Parmesan cheese for strengthening bones: Calcium
is key for preventing osteoporosis (especially in your 20s). Yogurt and
nonfat milk help, but who wants them three times a day? Work Parmesan
cheese into your diet; its 340 mg of calcium per ounce - compared to
about 200 mg in cheddar or Swiss - goes a long way toward your 1000
mg/day quota.
Apples boost your immune system: Smart and sweet, apples are
rich in quercetin, an antioxidant that can bolster your body's
disease-fighting abilities. In one study from Appalachian State
University, just 5 percent of people who ate more quercetin came down
with a respiratory infection over a two-week period, compared to 45
percent of those who didn't.
Lentils build your iron stores: Low-calorie lentils pack
about 30 percent of your daily iron per cup cooked. About 12 percent of
young women have low iron stores - at the extreme, that leads to anemia.
But one study found that even women who were iron deficient (not
anemic) had poorer performances on skill tests than those with normal
levels.
Broccoli fights wrinkles:
"A cup of broccoli has 100 percent of your vitamin C-crucial for
production of collagen, which gives skin elasticity," says Tammy Lakatos
Shames, R.D. It's also rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts
to vitamin A. This vitamin assists in cell turnover, so old skin cells
are replaced with fresh (read: younger-looking) ones.
Potatoes pack healthy carbs: Potatoes contain a fat-fighting
compound called resistant starch that can help keep weight in check. One
medium spud with the skin will run you just around 100 calories, and
with more potassium than bananas, potatoes also help fight heart disease
by keeping blood pressure low.
Spinach is dense with key nutrients:
This leafy green is high in vitamin K and also contains calcium and
magnesium - a combo that may help slow the breakdown of bone that occurs
as you get older - as well as folate, a B vitamin that helps prevent
birth defects. And it packs just 7 calories per cup raw!
Dark chocolate stops stress and fights disease: European
researchers found that people who ate an ounce and a half of dark
chocolate - about 200 calories worth-every day for two weeks produced
less of the stress hormone cortisol and reported feeling less frazzled.
Cortisol causes a temporary rise in blood pressure; consistently high
levels up your risk for depression, obesity, heart disease and more.
Mushrooms deliver cancer-fighting antioxidants: One study
showed that women who ate just one third of an ounce of raw mushrooms a
day (that's about one button mushroom) had a 64 percent reduction in
breast cancer risk. Other research suggests that mushrooms reduce the
effects of aromatase, a protein that helps produce estrogen - a major
factor in some breast cancers.
Sardines fight heart disease: These pungent little fish are
good sources of omega-3 acids, which decrease inflammation that can lead
to blocked arteries. They also prevent blood clots that can cause heart
attacks and strokes, and keep blood vessels smooth and supple. Three
ounces of sardines have about 1.3 grams of omega-3s (you need about 1
gram a day).
Avocados: Avocados are
high in monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to help you drop
weight, including from your troublesome middle. In one study, people who
got the most monos (about 23 percent of their daily calories) had about
5 pounds less belly fat than those who ate a high-carb, lower-fat diet.
