Fruit Pomelit Helps to Prevent Heart Attacks

People who eat the Israeli-developed fruit known in Hebrew as

pomelit

(a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo) or drink its juice regularly will be able

lower their blood cholesterol

and

increase their blood antioxidant activity

, thus improving their chances of

preventing blocked heart arteries

and

heart attacks

, says a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In order to test the benefits of drinking the juice of the pomelit (known commercially as

Israeli Jaffa Sweetie

), 72 patients at Kaplan Hospital in Rehovot who were suffering from hypercholesterolemia (elevated cholesterol levels) and had undergone bypass surgery were given daily supplements of Sweetie juice for 30 days. The patients, who ranged in age from 43 to 71, were divided into three groups of 24 each. One group received a daily supplement of 100 milliliters of the juice; a second received 200 milliliters; and a third the control group received none.

The results showed definite lowering of LDL (”bad”) blood cholesterol and an increase in blood antioxidant activity in patients from the two groups who drank the juice as opposed to those who did not. The patients who consumed the highest daily supplement of juice showed a significant increase in blood albumin and decrease in blood fibrinogen levels, which enhance anticoagulant activity. These positive changes could prevent heart diseases.

The clinical investigation took place at Kaplan Hospital and was carried out by a team headed by Prof. Abraham Caspi, head of the Cardiovascular Institute there, in cooperation with other research groups at various universities in Japan, South Korea, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland that did similar tests. Positive results were obtained by all of the various research groups.

The researchers concluded their findings with a recommendation that hypercholesterolic patients add fresh Sweetie juice to their daily diets as a likely beneficial preventative to future heart disease. The juice also can serve as a preventative for those who have had no symptoms of arterial occlusion or heart problems but would like to benefit from the prophylactic benefits of this fruit.

[Via Health Jockey]

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Soy and Fish Oil Supplements May Help Prevent Heart Attacks

Taking daily supplements of fish or soy oil may protect against heart attacks and improve cardiac function in the short-term. Study results published in CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, are the first to show that soy oil increases heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of cardiac autonomic function.

“Our findings contradict the current belief in the medical community that increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids produces only long-term cardiac benefits,” said the study’s lead author, Fernando Holguin, MD, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. “In fact, our study group showed improvements in heart function in as little as two weeks.”

Researchers from Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA, and Cuernavaca, Mexico, took the HRV of 58 elderly patients every other day for two months to establish an HRV baseline for each participant. For 11 weeks, half of the study participants took a daily two gram supplement of fish oil, which contains marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids, and the other half took a daily two gram supplement of soy oil, which contains plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids improve heart function by providing greater variability between beats, therefore reducing the risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden death. Heart rate variability is measured by high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) domain components and standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN). Those who received fish oil experienced a significant increase in total HF and LF domain components and SDNN. Patients who received soy oil experienced a marginally significant increase in HF and LF domain components and a significant increase in SDNN.

"Reduced HRV predicts mortality and arrhythmic complications in patients who have had a heart attack, as well as those who are considered healthy," said Dr. Holguin. "Taking a daily supplement of fish or soy oil may help reduce the risk of suffering an adverse cardiovascular event, such as arrhythmia or sudden death, specially in persons with known cardiovascular disease or at increased risk for it, such as those with lipid disorders, advanced age, hypertension, a history of smoking, and family history of heart disease."

Researchers also discovered that while patients in both groups experienced a significant increase in HRV, those who took the fish oil supplements achieved a greater increase in a shorter time period. Patients who received fish oil experienced increased HRV within the first 2.7 weeks, whereas it took 8.1 weeks for a significant increase in HRV to be seen in the group taking soy oil. None of the study participants experienced significant negative side effects, but 41 percent of participants in the fish oil group reported belching, compared to 16 percent in the soy oil group.

"Studies like this demonstrate that there are additional approaches we can take to protect ourselves from heart attacks," said Paul A. Kvale, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "It's exciting to see the potential for omega-3 fatty acids in improving heart function when it complements a healthy lifestyle of exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting eight hours of sleep."


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Fruit Pomelit Helps to Prevent Heart Attacks


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Everything About Bilberry Foods

By Steven Foster © 2007

If you grew up among the heaths, moors, and woodlands of northern Europe, or for that matter are a wild foods enthusiast in the Rocky Mountains of the United States, you would probably be familiar with bilberry as the stuff of which jam or pies are made. Now, however, the average consumer is most likely to find bilberries in the form of purple-colored gelatin capsules in dietary supplement products.

Bilberry, Vaccinum myrtillus, is a relative of blueberry in the heath family. The genus Vaccinum includes upwards of 450 species which occur in cool temperate regions and mountains of both the northern and southern hemispheres. Many are deciduous or evergreen shrubs with edible fruits including blueberries, buckberries, huckleberries, farkleberry, cranberry, whortleberry, crowberry, and bilberry.

Bilberry is small shrub to about a foot in height with sweet, plump blue-black berries. It grows in heaths and woods of northern Europe, western Asia, and the Rockies of western North America. Bilberry is common in northern Europe, as well as mountains of southern Europe, absent only from southern Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. It thrives in damp acid soils, damp woods and sandy and rocky soils, covering vast areas, and is a scrub shrub of high mountains. Its range extends to Western Mongolia, then jumps the Pacific to Western North America, occurring from British Columbia, southward from Utah to Arizona and New Mexico. Commercial harvest of the fruits is from wild regions of Europe when ripe from July through September.

The genus name Vaccinum derives from the old Latin name used in the works of Virgil and Pliny. The species name "myrtillus" refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of myrtle. In England the plant is known as bilberry, bleaberry, blueberry, as well as common whortleberry.

Bilberry Leaves

The leaves have been used as a tea substitute. In Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains (The University of New Mexico Press, 1967), H. D. Harrington notes that of the leaves of all Rocky Mountain Vaccinum species, his favorite was bilberry leaf tea, which he stated was available at one of the local grocery stores in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Traditionally the leaves have been used for astringent, tonic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic qualities. Studies have shown that the leaves have weak anti-diabetic activity and have been used in various herbal combinations as a treatment for diabetes. The leaves contain a component (glucoquinine) which experimentally has been shown to lower blood sugar levels. The leaves are primarily used in the form of a tea. Leaf preparations have also been suggested by modern researchers in Germany as a potential treatment for rheumatism and gout, given the presence of quinic acid in the tea of the dried, heated leaves.

The leaves, however, are primarily used as a folk remedy, and are not nearly as important as the fruits. The German Commission E monographs, the basis of herb regulation in Germany, has a negative monograph on bilberry leaves. According to the monograph the leaves and their preparations are traditionally recommended for use in diabetes mellitus, and the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal tract conditions, arthritis, gout, skin ailments, hemorrhoids, poor circulation, heart problems, blood purification, and to stimulate metabolic processes. While there are a few older laboratory studies supporting a theoretical basis for potential antiinflammatory and blood-sugar lowering potential, there is not sufficient scientific data to support the traditional use of the leaves. Therefore, because the claimed applications are not well-documented, bilberry leaves are not approved for their traditional uses. Safety issues are also a question. Animal studies have shown that the leaves can cause anemia, disturb tone of the gastrointestinal system, and adversely effect absorption of nutrients. Safety problems probably relate to high tannin content of the leaves.

Bilberry Fruits-Food and Medicine

Bilberry has been valued for centuries as a nutritious food and a wild edible delicacy.

The berries, best known as an edible fruit, are an ancient food in northern Europe. In an 1862 work, The Useful Plants for Great Britain, C. P. Johnson noted that the berries have a sweetish, but slightly acid taste and are best eaten cooked rather than. They have long been sold in English markets. In Scotland the berries are eaten with milk, and used for pies, tarts, syrups, and jellies. The berries have also been used for wine-making. In the 1870s, a USDA report noted that the fruits were a favorite food of various Indian groups of the Rocky Mountain region.

The use of bilberry fruits as an herbal medicine emerges in the Middle Ages. Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), the first women to write an herbal, recommended the plant for inducing menstruation. In the 16th century German herbalists, such as Hieronymus Bock, recommended the berries for treatment of bladders stones, liver disorders, and in syrups for coughs and lung ailments.

In the eighteenth century, use of bilberry fruits became widespread among herbalists and physicians, particularly in Germany. Berry preparations were used for various intestinal conditions, as well as typhoid fever, infections of the mouth, skin, and urinary tract infections, and in gout and rheumatism. By the early part of this century, the dried berry tea was used as an astringent for diarrhea and dysentery, a diuretic, cooling nutritive tonic, to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), and to stop bleeding. It is also used as an astringent and disinfectant mouthwash for mouth inflammations.

