Superfoods: Food as Medicine

Select Your Superfoods

In a 24/7 world, vitamins and supplements may seem like the easiest way to get all the nutrients you need. However, studies show supplements to be less effective than you might expect, says Dr. Cotterel.

“When you consume nutrients in their natural form, you’re getting them along with many other healthy substances that maximize their effect,” he says. “Once you isolate the substance and take it away from its original source, you’re losing some of that synergism that makes it effective.”

According to Dr. Cotterel, several factors influence food potency. Here’s how to get the greatest nutritional bang for your caloric buck.

• Buy local — From the moment foods are harvested, they begin to lose their nutritional value, so purchase your foods as close to the source as possible. Foods that travel from Chile and Australia don’t carry the same benefits as the foods found at your local farmers markets.
• Buy organic — Organic food isn’t only about avoiding pesticides. Organic farming uses sustainable agriculture practices, such as crop diversity, rotation and cover cropping, that helps rebuild and protect soil nutrients – the very nutrients that ultimately end up in your food.
• Pack your plate with color — Choose foods with bright colors to tap into bioflavonoids, pigments in plants that help fight cancer, infection and inflammatory diseases.
• Pursue variety — Work a variety of healthful foods into your diet each day. Look for ways to incorporate superfoods into your existing diet, such as adding flaxseed and blueberries to cereal, tomatoes in soup and walnuts in baked goods.

Top 10 Superfoods

Tea

Green, black, oolong and white teas all deliver powerful health benefits at about three cups a day. Green tea in particular contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which studies indicate can help reduce cancer, boost a sluggish metabolism and reduce inflammation that contributes to heart disease and possibly arthritis.

Cold-Water Fish 

Wild salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce heart disease risk, relieve symptoms of arthritis and slow cognitive decline. Dr. Cotterel encourages people to eat cold-water fish three or four times a week. If you don’t eat fish, fresh fish oil capsules can help. 

Flaxseeds

Sprinkle flaxseeds on your cereal or yogurt for a punch of plant-derived omega-3, as well as soluble fiber. Whole seeds will simply pass through your system, so be sure to eat ground flaxseed. For the freshest and healthiest flax, use a coffee grinder to prepare your own flaxmeal. Dr. Cotterel suggests starting with as little as a teaspoon a day and slowly working up to two to three tablespoons.

Citrus 

Packed with vitamin C, citrus fruits are tried and true sources of immune-boosting bioflavonoids.

Blueberries 

Blueberries’ antioxidant bioflavonoids show promise as anticancer agents. Try frozen organic berries when fresh berries are cost-prohibitive or from other continents.

Brussels Sprouts 

Brussels sprouts, along with other foods in the cabbage family, contain valuable nutrients that may stave off cancer. Overcooking leads to Brussels sprouts’ sulfur-like smell and bitter taste. Instead, toss halved sprouts with olive oil and salt, and roast at 400 degrees until browned and tender, 18-20 minutes.

Tomatoes 

In addition to vitamin C, tomatoes offer lycopene, an antioxidant phytonutrient that’s a helpful tool in preventing certain cancers, notably prostate cancer. Both raw and canned tomatoes deliver nutritional value. Can’t find local tomatoes? Try ruby grapefruit, also a great source of lycopene.

Walnuts 

An easy protein-filled snack, walnuts are a great source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. Try walnuts in your cereal, salads, stir-fries and baked goods. If you don’t care for plain walnuts, try recipes for maple-glazed or spiced walnuts.

Grapes 

Red and other dark-skinned grapes are praised for their heart-healthy benefits thanks to resveratrol, an anti-inflammatory nutrient. 

Dark Chocolate 

Choose 70 percent or greater dark chocolate to get powerful antioxidants, as well as a natural serotonin boost for your mood.