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And here we are at the Food Oscars, waiting for the envelope (please!) What are the healthiest foods you can eat, and how do they help you to live better?

Like movie actors, there are a lot of foods out there with some good qualities. But only a few foods contribute Oscar-quality nutrition and improve our lives. Some of these foods are so nutritious that they deserve an award—an Oscar—and a place on your plate.

“And the Oscars for the five healthiest foods go to …

• Salmon
• Soy
• Greens
• Berries
• Whole Grains

This article will focus on the first three.

Salmon is an excellent source of protein and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower the levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol in the blood, and increase the level of HDL, or “good” cholesterol in the blood. Salmon is a very versatile food that can easily be substituted for other types of meats such as beef or pork in many different recipes. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone eat at least two servings of fish on a weekly basis and it strongly recommends the consumption of fatty fish, like salmon. It is best to choose wild salmon, as it has more omega-3 fatty acids than farm-raised salmon. Most canned and frozen salmon is wild-caught, so they have the same benefits to your health.

Soy comes in many forms. Tofu is a soy product. It is full of all of the essential amino acids that the body requires. Soybeans are the only known vegetable sources that can make this claim. Soybeans are also very rich in the omega-3 fatty acids, the B vitamins, fiber, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. A regular diet that includes soy is one that will lead to an overall low level of total cholesterol, as well as LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Soy is beneficial in preventing heart disease, and can help to reduce the incidence of osteoporosis, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

All vegetables are healthy but greens are especially healthy. The best greens to eat include chard (or “Swiss Chard”), collard greens, kale, bok choy, broccoli, asparagus, and green beans. These greens are all rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron and phytonutrients. Broccoli, for example, is beneficial in preventing the onset of heart disease, diabetes and a variety of cancers. If, like George Bush Sr., you don’t like the taste of broccoli, then eat it in recipes such as Chinese beef and broccoli or in a stir-fry with soy sauce. Another option is to eat broccoli raw but with other vegetables such as on a vegetable platter with a zesty dip for added flavor. Green vegetables are low in calories and very high in fiber. Foods that are high in fiber are also filling so that means you do not need to eat too large a helping in order to feel that you have eaten enough.

Greens can be eaten raw or cooked. If you eat them raw, you get the maximum health benefit—just make sure to clean them before you use them. Add raw greens to a salad or simply just snack on them and munch away! One of the best ways to prepare greens is to steam them, as steaming maintains much of the nutritional content—except for Vitamin C, which is heat-labile. Stir-fries are another healthy way to toss together your greens.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Food Cures.

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Tags: asparagus, b vitamins, broccoli, cholesterol, Fiber, Food Cures, magnesium, nutrition, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin C, whole grains

Plants are just as prone to viruses, bacteria and diseases as people are. We have an immune system to fight diseases while plants have developed their own form of immune system which consists of a protective substances called phytochemicals.

Studies are showing that the same phytochemicals that protect plants can also help to protect people from a variety of cancers as well as other diseases. Some of the foods containing this chemical include whole grains, dark and leafy green colored fruits and vegetables, legumes, orange, yellow, and red colored fruits and vegetables, cruciferous vegetables and anti-bacterial vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables that are dark in color something known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are found in a variety of different fruits and vegetables which include blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, bilberries, cranberries, red grapes, red grapes, apples, onions, broccoli, peppers and eggplant. There are estimated to be well over 4,000 flavonoids in existence and they are then broken down into a variety of subcategories which include anthocyanidins, polyphenolic acid, proanthocyanidins, ellagic acid, tannins and quercetic.

Research studies into dark colored fruits and vegetables have shown that they are all very powerful when it comes to anti-oxidant properties and some are believed to have 50 times the anti-oxidant capability of both vitamin E as well as vitamin C. Other studies have shown that flavonoids found in both fruits and vegetables are helpful in decreasing the risk of a variety of cancers as well as diabetes, arthritis and atherosclerosis. Flavonoids are beneficial when it comes to protecting the collagen protein found in blood vessels and joints from the damage that can be done by free radicals in the body. By protecting the collagen protein this is a way to reduce the incidence of hemorrhoids, edema and varicose veins.