Modern interest in bilberry arose through serendipity after the Second World War. During night bombing missions, British Royal Air Force pilots reportedly experienced an improvement in night vision after eating bilberry jam. In the mid 1960s, reference to these observations eventually led to the first laboratory and later clinical studies on the effects of bilberry fruit extracts on the eyes and vascular system.

What's in the fruits?

The effectiveness of the fruit extracts was linked to a group of compounds called "anthocyanosides." These compounds are derivatives of anthocyans - the pigments responsible for the red, blue or violet colors in flowers and fruits. The majority of studies on bilberry have involved extracts purified to contain from 25 to 36 percent anthocyanosides. At least fifteen different anthocyanoside compounds have been identified in bilberry extracts. Most standardized bilberry extracts available as dietary supplements on the American market contain 25 percent anthocyanosides.

Like most herbal medicines, positive effects obtained from the plant are not necessarily attributed to only one chemical component. In addition to anthocyanocides, bilberry fruits contain tannins (up to 7 percent) as well as several alkaloids including myrtine and epimyrtine. At least twelve different phenolic acids have been identified from the fruits along with three glycosides of quercetin, including quercitrin, isoquercitrin, and hyperoside. All of these components, in one way or another, could help to contribute to bilberry's beneficial effects.

Modern Use

In European herbal medicine, bilberry fruit preparations are now used to enhance poor micro-circulation, including eye conditions such as night-blindness and diabetic retinopathy. The German Commission E has produced a positive monograph on bilberry fruits, which are allowed in that country for the treatment of acute diarrhea, and for treatment of mild inflammations of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

Modern laboratory studies on bilberry fruit extracts have confirmed a number of activities including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit aggregation of blood platelets (reduce stickiness, hence a tendency to clotting of blood cells), produce a slight relaxation effect on vascular smooth muscles, and a possible role in reducing factors associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. Extracts of the fruit have also been shown in laboratory experiments to inhibit enzymes such as elastase, which can cause the degradation of collagen. This can lead to a reduction in factors associated with inflammatory conditions such as atherosclerosis, pulmonary emphysema, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Bilberry and the Vascular System

Among the most credible uses of bilberry relate to conditions of peripheral vascular disorders, especially those involving capillary fragility. Tiny blood vessels (capillaries) can become fragile, common in aging populations, producing capillary fragility. This can lead to more frequent bruising. Weak capillaries are associated with poor blood circulation to connective tissues, and have been related to inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Bilberry anthocyanosides serve to strengthen capillaries by protecting them from free radical damage. They also stimulate the formation of healthy connective tissue, and aid in the formation of new capillaries. Bilberry may reduce blood platelet stickiness (platelet aggregation), a risk factor associated with atherosclerosis. Given its proven ability to help reduce the fragility of blood capillaries, bilberry fruit products have been studied in clinical trials involving patients suffering from a wide range of diseases including diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, varicose veins, liver disorders, peptic ulcers, and other conditions in which capillary fragility may play a role in causing symptoms secondary to the disease itself. Most studies have been by French or Italian researchers and published in those languages.

Studies in the mid to late 1960s showed that bilberry extracts produced a reduction in symptoms associated with decrease resistance in the blood capillaries such as bruising, blood in the stool, and minute, pin-head sized bleeding spots on the skin. In various clinical studies with patients suffering from water retention in the lower limbs with varicose vein symptoms, the bilberry extracts helped to reduce subjective symptoms such as a feeling of heaviness, pain in the legs and ankles, and sensations of burning, pricking or numbness of the skin. One double blind placebo-controlled study on 47 patients with various peripheral vascular disorders also reported subjective improvement in the symptoms enumerated above, as well as an improvement in swelling (due to water retention) and movement of finger joints in patients suffering from Raynaud's syndrome, a condition involving spasms of the digits with blue coloration, probably relating to poor micro-circulation to the extremities. The syndrome is named after a Paris physician, Maurice Raynaud (1834-1881).

Results of clinical studies involving more than 700 patients with various conditions related to poor micro-circulation in cases of atherosclerosis, a tendency to bruising, hemorrhoids and varicose veins have shown the extracts help reduce damage from free radicals (antioxidant effects) and promote healthy circulation to the extremities. These studies involve extracts of the fruits standardized to contain 25 to 36 percent anthocyanosides. The tea has also been shown useful, mostly through clinical experiences (rather than controlled studies) for diarrhea, and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

Bilberry and Eye Conditions

Based on anecdotal reports from British air force pilots of increased night vision after eating bilberry jam, in the 1960s French researchers set out to discover if bilberry had any potential for the treatment of eye diseases. In experiments with rabbits, a mixture of the anthocyanosides from bilberry was found to increase the animals' ability to adapt to darkness. The improvement in visual function was related to an increase in the regeneration rate of rhodopsin, a purple pigment essential for helping the rods in the eye adapt to light and dark. The retina located at the back of the eye is a specialized structure that responds to light. Special cells called rods and cones in the retina are what makes it work. The cones are adapted to sense details and distinguish colors. They are like the color and tint adjustment dials on a television. The rods detect lightness and darkness. They are like a television's contrast and brightness adjustments. Bilberry's ability to speed up the regeneration of rhodopsin in the rods helps the retina to improve adaptation to light and dark. Studies on anthocyanosides from bilberry both in laboratory and animals experiments have also been shown to modify enzyme processes that are involved in producing damage to the retina.

A number of clinical studies have been carried out with bilberry fruit extracts either alone or in combination with beta-carotene and vitamin E for disorders related to impaired photo-sensitivity or poor micro-circulation to the retina. Four studies were published in the late 1960s by Italian researchers in Italian scientific periodicals that showed that both healthy individuals and patients with visual disorders had a significant improvement in night vision, more rapidly adapted to darkness, and had faster restoration of visual acuity following exposure to bright flashes of light after taking a bilberry extract.

Additional studies on air-traffic controllers, airplane pilots and truck drivers also showed that a standardized extract of bilberry fruits helped to improve night vision and enhanced adjustment to darkness. In two clinical trials, Italian researchers found that 76 percent of patients with myopia (short or near sightedness) had a marked improvement in retinal sensibility. The patients were given 150 mg per day of a bilberry fruit extract for 15 days, along with vitamin A.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition secondary to diabetes mellitus, in which there is non-inflammatory degeneration of the retina. At least three double-blind placebo-controlled studies, in which patients were given 320 to 480 mg per day of a high-anthocyanoside-containing extract for 30 days to twelve months showed positive improvements. A significant reduction or disappearance of hemorrhages in the retina was observed. These studies were conducted by Italian researchers from 1982 to 1987.

Bilberry - The Future

Most studies on bilberry, as previously stated were conducted by French or Italian researchers, mostly in the 1960s and 70s. Much of the research is published in relatively obscure French or Italian scientific journals in the languages of the authors. The fact that the results are dated, and difficult to assess due to language barriers and lack of availability, makes some scientists slow to accept the results. A number of pharmacological and clinical studies have involved the isolated anthocyanosides used in injectable forms. Clearly more studies, involving a great number of patients using oral dosage forms are needed if we are to accept the claims made for bilberry fruit extracts.

While more studies are needed to prove effectiveness, safety is well-established. A post-marketing retrospective study followed 2,295 patients who had been prescribed a 36% anthocyanoside standardized bilberry fruit extract. Researchers showed positive results for improvement of symptoms associated with lower limb venous insufficiency, conditions of capillary fragility and altered permeability of blood capillaries, disease-related changes in microcirculation of the retina, and to reduce itching, inflammation and swelling following surgical removal of hemorrhoids. No adverse effects were reported even for prolonged use of the extract. The German Commission E monograph on bilberry fruits lists no known contraindication, interactions with other drugs, or side effects. Given its long history of food use, and clinical experience with extracts over a thirty year period, safety is not at issue.

In the United States, bilberry dietary supplement products including tablets and capsules of the dried fruits are available, as well as products standardized to 25% anthocyanosides. Standardized products will give more predictable results. The dried ripe berries are used in a dose of 20 to 60 g daily, prepared as a tea, divided into three doses. Standardized products are taken at a dose of 120 to 480 mg per day, (usually 340 mg) divided into two or three doses.

Whether you consider it a wild edible delicacy or a dietary supplement, bilberry is an herb that's here to stay.


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How Spinach Helps To Improve Eyesight

Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach with its delicate texture and jade green color provide more nutrients than any other food. Although spinach is available throughout the year, its season runs from March through May and from September through October when it is the freshest, has the best flavor and is most readily available.

This chart below graphically details the %DV that a serving of Spinach provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Spinach can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Spinach, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

We all know that Popeye made himself super strong by eating spinach, but you may be surprised to learn that he may also have been protecting himself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and other diseases at the same time.

Phytonutrient Flavonoids for Optimal Health

Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents.

(Many of these substances fall into a technical category of flavonoids known as methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides.) The anticancer properties of these spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells (gastric adenocarcinomas), and in studies on laboratory animals, to reduce skin cancers (skin papillomas). A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer.

