of East London claims that garlic not only has the ability to kill many of the antibiotic resistant strains of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the “hospital superbug,” but also is able to destroy the newer super-superbugs that are resistant to the most powerful antibiotics used against MRSA.
Olive Oil
Packed with healthy monounsaturated fat as well as antioxidants, consumption of olive oil is the main reason people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have very few heart attacks and live longer, healthier lives.
Oranges
Research published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has connected a higher intake of hesperetin, the main flavonoid in oranges, with lower rates of heart disease. Hesperetin helps protect against inflammation. Oranges are a rich source of pectin, which lowers cholesterol; potassium, which reduces blood pressure; and folic acid, which lowers levels of homocysteine.
Wild Salmon
One of the best oily fish, wild salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 and has been linked with protecting against heart disease, breast cancer, and other cancers and relieving autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. It’s good for your brain, too.
Soy
A nutritional powerhouse, soy is the only plant food that has all of the essential amino acids your body requires, making it a complete protein. Soy foods (like all plants) do not have any cholesterol, and most are high in fiber. Eating fermented soy (not regular soy) reduces artery-clogging plaque, improves blood pressure, and promotes healthy blood vessels, which protects the body from free-radical damage, boosts the immune system, and lowers the risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and hypertension. A ton of research links soy consumption with a reduction in breast cancer and prostate cancer. Soy milk should be avoided for children. Non fermented soy contains phytic acid, blocking calcium absorption.Tea
Black, green (matcha), and now white teas have all been hailed for their antioxidant properties. According to epidemiological and animal evidence, green tea may inhibit breast, digestive, and lung cancer. The polyphenols in green tea are powerful antioxidants (100 times as effective as vitamin C) and may protect cells from free-radical damage. A study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who drank two or more cups of green or black tea per day for 10 years had enhanced bone density.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene, the consumption of which significantly reduces the risk of prostate, lung, and stomach cancer. It is best to cook your tomatoes before you eat them, as this makes the lycopene more easily absorbable. Tomatoes also contain potassium, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, which is essential for the immune system and helps keep skin healthy.
Whole Grains
People who consume small amouths of whole grains every day have a lower risk of heart disease. Whole grains include brown rice, millet, and oats, as well as whole grain bread. Population research also suggests that whole grains help prevent colon, breast, and prostate cancer. The complex carbohydrates and fiber slow the release of blood sugar, providing a great slow-energy source. Don't eat to much, it still contains many carbs which might lead to diabetes over time. Fibers from grains are known to absorp hormones and block reabsorptions by the gut; onw more reason to not overeat on grains.
Beans
All beans (a.k.a. legumes)are loaded with energizing complex carbohydrates, calcium, iron, folic acid, B vitamins, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. Beans contain large amounts of both soluble and insoluble fiber, more than any other plant. The soluble fiber helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and normalize blood sugar. Insoluble fiber helps regulate bowel movements (better than fiber from grains) and may play a role in preventing colon cancer. Beans are cheap, too!
Sea Vegetables
No other type of food is as rich a source of minerals essential to maintaining and improving your health as sea vegetables, which ignorant Westerners disparagingly refer to as “seaweed.” Because they don’t have roots like other plants, sea vegetables must absorb nutrients from the ocean water. Dark sea vegetables, such as arame, wakame, hijiki, and certain varieties of kelp, contain sodium alginate, which converts the heavy metals in your body into harmless sea salt, which you subsequently expel when you urinate. Regular consumption of sea vegetables may account for the low rates of cancer in Japan. Sea vegetables also contain a high level of iodine, which aids in weight loss and can lower the amount of radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid by as much as 80 percent. To much iodine, however, may cause an inverse responce in the thyroid, causing hypothyroidism. If you eat sushi, you are eating nori, which is a sea vegetable exceptionally high in protein and vitamin A, as well as other vitamins, including vitamin K, iodine, and potassium. Dried sea vegetables can be added to cooked foods to impart a salt flavor or eaten as a snack. Becoming familiar with sea vegetables and eating them every chance you get could add a few years to your life. “Seaweed” salad is delicious.
Cabbage
The medicinal qualities of cabbage are so significant that it is a wonder you don’t need a prescription to buy one. Cabbage is high in fiber, vitamin A, and all the usual minerals. Eating cabbage stimulates the immune system, kills bacteria and viruses, inhibits the growth of cancerous cells, protects against tumors, helps control hormone levels, improves blood flow, and even boosts your sex drive. Eat enough and it will speed up the metabolism of estrogen and thereby reduce the risk of breast cancer and inhibit the growth of polyps in the colon. Studies have shown that eating cabbage once a week can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 60 percent. In its raw form, especially as a juice, cabbage contains ascorbigen—sometimes referred to as “vitamin U,” in recognition of its ability to heal and protect against stomach ulcers.
Kale
Gee, did we save the best for last! Kale, the richest of all leafy greens, might even have more medicinal qualities than cabbage. As with cabbage, eating kale helps regulate estrogen and wards off many forms of cancer, including breast cancer, bowel cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. It also protects against heart disease and helps you regulate your blood pressure. The calcium in kale is more absorbable by the body than calcium in milk—and there is more of it. Kale is sometimes called the “wonder food” because eating enough of it protects against osteoporosis, arthritis, and bone loss.