A study done at Cornell University yielded the result that the flavonoids found in apples known as quercetin, was effective at protecting the brain against the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease which are both classified as being neuro-generative diseases. This study was a follow-up to another study that was conducted at the same university by Professor Lee. Professor Lee discovered that the phytochemical found in both a variety of berries as well as apples had a greater “antioxidant protective effect” than did vitamin C when it came to fighting liver cancer cells and colon cancer cells. While blueberries and strawberries both have excellent anti-oxidant properties, blueberries have an estimated 40 percent more power to fight off diseases and t o heal. In a study done by neuroscientist James Joseph from Tufts University it was found that blueberries are excellent when it comes to fighting cancer and a multitude of diseases but they are also helpful in preventing or slowing short-term memory loss which can affect individuals as they age.

So, the next time you make a trip to the grocery store, be sure to stock up on healing fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is the best to buy, with frozen being the second best. Canned fruits and vegetables tend to have a great deal of salt in them so opt for fresh if possible. For a change of pace whip up a salad with a variety of vegetables (and some fruits thrown in to add some tang) or whip up a delectable fruit salad for yourself and your family to enjoy.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Food Cures.

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Tags: antioxidants, blueberries, broccoli, cranberries, flavonoids, Food Cures, free radicals, fruits and vegetables, grapes, immune system, strawberries, vitamin C, vitamin E, whole grains

The body needs the nutrients provided by raw vegetables. Unfortunately, cooking foods tends to destroy much of the nutritional value in regards to the vitamins and minerals inherent in the food. One option that is delicious and simple to do is to turn your vegetables into drinks by juicing them. In case you are concerned that necessary fiber will be lost by breaking down the vegetables in a juicer, that will not happen as plenty of fiber will be retained even in the juice state. In fact there is enough fiber in vegetable juices to more than supply the body’s need for it.

Asparagus is a vegetable that is rich in an amino acid called asparagines. Asparagine is very easily destroyed when asparagus is cooked. Asparagus works well as a mild form of a diuretic and is an excellent addition to any vegetable juice concoction.

Beets are an acquired taste but are loaded with vitamins and minerals. The two biggest benefits of beets are that they build blood to make it as strong and hardy as possible and they are good at strengthening the work of the gall bladder. When preparing beets do not throw away the tops when you cut them off but instead use them for salad greens. Never prepare beet juice on its own as it can be extremely strong and is likely to upset the stomach. Always blend beets with other vegetables when making vegetable juice.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vitamin that is actually the head of a flower that has not fully matured. For that reason broccoli is a vegetable that must always be picked before it has bloomed. Broccoli is extremely good for the human body as it is chock full of a number of different vitamins and minerals and it is also high in protein.

Not everyone enjoys brussels sprouts. Like beets they are an acquired taste and are very similar to broccoli when it comes to their many health benefits. When it comes to vegetables you can never go wrong with green vegetables and as a mixture they can be very delicious to drink as vegetable juices.

Raw cabbage is good for the colon and it is loaded with vitamins, minerals and sulfur compounds. When you use cabbage to make a juice always drink it as soon as it is prepared because the essential elements that make up cabbage start to oxidize right away. Cabbage is best combined with other vegetables and not standing on its own. Cabbage juice cannot be adequately stored, therefore, never make more than you can drink at any one sitting. If you are making a vegetable juice that includes cabbage always juice this vegetable after all of the others and then drink it fresh and fast from the juicer.

Juicing can be fun and there is a real art to it so if this method of getting your daily veggies appeals to you, buy yourself an inexpensive juicer and then search the Internet for a multitude of healthy and frothy recipes.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Nutrition & Health.

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Tags: asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, juicing, Nutrition & Health, vegetable juices