Spinach Carotenoid Combats Prostate Cancer

A carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state of stasis, thus preventing their replication.

Spinach Flavonoid Combats Ovarian Cancer

Research calculating flavonoid intake in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods. In addition to spinach, foods richest in kaempferol include tea (nonherbal), onions, curly kale, leeks, broccoli, and blueberries.

A significant 34% reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also seen in women with the highest intake of the flavone luteolin (found in citrus).

Helping You Bone Up

The vitamin K provided by spinach-almost 200% of the Daily Value in one cup of fresh spinach leaves and over 1000% of the Daily Value in one cup of boiled spinach (which contains about 6 times as much spinach)-is important for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K1 activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside of the bone. Therefore, without enough vitamin K1, osteocalcin levels are inadequate, and bone mineralization is impaired. Spinach is also an excellent source of other bone-building nutrients including calcium and magnesium.

Cardiovascular Protection from Spinach

For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, few foods compare to spinach in their number of helpful nutrients. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, the latter notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. These two nutrients are important antioxidants that work to reduce the amounts of free radicals in the body; vitamin C works as a water-soluble antioxidant and beta-carotene as a fat-soluble one. This water-and-fat-soluble antioxidant team helps to prevent cholesterol from becoming oxidized. Oxidized cholesterol is able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, where it can cause blocked arteries, heart attack or stroke. Getting plenty of vitamin C and beta-carotene can help prevent these complications, and a cup of boiled spinach can provide you with 294.8% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin A along with 29.4% of the DV for vitamin C.

Spinach is also an excellent source of folate. Folate is needed by the body to help convert a potentially dangerous chemical called homocysteine that can lead to heart attack or stroke if levels get too high, into other benign molecules. In addition, spinach is an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that can help to lower high blood pressure and protect against heart disease as well. A cup of boiled spinach contains 65.6% of the daily value for folate and 39.1% of the daily value for magnesium.

In addition to its hefty supply of cardioprotective vitamins and minerals, a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry has revealed that spinach Rubisco contains four peptides (protein components) that inhibit angiotensin I-converting enzyme-the same enzyme blocked by ACE inhibitor drugs, which are used to lower blood pressure. When given to laboratory animals bred to be hypertensive, spinach produced a blood pressure lowering effect within two to four hours. How much spinach did the animals have to eat to get this beneficial effect? Just 20 to 30 mg of these powerful spinach peptides for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of their body weight. In human terms, what this suggests is that an entrée-sized spinach salad for lunch or a serving of steamed spinach as part of the evening meal may have a salutary effect on blood pressure two to four hours later.

Promotes Gastrointestinal Health

The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach help to protect the colon cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. And the folate in spinach helps to prevent DNA damage and mutations in colon cells, even when they are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. Studies show that people who eat foods high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and/or folate are at a much lower risk of getting colon cancer than those who don't.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients

The nutrients in spinach can also help with conditions in which inflammation plays a role. For example, asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis are all conditions that involve inflammation. Since beta-carotene and vitamin C have anti-inflammatory properties, they can be helpful for reducing symptoms in some patients. In addition, the magnesium and riboflavin in spinach, two nutrients of which it is an excellent source, may help to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks in people who suffer from them.

A Smarter Brain with Spinach

In animal studies, researchers have found that spinach may help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related related declines in brain function. Researchers found that feeding aging laboratory animals spinach-rich diets significantly improved both their learning capacity and motor skills. Read more about brain benefits of spinach.

Vitamin E-rich Leafy Greens Slow Loss of Mental Function

Mental performance normally declines with age, but the results of Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) suggest that eating just 3 servings of green leafy, yellow and cruciferous vegetables each day could slow this decline by 40%, suggests a study in the journal Neurology (Morris MC, Evans DA, et al.) Compared to people who consumed less than one serving of vegetables a day, people who ate at least 2.8 servings of vegetables a day saw their rate of cognitive decline slow by roughly 40%. This decrease is equivalent to about five years of younger age, said lead author Martha Clare Morris, ScD, with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The prospective cohort study, funded by the National Institute of Aging, used dietary data from 3,718 participants (62% female, 60% African American, average age 74). Mental function was assessed with four different tests: the East Boston Tests of immediate memory and delayed recall, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, taken at the start of the study and then again after 3 and 6 years.

After adjusting the results for potential confounders such as age, sex, race, education, and cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers found that consuming an average of 2.8 vegetable servings each day was associated with a 40% decrease in cognitive decline, compared to those who ate an average of less than one (0.9) serving a day. Of the different types of vegetables, green leafy vegetables had the strongest association, said Dr. Morris.

Surprisingly, no relationship was found between fruit consumption and cognitive decline.

Morris hypothesizes that this may be due to the fact that vegetables, but not fruits, contain high amounts of vitamin E, which helps lower the risk of cognitive decline. Also, vegetables, but not fruits, are typically consumed with a little fat, such as olive oil or salad dressing, which increases the body's ability to absorb vitamin E.

The Rush University researchers plan further research to understand why fruit appears to have little effect and to explore the effects of citrus fruit, specifically, on cognitive decline. Bottomline: If you remember to enjoy at least 3 servings of leafy greens each day, you are much more likely to remember other things as well!

Better Eyesight from Spinach

Lutein, a carotenoid protective against eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataract, is found in green vegetables, especially spinach, as well as kale and broccoli. But egg yolks, although they contain significantly less lutein than spinach, are a much more bioavailable source whose consumption increases lutein concentrations in the blood many-fold higher than spinach,shows a human study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Although the mechanism by which egg yolk increases lutein bioavailability is not yet known, it is likely due to the fats (cholesterol and choline) found in egg yolk since lutein, like other carotenoids, is fat-soluble and cannot be absorbed unless fat is also present. To maximally boost your lutein absorption from spinach, we suggest enjoying this vegetable, whether steamed, sautéed or fresh in spinach salad, with a little olive oil and/or a topping of chopped hard-boiled egg to provide your body with some fats to help enhance the bioavailability of this fat-soluble phytonutrient.

Iron for Energy

Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron, a mineral that it particularly important for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency. Boosting iron stores with spinach is a good idea, especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well-known source of iron, spinach provides iron for a lot less calories and is totally fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And, if you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron. In one cup of boiled spinach, you'll be provided with 35.7% of the daily value for iron.

So while spinach probably won't make you super strong the minute you eat it, as it did for Popeye, it will promote your health and vitality in many other ways. It seems like Popeye was pretty smart after all.

Description

Spinach belongs to the same family (Chenopodiaceae) as chard and beets. It shares a similar taste profile with these two other vegetables-it has the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of chard.

Popeye popularized spinach, but it's too bad he ate it out of a can. Fresh spinach retains the delicacy of texture and jade green color that is lost when spinach is processed. Raw spinach has a mild, slightly sweet taste that can be refreshing in salads, while its flavor becomes more acidic and robust when it is cooked.

There are three different types of spinach generally available. Savoy has crisp, creased curly leaves that have a springy texture. Smooth-leaf has flat, unwrinkled, spade-shaped leaves, while semi-savoy is similar in texture to savoy but is not as crinkled in appearance. Baby spinach is great for use in salads as it has a sweeter taste, probably owing to its reduced concentration of oxalic acid. Spinacia oleracea is the scientific name of this leafy vegetable.

History

Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (Iran). Spinach made its way to China in the 7th century when the king of Nepal sent it as a gift to this country. Spinach has a much more recent history in Europe than many other vegetables. It was only brought to that continent in the 11th century, when the Moors introduced it into Spain. In fact, for a while, spinach was known as "the Spanish vegetable" in England.

Spinach was the favorite vegetable of Catherine de Medici, a historical figure in the 16th century. When she left her home of Florence, Italy, to marry the king of France, she brought along her own cooks, who could prepare spinach the ways that she especially liked. Since this time, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as "a la Florentine."

Spinach grows well in temperate climates. Today, the United States and the Netherlands are among the largest commercial producers of spinach.

How to Select and Store

Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating as this is an indication of decay.

Store fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep fresh for about five days. Do not wash it before storing as the moisture will cause it to spoil. Avoid storing cooked spinach as it will not keep very well.

Tips for Preparing Spinach:

Spinach, whether bunched or prepackaged, should be washed very well since the leaves and stems tend to collect sand and soil. Before washing, trim off the roots and separate the leaves. Place the spinach in a large bowl of tepid water and swish the leaves around with your hands as this will allow any dirt to become dislodged. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl, refill with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt remains in the water (usually two to three times will do the trick). Cut away any overly thick stems to ensure for more even cooking. If you are going to use the spinach in a salad, you can dry it in either a salad spinner or by shaking it in a colander. If you are going to cook it, you do not need to worry about drying it well as the remaining water will serve to help it cook. Spinach is one of the few vegetables we suggest quick boiling (for one minute). That's because boiling will help to reduce the amount of oxalic acids found in spinach, resulting in a sweeter taste.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Add layers of steamed spinach to your next lasagna recipe.
• Toss steamed spinach with pressed garlic, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.
• Pine nuts are a great addition to cooked spinach.
• Spinach salads are a classic easy and delicious meal or side dish.

Allergic Reactions to Spinach

Although allergic reactions can occur to virtually any food, research studies on food allergy consistently report more problems with some foods than with others. It turns out that spinach is one of the foods most commonly associated with allergic reactions. Other foods commonly associated with allergic reactions include: cow's milk, wheat, soy, shrimp, oranges, eggs, chicken, strawberries, tomato, peanuts, pork, corn and beef. These foods do not need to be eaten in their pure, isolated form in order to trigger an adverse reaction. For example, yogurt made from cow's milk is also a common allergenic food, even though the cow's milk has been processed and fermented in order to make the yogurt. Ice cream made from cow's milk would be an equally good example.

Some of the most common symptoms for food allergies include eczema, hives, skin rash, headache, runny nose, itchy eyes, wheezing, gastrointestinal disturbances, depression, hyperactivity and insomnia. Individuals who suspect food allergy to be an underlying factor in their health problems may want to avoid commonly allergenic foods.

Spinach and Pesticide Residues

Virtually all municipal drinking water in the United States contains pesticide residues, and with the exception of organic foods, so do the majority of foods in the U.S. food supply. Even though pesticides are present in food at very small trace levels, their negative impact on health is well documented. The liver's ability to process other toxins, the cells' ability to produce energy, and the nerves' ability to send messages can all be compromised by pesticide exposure. According to the Environmental Working Group's 2006 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," spinach is among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. Therefore, individuals wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks may want to avoid consumption of spinach unless it is grown organically.

Spinach and Oxalates

Spinach is among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating spinach. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we've seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits - including absorption of calcium - from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content.

Spinach and Goitrogens

Spinach contains goitrogens, naturally-occurring substances in certain foods that can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland. Individuals with already existing and untreated thyroid problems may want to avoid spinach for this reason. Cooking may help to inactivate the goitrogenic compounds found in food. However, it is not clear from the research exactly what percent of goitrogenic compounds get inactivated by cooking, or exactly how much risk is involved with the consumption of spinach by individuals with pre-existing and untreated thyroid problems.

Spinach and Purines

Spinach contain naturally-occurring substances called purines. Purines are commonly found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called "gout" and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purine-containing foods such as spinach.

Nutritional Profile

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium.

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Spinach is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Spinach.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient name you will find the following information: the amount of the nutrient that is included in the noted serving of this food; the %Daily Value (DV) that that amount represents; the nutrient density rating; and the food's World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised.

Content of Nutrients in the Spinach

Spinach, boiled 1.00 cup 180.00 grams 41.40 calories
Nutrient	Amount	DV(%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
vitamin K	888.50 mcg	1110.6	482.9	excellent
vitamin A	14742.00 IU	294.8	128.2	excellent
manganese	1.68 mg	84.0	36.5	excellent
folate	262.44 mcg	65.6	28.5	excellent
magnesium	156.60 mg	39.1	17.0	excellent
iron	6.43 mg	35.7	15.5	excellent
vitamin C	17.64 mg	29.4	12.8	excellent
vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	0.42 mg	24.7	10.7	excellent
calcium	244.80 mg	24.5	10.6	excellent
potassium	838.80 mg	24.0	10.4	excellent
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)	0.44 mg	22.0	9.6	excellent
tryptophan	0.07 g	21.9	9.5	excellent
dietary fiber	4.32 g	17.3	7.5	very good
copper	0.31 mg	15.5	6.7	very good
vitamin B1 (thiamin)	0.17 mg	11.3	4.9	very good
protein	5.35 g	10.7	4.7	very good
phosphorus	100.80 mg	10.1	4.4	very good
zinc	1.37 mg	9.1	4.0	very good
vitamin E	1.72 mg	8.6	3.7	very good
omega 3 fatty acids	0.15 g	6.0	2.6	good
vitamin B3 (niacin)	0.88 mg	4.4	1.9	good
selenium	2.70 mcg	3.9	1.7	good

World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule

World's Healthiest Foods Rating	Rule
excellent	DV>=75%	OR	Density>=7.6	AND	DV>=10%
very good	DV>=50%	OR	Density>=3.4	AND	DV>=5%
good	DV>=25%	OR	Density>=1.5	AND	DV>=2.5%

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100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

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100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Besides eating to lose weight, why not eat to improve your productivity? Whether the following foods help sharpen your eyesight, keep your brain focused, or just fill you up without making you feel lazy, you’ll find they’ll help you keep your day on track.

Energy

Most of us can be productive in the mornings, but if you find that you’re unable to concentrate or simply lose the energy to keep going many afternoons, these energy and brainpower boosting foods are what you need.

1. Eggplant: As long as you don’t forget to eat the skin, it doesn’t matter how you ingest your eggplant. Eggplant skin contains the nutrient naunin, which keeps your brain sharp by increasing communication between your brain cells and messenger molecules. You won’t be able to help staying focused after eating eggplant.

2. Raisins: If you need a boost of energy, steer clear of the carbs and grab a pack of raisins. These high-energy fruits are low in fat and calories and rich in antioxidants which help restore your body’s most important cells.

3. Lima beans: Now that you’re over the age of eight, we hope you can finally appreciate why your mother made you eat your lima beans. Lima beans give you tons of energy from iron and dietary fiber while preventing your body from absorbing too much sugar. Iron helps you get a good night’s sleep, as it prevents anemia, a leading cause in sleepless nights for women.

4. Corn: Eating corn can help combat stress, so eat up. The important nutrient pantothenic acid is prevalent in corn, which helps metabolism and alleviates stress.

5. Figs: Figs have the best kind of dietary fiber that maintains high energy levels while keeping your appetite far away. Whether you find fresh figs or a pack of the dried fruit, enjoy its natural sweetness.

6. Tuna: While doctors continue to debate over the good and bad effects of tuna, especially when consumed by pregnant women, there’s no way to ignore the fact that tuna is the original brain food. Not only does tuna help you focus, it also fends off depression. Tuna is good for your heart and helps prevent childhood asthma.

7. Spinach: Make like Popeye and inhale that spinach. Full of practically every nutrient you could think of, spinach is the easiest way to take in all your vitamins at once. In addition to fighting cancer and building strong bones and muscles, spinach reduces stress and help keeps your brain young and focused.

8. Chicken: Chicken is a lean alternative to beef. It is filled with protein and important B vitamins that give you loads of energy and speed up your metabolism. Eat chicken several times a week and you’ll never be too tired to exercise again.

9. Turnip greens: Turnip greens usually don’t get as much credit as they should. A not-so-popular vegetable among children, turnip greens help keep your mind sharp as you creep into old age.

10. Green beans: Top off your salad with fresh green beans and feel your energy bounce back. Green beans are packed with iron and zinc, as well as immune-strengthening vitamins A and C.

11. Cod: Cod, like the other fish that appear on this list, is an optimal way to get your protein without indulging in a lot of calories. It also helps your brain stay focused and ward off depression.

12. Hummus: This all-natural food is an easy way to get some energy-boosting protein fast. Spread hummus on whole grain bread or rye bread for a tasty and quick snack.

13. Pita bread: Pick a hearty wheat or whole grain version of this ancient food to reap its health benefits. Pita bread generally has a few more calories than regular sliced bread, but it will help you stay full and focused longer.

14. Peanut butter: Get back in the game after just a swallow of this childhood favorite. In moderation, peanut butter makes a great snack. Indulge in a spoonful to curb your appetite and cravings for sugar.

15. Kidney beans: These large beans are vital for maintaining high energy levels for long periods of time. Add to chili for a satisfying meal.

16. Honey: Drizzle a little honey on your morning toast, and you’ll not only get rid of your sugar cravings, you’ll also decrease your chances of catching a virus or other nasty disease.

17. Walnuts

: The omega 3 fatty acids found in walnuts help you think more clearly and keep you focused your day. Also excellent sources of protein, walnuts are a delicious alternative to potato chips.

18. Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are another popular, but uncommon, way to beat fatigue. They require a lot of work to eat, so your mouth will get a lot of exercise, forcing your body to work for its food.

19. Lemons: A squeeze of lemon in your tea or even sucking a sliced lemon for a few seconds will wake up your mouth and give you that extra pep you need to finish the day.

20. Sage: Banish forgetfulness with an extra dash of sage. Sage has been proven to improve memory, so you can start untying those strings from around your finger.

Eyesight

For many entrepreneurs, long hours in front of the computer screen has become an absolute necessity. These foods that benefit the eyes will help you ensure that all that time spent staring at a 17 inch screen doesn’t wear your eyes out.

21. Strawberries: As with the other fruits on this list, strawberries help your eyesight. If you’re glaring at your computer all day or just enjoy watching a lot of TV, you’re going to need all the help you can get. Eating strawberries has also been linked to preventing cancer.

22. Carrots: One cup of chopped carrots will give you six times your recommended daily value of Vitamin A. They improve eyesight, especially in the dark. Rumor has it that carrots will also make your eyes sparkle.

23. Smoothies: Smoothies made with real fruit are a tasty, filling way to take in a significant amount of fruits. You’ll feel like you’re indulging in a naughty snack, but you’re not.

24. Flaxseeds: If you’ve been working or studying all day, your eyes are probably feeling a little dried out. Flaxseeds help prevent dry eye syndrome, allowing you to feel fresh even after a hard day.

General Productivity Boosters

The foods in this category don’t just boost your productivity in a single way, but rather they help you across multiple categories.

25. Salmon: Not just a fish dish delicacy, a single serving of salmon is also full of healthy benefits. Low in calories but high in important omega 3 fatty acids and protein, salmon will keep your appetite at bay while you concentrate on your busy day. Salmon is known for keeping high-blood pressure in check – a benefit for the demanding currency trading lifestyle. Salmon also lowers your chances of sunburn, dry eyes, stroke, prostate cancer, and even minimizes feelings of hostility in young adults. Without the distractions of moody adolescents, you’ll be able to get twice as much done!

26. Shrimp: Low in calories but high in Vitamin D and protein, shrimp is an excellent choice for a snack or even a whole meal. Good for the heart and the brain, shrimp will help you age gracefully while it decreases your chances of Alzheimer’s.

27. Water: Water is probably the most underestimated health drink on the planet. Water speeds up your metabolism, keeps you hydrated, helps skin stay acne-free, and kills appetite. You’ll also be flushing out your digestive system and colon.

28. Turkey: This lean meat isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Turkey is a huge source of protein and energy. It helps your body fight cancer. Just don’t eat a turkey sandwich for lunch if you’ve got a busy afternoon ahead of you because turkey is full of tryptophan that make you sleepy.

29. Mustard Greens: Mustard greens prevent the chances of your body developing asthma and helps relax your muscles if you already have it, allowing you to breathe more easily and regularly.

30. Dill: Dill is a popular seasoning not just for its zippy flavor but also for its ability to control bacteria growth. It contains calcium, iron, and magnesium, helping your bones stay strong while you rush around.

31. Plums: Not only do plums have a lot of iron, they improve your body’s chances of absorbing enough iron.

32. Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, are surprisingly good for you. Despite their sweet taste, they have been recently labeled as the “antidiabetic food.” As it turns out, sweet potatoes maintain a balance of your blood sugar levels. They also contain an impressive number of antioxidants and proteins.

33. Papaya: The benefits to eating papaya are endless. The colorful fruit helps protect you against the potential damages of secondhand smoke, rheumatoid arthritis, and even the common cold.

34. Pear: If you’re allergic to many of the fruits on this list, try a pear. Pears are hypo-allergenic, so they provide you with all the healthy benefits of any other fruit, without the nasty side effects.

35. Cauliflower: Like most other vegetables included on this list, cauliflower has an immense amount of Vitamin C and impressive detoxifying capabilities. Just don’t pour on the ranch dressing, or you’ll also be getting a lot of fat and calories.

Avoiding Colds and Other Common Illnesses

Being productive is as much about minimizing downtime as it is about having more energy. These foods will help boost your immune system and ensure that your out of commission for fewer days each year.

36. Orange juice: Unless you like getting colds, you’d better drink your OJ everyday. As a prime source of vitamin C, orange juice will keep you energized and healthy…not to mention out of bed and sneeze-free.

37. Bell peppers: Want to maintain your busy lifestyle? Better include bell peppers in your daily diet. It doesn’t matter what color, red, green, or yellow, each variety of bell peppers is full of Vitamin A and C, as well as other nutrients which will keep away joint pain and nasty colds.

38. Green tea: You may not believe it, but green tea is as healthy as it is trendy. Full of beneficial antioxidants, green tea also strengthens your immune system, saving you a trip to the doctor.

39. Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a tasty, salty snack that reduce symptoms of arthritis and keep you on the move. They strengthen your immune system, so instead of chowing down on sticky candy this Halloween save those pumpkin seeds and snack away.

40. Summer squash: Summer squash, or zucchini, is a tasty vegetable that fights diseases big and small. Packed with Vitamin C, folates, and fiber, squash fights against colds and arthritis, metabolic disorders, and even cancer.

41. Ground cinnamon: Next time you feel a cough or the chills coming on drink some tea spiked with ground cinnamon. The spice’s warming powers will ease your discomfort and may help ward off the cold altogether.

42. Garlic: As long as you pack some mints, it’s more than okay to indulge in a little garlic. Garlic is a natural anti-inflammatory, meaning that it is an excellent way to help your body fight infections from the common cold to HIV.

43. Apricots: Eating apricots regularly will reduce your chances of getting sick. This fruit is also good for your heart and keeps your eyes sharp.

44. Cayenne pepper: Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on your meal, and clear up a stuffy nose, wake up a lazy mind, or speed up your metabolism. Cayenne pepper also acts as a natural pain reliever, so simple aches and pains won’t be able to stand in your way.

45. Cranberries: If you’ve got a urinary tract infection, you won’t be able to concentrate on anything. Drink some cranberry juice (cranberry juice concentrate won’t do the trick) and down a handful or two of the fresh fruit itself. You won’t have to wait too long before the natural healing effects take over.

46. Cloves: Add cloves to homemade soup or when baking a spice cake, and you’ll not only protect yourself from dangerous environmental toxins, you’ll also ease any annoying joint pain.

47. Clementines: Clementines are a delicious, portable fruit, so feel free to take 2 or even 3 along with you as you head out the door. Clementines may be small, but they’re loaded with potassium, antioxidants, and of course Vitamin C. Dip in chocolate for an extra special treat.

Improving Digestion and Sleep

All the energy foods in the world won’t do you any good if you aren’t getting a decent night’s sleep or are constantly having stomach pains. The foods in this category will help to settle your stomach and ensure that you will be rested for the next day.

48. Black beans: Black beans give your body the right kinds of dietary fiber which help clear out your digestive system and keep your tummy from growling between meals. Great as a topper on salads or mixed with salsa for a delicious dip, black beans are also an excellent source of iron, which gives you more energy and focus throughout the day.

49. Bran cereal: Bran is a huge source of dietary fiber, which keeps you full and cleans out your digestive system. Great for battling constipation, bran will keep your mind on your day and not on having to use the restroom.

50. Avocado: Avocados are full of dietary fiber and potassium, which will keep you from cramping up due to bloating. Add a little avocado to your salad or appetizer menu and sleep like a baby.

51. Apples: You already know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but do you know why? This sweet snack has a lot of fiber which cleans out your digestive tract while preventing stroke and lowering cholesterol levels.

52. Brown rice: Your body digests brown rice much more easily than white rice, all the while soaking up the grain’s valuable nutrients. Brown rice lowers cholesterol and is packed with energy-giving fiber and manganese.

53. Onions: Adding onions to any dish will add taste while lowering your blood sugar. Onions are also good for the overall health of your stomach, settling that queasy tummy during a hangover.

54. Grapefruit: Loaded with Vitamin C, grapefruit is one of the best ways to fight a cold so you’re alert during the day and decongested enough to sleep at night. It even gives protection against painful kidney stones.

55. Pound cake: Munch on pound cake or another sensible dessert to help you drift off to dreamland. Studies show that carbohydrates and comfort food ease your body into a deep sleep. Just be careful not to overindulge or you’ll start packing on the pounds fast.

56. Pinto beans: Beans, beans, magical fruit. While most beans boost the ability to clear out your digestive tract in no time flat, pinto beans are probably the best at it. Also a great source of fiber, pinto beans are just another food that keeps your mind on your work, not your appetite.

57. Celery: Celery is a great source for Vitamin C and is a popular diuretic. Say goodbye to bloating and cramps when you pile on the celery.

58. Cucumbers: Kill two birds with one stone when you eat your cucumbers. Loaded with fiber, cucumbers are full of water, which your body needs to help you digest the high-energy giving fiber.

59. Peppermint: If you’ve got a stomach ache or just need to perk up a little bit, try some peppermint. Peppermint is a known muscle relaxant which eases your tummy. It helps you breathe easier, clearing up nasal passages and easing sinus pressure. Get rid of that headache and get back your concentration.

60. Ginger: Beat nausea and gas with ginger tea or ginger snap cookies. A powerful fighter against motion sickness, morning sickness, and bad gas, ginger eases your tummy muscles and combats gas naturally.

61. Pineapple: A serving of fresh pineapple eases your digestive tract and will keep cramps at bay, all while satisfying your desire to nibble on something sweet.

62. Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe is one of the best sources of Vitamin A, but it is also rich in potassium. A good choice for anyone who does a lot of walking or running. Cantaloupe will keep your muscles elastic and cramp-free.

63. Soybeans: If you’ve been having trouble sleeping, eat soybeans with your dinner. High levels of tryptophan will increase your chances of falling and staying awake all night long.

64. Asparagus: Cooked in a casserole or laid gracefully along a plate of lamb, asparagus is full of healthy benefits. A natural diuretic, asparagus combats bloating and PMS, while also protecting a new fetus as it develops inside the uterus.

Low Fat Filling Foods

Bootstrappers often lead a sedentary lifestyle, meaning that if you want to remain fit and productive you’ll need to keep your fat consumption down. The foods in this category are designed to fill you up without expanding your waistline.

65. Salsa: Salsa makes a delicious add-on to breakfast eggs or virtually any appetizer, but it also helps control weight gain. An appetite suppressant, salsa helps the body burn calories throughout the day, keeping your mind from obsessing about calorie counting and snacking.

66. Egg whites: All the protein of regular eggs without the calories and fat that raise your cholesterol. A favorite among dieters and athletes, egg whites and a sensible exercise routine will keep you looking trim and strong.

67. Venison: Whether you shoot it yourself or buy it from the store, venison is a healthy way to enjoy your red meat. Extremely high in protein, venison is surprisingly low in saturated fat. Instead of feeling groggy and greasy after your meal, you’ll feel energized and healthy.

68. Yogurt: Low-fat yogurt is an easy alternative to drinking a glass of milk each day. Yet another great source of calcium, yogurt is also rich in nutrients like B12, good-for-you bacteria and iodine, which strengthen your immune system and even adds years to your life.

69. Cheese: Cheese isn’t just a valuable source of calcium; it also keeps your muscles elastic, which decreases your chance of experiencing injury or soreness. Be sensible, of course, layering a low-fat variety on your sandwich or eating a handful of cheese cubes is much more healthy than indulging in a greasy slice of pizza.

70. Milk: Lowfat and skim milk are full of calcium but low in unnecessary fat and calories. Drinking a glass will keep your stomach full and away from the vending machines. Recent studies also suggest that milk helps your body’s ability to burn fat and lose weight. Drink up!

71. Almonds: Almonds are any weight watcher’s dream snack. Filled with good fats that your body can work off quickly, almonds stay with you so you’re not constantly craving more food. Keep a can on your desk and keep your stomach quiet while you work.

72. Potatoes: Stay away from the sour cream and bacon bits, and you’ll enjoy your potato’s health benefits as much as the filling vegetable itself. Dieters often shun the potato because of its starches and carbohydrates, but eating a potato is a surprisingly low-calorie food, which also gives your body the cancer-fighting nutrients it needs.

73. Tofu: A healthier alternative to meat, tofu still manages to deliver the needed protein, iron and other nutrients to your body. Tofu is a must-include food for any woman going through menopause, as it maintains a balance of fluctuating estrogen levels and rids your body of symptoms like hot flashes. Talk about improved productivity.

74. Watermelon: Slicing up a watermelon is another great way to have dessert without having to count calories. Despite its simple construction, watermelon is a powerful cancer fighter and energy booster.

75. Snow peas: This healthy vegetable doubles as a crunchy snack that might just help you stay awake. The low-calorie food means you can snap away on as many as you’d like, exercising your mouth and avoid falling asleep at your desk.

76. Snapper: Another take on the fish plate is snapper. Snapper is great for your heart but low in calories, so don’t feel bad about going back for seconds!

77. Diet soda: If you have to drink soda, better make it diet. You’ll eliminate empty calories and teeth-destroying sugar, but still benefit from the caffeine.

78. Vanilla soy milk: Flavored soy milk makes drinking your milk as tasty as downing a vanilla shake. Instead of all that sugar and fat, you’ll enjoy the lasting benefits of protein.

79. Whole wheat pasta: If you’re dying for Italian food, don’t deny yourself a hearty bowl of good pasta. Substitute white flour pasta for the whole wheat variety. Your body will work off the whole wheat faster, and after dinner you won’t be lying around complaining that you’re too stuffed to do anything.

80. Low fat frozen yogurt: A cool burst of this refreshing dessert will wake up your mouth and your mind in no time. Indulging in a sweet treat also helps break up your day.

Controlling Blood Pressure and Becoming Heart Healthy

Entrepreneurs are generally an anxious bunch. All that worrying and hustling can be terrible for your heart, so its important to control your blood pressure.

81. Bananas: Bananas are rich in Vitamin B and C, but they’re most appreciated for their extremely high levels of potassium, which maintain blood pressure and reduce the probability of stroke. Bananas also contain a vital but often overlooked nutrient called fructooligosaccharide, which increases your body’s ability to absorb calcium and build strong bones.

82. Dark chocolate: Indulging in a piece of rich dark chocolate once a day will satisfy your craving for sweets while lowering blood pressure and giving you a load of antioxidants. It’s also been suggested to act as an aphrodisiac, so what are you waiting for?

83. Scallops: Scallops are packed with protein, magnesium and vitamin B12, reducing your risk of blood clots and heart problems.

84. Romaine lettuce: When you’re washing lettuce for your salad, pay extra attention to the green, leafy kind. Romaine lettuce is packed with Vitamins K, A, and C, and is also good for your heart.

85. Olives: Olives are another small but significant anti-inflammatory, as they reduce symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and even menopause. Whether you add them to your pizza or salad, don’t forget the olives!

86. Kiwi: Another surprising food that alleviates asthma symptoms kiwi. It reduces the uncomfortable wheezing associated with the respiratory disease. Also an excellent source for antioxidants, refreshing kiwi will also help your body stabilize blood sugar.

87. Grapes: Another heart-healthy fruit, grapes can help balance out fattier foods and prevent the formation of dangerous blood clots.

88. Collard greens: Guilty only by association, collard greens are an incredible source of nutrients, not a greasy home-cooked artery clogger. Rich in Vitamins A, C, and K, collard greens are a menacing weapon against breast cancer.

Cancer and Long-Term Illness Prevention

While we commonly think of productivity in the short-term, when considering your health and that of your company, it is important to recognize that long-term illness can pose a very serious risk

89. Blueberries: Grab a handful to curb your craving for sweets or sprinkle on top of a dessert to satisfy your Vitamin C and E intake. Blueberries also help your eyes quickly adjust to the dark and stay alert during nighttime hours. Blueberries help the brain stay young and avoid the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related brain degenerations. Prime blueberry season lasts May-October.

90. Kale: The cancer-fighting advantages of this leafy green vegetable are enormous. Vitamins K, A, and C are abundant in just one serving, as are other key elements such as dietary fiber, iron, calcium, and omega 3 fatty acids. Kale protects eyes against damaging UV rays and lowers chances for arthritis. Good news whether you’re an athlete or your job has you locked to the keyboard all day!

91. Cabbage: While cabbage contains huge amounts of Vitamin K and other important minerals, its health benefits are especially significant for women. Increasing the rate at which estrogen is broken down, cabbage is good for a cancer-preventing diet.

92. Tomatoes: Tomatoes offer an impressive amount of vitamins as well as being a lead contender in the fight against prostate cancer. Slice up for a salad or roast along with tasty summer vegetables for a spicy side dish.

93. Leeks: Adding leeks to your salad or soup will give your vitamin A and C levels a needed boost, as well as helps your body fight colon and prostate cancer. A vegetable with virtually no calories, leeks are a great snacking choice if you’re trying to quit smoking. Keep your mouth occupied and the weight off while you nibble on this semi-sweet treat.

94. Broccoli: Just one serving of broccoli will give you a double dose of your daily Vitamin C. Broccoli also helps prevent ulcers and prostate and bladder cancers. So add it as a side to your dinner instead of fries or greasy chips.

95. Rye bread: Don’t reach for that sticky white bread any longer. Rye contains as much if not more cancer-fighting nutrients than vegetables and will help you feeling full longer.

96. Raspberries: For a fruit so small, raspberries are an enormous source of antioxidants. Raspberries are one of the only fruits that contain ellagitannins, making them a must on our list and an excellent combatant against cancer.

97. Basil: Sprinkling just a couple of teaspoons on in your tomato sauce can help protect your family’s genes. Basil strengthens your DNA cell structures and protects against unwanted bacteria which could make you sick.

98. Crimini mushrooms: These darker mushrooms are rich in valuable antioxidants and iron, combating colon cancer and other diseases while increasing your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

99. Brussels sprouts: Another key ingredient to avoiding getting sick, Brussels sprouts are full of Vitamins K and C. They also work to clean out your system and fight many types of cancer.

100. Seaweed: Don’t cringe, it’s good for you. And for your potential baby. Seaweed prevents many birth defects, as well as lessening menopause symptoms.

Now that we’ve provided you with 100 healthy foods, you won’t have any more excuses as to why you’re feeling a tickle in your throat or why you’re groggy and lethargic because of a too-full tummy. Try to incorporate foods from this list into your daily meals, and you’ll experience better and longer productivity all day everyday.

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Warning: milk eliminates health benefits of tea

Research has found that the protective effect that tea has on the cardiovascular system is totally wiped out by adding milk.

Tests on volunteers showed that black tea significantly improves the ability of the arteries to relax and expand, but adding milk completely blunts the effect. Supporting tests on rat aortas (aortic rings) and endothelial (lining) cells showed that tea relaxed the aortic rings by producing nitric oxide, which promotes dilation of blood vessels. But, again, adding milk blocked the effect.

The findings, by cardiologists and scientists from the Charité Hospital, Universitätsmedizin-Berlin, Germany, are bad news for tea-drinking nations like the British, who normally add milk to their beverage. The results have led the researchers to suggest that tea drinkers who customarily add milk should consider omitting it some of the time.

Their study showed that the culprit in milk is a group of proteins called caseins, which they found interacted with the tea to decrease the concentration of catechins in the beverage. Catechins are the flavonoids in tea that mainly contribute to its protection against cardiovascular disease.

Senior researcher Dr Verena Stangl, Professor of Cardiology (Molecular Atherosclerosis) at the hospital, said: “There is a broad body of evidence from experimental and clinical studies indicating that tea exerts antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and vasodilating effects, thereby protecting against cardiovascular diseases. As worldwide tea consumption is second only to that of water, its beneficial effects represent an important public health issue. But, up to now, it’s not been known whether adding milk to tea, as widely practised in the UK and some other countries, influences these protective properties. So, we decided to investigate the effects of tea, with and without milk, on endothelial function, because that is a sensitive indicator of what is happening to blood vessels.”

Sixteen healthy postmenopausal women drank either half a litre of freshly brewed black tea, black tea with 10% skimmed milk, or boiled water (as a control) on three separate occasions under the same conditions. The endothelial function of the brachial artery in the forearm was measured by high resolution ultrasound before and two hours after drinking, with measurements being taken every 15 seconds for up to two minutes a time.

Said first author Dr Mario Lorenz, a molecular biologist: “We found that, whereas drinking tea significantly increased the ability of the artery to relax and expand to accommodate increased blood flow compared with drinking water, the addition of milk completely prevents the biological effect. To extend our findings to a functional model, we determined vasodilation in rat aortic rings by exposing them to tea on its own and tea with individual milk proteins added, and got the same result.”

Milk contains a number of different proteins: by testing each one separately, the researchers found that it was the three caseins that accounted for the inhibiting effect, probably by forming complexes with tea catechins.

Said Dr Stangl: “The well-established benefits of tea have been described in many studies. Our results thus provide a possible explanation for the lack of beneficial effects of tea on the risk of heart disease in the UK, a country where milk is usually added.”

She said their findings could also have implications for cancer, against which tea has also been shown to be protective. “Since milk appears to modify the biological activities of tea ingredients, it is likely that the anti-tumour effects of tea could be affected as well. I think it is essential that we re-examine the association between tea consumption and cancer protection, to see if that is the case.”

Said Dr Lorenz: “It is important to bear in mind that green tea is almost exclusively drunk without milk. So we are talking only about those countries and regions where black tea is consumed and where milk is added. We certainly don’t want to dismiss the consumption of black tea: the results of our study merely attempt to encourage people to consider that, while the addition of milk may improve its taste, it may also lower its health-protective properties.”

Dr Stangl said that another important lesson from their research was that it was vital in nutritional studies to exclude confounding factors as far as possible. Often, the effects of a single nutritional compound or beverage such as red wine, olive oil and so on, are analysed. But, it is difficult to assign clearly the observed effects and separate them from the surrounding food matrix (such as adding milk) that may bias results. It was therefore important to collect all data accurately and include potentially confounding factors in the analysis.

She said that the team was now in the process of comparing the effects of green and black tea on vascular function. “It’s an ongoing question whether green tea, with its higher catechin content, is superior to black tea in regard to endothelial function. In addition, because of the antiatherogenic potential of tea ingredients, we want to investigate the effects of the ingredients on chronic cardiovascular processes such as the development of restenosis (re-narrowing of arteries) after catheter procedures.”

[Source]

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The Cretan Diet: Uncovering Its Heart Health Secrets Through the Ages

Studies have long examined what it is about the “Mediterranean” eating pattern that protects against heart disease. Does the answer lie in Crete?

Crete, the legendary birthplace of Zeus, has been a part of human history for 8,000 years. Paleolithic man arrived there around 6000 BC, and over millennia, people from a wide variety of cultures — Minoans, Romans, Arabs, Turks, and others — came to conquer and control the often prosperous and fertile island. Roughly 40 years ago, Crete became the birthplace of something new: the Mediterranean diet, a heart-healthy eating pattern that has become, for many, the de facto diet of anyone living in countries bordering the northern Mediterranean Sea.

Unfortunately, many details of the original research about the Cretan diet have been lost in translation, and nutrition recommendations developed from those studies are often condensed into three generalities: consume more olive oil, fish, and wine. A look back at the original research about the Cretan diet reveals an indigenous pattern of eating far more nutritionally complex and, in reality, not easily replicated outside its place of origin.

More than 20 countries border or lie inside the Mediterranean Sea. The diets of people living in Spain, Italy, Albania, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia are as varied and diverse as their cultures and weather. Thus, the term Mediterranean diet is rather misleading. The diet recommendations with this regional characterization are actually based, in large part, on an epidemiological study of men living in rural Crete in the 1950s. This, the Seven Countries Study, investigated the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 18 regions in seven countries: Italy, Yugoslavia, the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Finland, and Greece. This study was unique and progressive for its time, comparing the lifestyle, diet, and disease risk among contrasting populations with the hypothesis that CVD risk factors are variable and modifiable. The study included only men because heart disease was then rare among women, and researchers also considered many of their field exams inappropriately invasive.

Ancel Keys and the Seven Countries StudyAncel Keys, PhD, a professor of physiology at the University of Minnesota from 1936 to 1975, was the chief investigator in the Seven Countries Study. Keys was interested in the relationship among nutrition, health, and disease. In addition to being well-known (and maligned) for his formulation of “K rations,” he was also one of the first research scientists to conduct a large, prospective epidemiological study of CVD incidence and risk. After observing significant differences in the incidence of CVD among groups of well-fed Minnesota businessmen (high) and malnourished post-World War II Europeans (low), he postulated a correlation between serum levels of cholesterol and disease risk. Wanting to further test his hypothesis, he and like-minded colleagues devised and conducted the Seven Countries Study, the first to systematically examine links between lifestyle, diet, and rates of heart attack and stroke in contrasting populations.

The Seven Countries Study surveyed rural men aged 40 to 59 from 1958 to 1970.1 At the time and in many of the regions investigators chose to collect data, the traditions of subsistence living were continuing much as they had for centuries. Because of this, the scientists had the opportunity to accurately assess traditional diets in context with traditional lifestyles, gaining a more accurate picture of the factors protecting populations from or subjecting them to CVD risks. Blood tests, evaluations of exercise tolerance, electrocardiograms, diet histories, and chemical analyses of local foods were some tools investigators used to assess cardiovascular health and eating patterns. The researchers intended to be thorough and accurate in their data collection and interpretation of results. Thus, they created unique and standardized measures of diet, risk factors, and disease and also blindfold coded the data.

The Seven Countries Study is still regarded as a landmark project that directed attention to the importance of comparative population studies in epidemiology.2 It was also the first to demonstrate the degree to which dietary intake of saturated fatty acids and mean serum cholesterol levels predict present and future rates of coronary heart disease.

It is interesting to note the reasoning researchers used to determine which regions of the world to study.2 Yugoslavia was chosen because of great regional variations in diet—the fats in foods eaten by eastern populations were largely of animal origin, while the fats in the diets of people living in the west were primarily vegetable oils. Italy presented an opportunity to study a country that boasts one of the great traditional world cuisines. It is also a place that has extreme regional differences in diets, with heavy intakes of meat to the north and a larger reliance on olive oil, fish, and legumes to the south.

Greece offered an opportunity to study populations that eat a high-fat, though low-saturated fat, diet. Investigators here were able to study the effects of a diet consisting largely of monounsaturated fats from olive oil and polyunsaturated fats from fish, grains, vegetables, and legumes. Finland, in contrast, offered the opportunity to study the health effects of a high total and saturated fat diet. Here, rates of coronary artery disease surpassed all other countries, and typical rural lunches consisted of fatty meats wrapped in equally fat-laden dark hunks of bread.
The Dutch diets were a bit more moderate in fat and higher in fruits and vegetables than those of the Finns and provided a moderate comparison.

The U.S. study focused on railroad workers because of their high total and saturated fat diet combined with varying degrees of work-related physical activity. Japan presented an opportunity to document a traditional low-fat diet that previously had not been largely studied. Its diet was also higher in sodium than the other patterns of eating studied and offered a unique opportunity for comparison.

What Researchers Discovered

Data from the Seven Countries Study revealed significant variations in the total dietary fat intake of the participating populations—diets ranged from 9% to 40% total fat—as well as fourfold to fivefold differences in the incidence of CVD. Strong positive correlations existed across study populations between serum cholesterol levels and blood pressure and heart disease risk. The incidence of heart disease was not, however, strongly related across cultures to smoking habits or levels of physical activity. Smoking, in fact, was a minor risk factor in Greece, Italy, and Japan—the three countries with the lowest rates of both all-cause mortality and heart disease. In contrast, in those countries with higher rates of heart disease, smoking was strongly associated with increased risk for both cardiovascular and noncardiovascular deaths. Also, levels of usual physical activity and measures of resting heart rate were more predictive of death in European populations than in the U.S. or Asian cohorts.

Although serum cholesterol was the most reliable predictor of CVD across cultures, there were some surprises. In Finland, for example, heart attack rates (the highest in all the countries studied) were greater than predicted by mean cholesterol values alone. And in Crete, the rates of heart attack were actually less than predicted, given the average serum cholesterol levels measured. These unexpected results caused researchers to conclude that elevated serum cholesterol levels, although a strong indicator, do not always predict CVD risk. Subsequent investigations into the diets of people living in Finland, Japan, and Greece have led to some of the most interesting hypotheses regarding the epidemiology of heart disease yet proposed. These hypotheses, in turn, formed the foundation of the dietary recommendations that were to be popularized as the Mediterranean diet.

The 1950s Cretan Diet

Residents of rural Crete in the 1950s ate significant amounts of olive oil, olives, fish, fruits, vegetables (especially wild greens), and nuts. They consumed moderate amounts of wine and cheese and small quantities of meat, milk, and eggs. Foods comprising the core of their diets provided ample amounts of many beneficial nutrients, including fiber, antioxidants, vitamins E and C, selenium, phytochemicals, and omega-3 fatty acids.

The Cretan residents had the lowest rates of CVD of all populations observed in the Seven Countries Study, followed closely by rural Japanese. This statistic is interesting because Cretans had one of the highest-fat diets (37% of calories from fats), while the Japanese had the lowest (9% of calories from fats). Most fats in the Cretan diet came from olive oil, but Cretans also consumed large amounts of fish (more than the Japanese) containing omega-3 fatty acids.

The men also ate substantial amounts of wild plants, including purslane, a succulent green that is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Other sources of ALA in the Cretan diet included walnuts, a variety of green vegetables, legumes, and figs. Sources of protein other than fish included free-range meats and chickens—animals that were never fed grain but lived on purslane, grasses, insects, worms, and figs.

Because animals in Crete consumed foods high in ALA, their meat products, milk, and eggs became good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

The Seven Countries Study researchers attributed the low incidence of heart disease in Crete to a diet based on large amounts of monounsaturated (olive) oil and low quantities of saturated fat. In contrast, the high rates of heart disease in Finland were attributed to very high intakes of both total and saturated fat. In fact, scientists concluded after a 20-year follow-up that 81% of the difference among populations in coronary deaths could be explained by average saturated fatty acid intake alone.

Researchers did not, however, explain why a high total-fat diet in Crete was more protective against CVD than a low total-fat diet in Japan. In the 1980s, a new group of scientists began to address this concern. They determined that the rural Cretan diet contained omega-3 fatty acids and/or ALA—both protective against heart disease—in every meal. Figs and walnuts, both sources of ALA, were common snacks. Meals generally featured green vegetables or animal products with ALA and/or omega-3 fatty acids. Even noodles made with local eggs contained these healthy fats. The Japanese cohort, in contrast, also consumed ALA and omega-3 fatty acids daily (from canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil, and fish) but not in as large amounts.
Scientists in the 1980s also analyzed blood samples from the original study. They found that the serum cholesterol esters from blood samples of people living in Crete and Japan contained the highest concentrations of ALA. This discovery led to the hypothesis that it was not the olive oil, fish, and wine that primarily lent protection against heart disease to the people of Crete; rather, it was their consumption of high levels of ALA and, likely, omega-3 fatty acids.

Subsequent Research

The Lyon Diet Heart Study put this hypothesis to the test.8 Researchers designed a single-blind trial to test whether a Mediterranean or prudent Western-type diet better protected individuals against the recurrence of heart attack. The Mediterranean group consumed less saturated fat, cholesterol, and omega-6 (linoleic) fatty acids and considerably more ALA, marine, and monounsaturated oils than controls. Scientists studied patients for five years and found striking results after only 27 months: People following the Mediterranean diet had significantly fewer incidences (1.32 per 100 patients per year vs. 5.55) of both fatal and nonfatal infarctions than the group following the prudent Western diet plan. Plasma fatty acids were measured to confirm the diets were being followed, and the plasma ALA levels measured were positively associated with improved prognosis at the end of the study.

The Lyon study found that a Mediterranean-style diet reduced secondary coronary events and deaths by almost 70% compared with controls. Interestingly, reduced risk of heart disease was evident without any concomitant decrease in levels of serum cholesterol. Researchers attributed the diet’s protective effects primarily to the amounts of ALA consumed, and other studies have since confirmed the health-promoting qualities of ALA.

A prospective study on the cardioprotective effects of ALA using the Nurse’s Health Study cohort was conducted roughly 10 years after the Lyon study was completed. Scientists here examined the association between dietary intakes of ALA and the risk of fatal ischemic heart disease (IHD). ALA consumption was negatively associated with IHD risk. The protective effects of ALA were reduced, however, in diets low in vitamin E (antioxidant) and high in trans fatty acid content. Researchers also concluded that the absolute amounts of ALA consumed were more important than the diet’s ratio of ALA to linoleic acid, and other research has agreed that absolute ALA is of primary importance for preventing heart disease. The optimal balance between these two fatty acids is still under debate.

A recent meta-analysis of studies evaluating the cardioprotective effects of ALA and omega-3 fatty acids finds fault with the Lyon, Seven Countries, and other studies, citing too many dietary variables as potential confounding factors.11 Scientists conducting this review concluded that well-designed dietary studies favored marine oils containing omega-3 fatty acids over ALA in the prevention of heart disease. Thus, the definitive answer regarding the health benefits of specific fatty acids is yet to be determined.

Why Were Cretans So Healthy?

The best way to determine why the people of Crete enjoyed good health is not by considering the benefits of one type of fat over another but by assessing their diet in a more holistic fashion. Nutrition scientists prefer to study one dietary variable at a time to determine potential benefit or harm. Humans, however, do not eat individual nutrients; they eat foods, and these foods contain hundreds of nutrients that synergistically affect health. If the Cretan diet is analyzed integrally and in context, then the protective effects of all aspects of the diet must be considered. These include, but are not limited to, the abundance of antioxidants and ALA from wild plants; the high selenium content of the soil; the low saturated fat but high omega-3 fatty acid content of meats and other products from pasture-fed animals; low intakes of trans fatty acids; and the substantial quantities of fish consumed daily.

Cretans certainly consumed a lot of olive oil and fish and drank healthy portions of red wine, but they were also part of a culture and landscape that supported the production and enjoyment of beneficial foods. Their diet cannot be easily reproduced. Procuring 100% pasture-fed beef or eggs from chickens that are truly freeliving is challenging; current laws do not ensure truthful labeling of meats, fish, chicken, and eggs; the availability of free-range and grass-fed products is limited; and costs are often prohibitive. Not many people forage for wild greens, and most will search in vain for purslane at their local grocery store. Yet, eating the Cretan diet is not impossible. Purslane, herbs, and wild greens can be grown in a home garden. Farmers’ markets often offer eggs from freeliving hens and cheeses from the milk of grass-fed cows. Walnuts and dried figs are easily found in most stores as are other sources of healthy fatty acids such as flaxseeds, salmon, or sardines.

With a little effort, many people can follow the basic features of a Cretan diet—plant some purslane, be picky about the hamburger and eggs you buy, and, yes, consume more olive oil, fish, and wine.

— Rita E. Carey, MS, RD, CDE, is a clinical dietitian and diabetes educator at Yavapai Regional Medical Center and the Pendleton Wellness Center in Prescott, Ariz.

[Via today's dietitian]

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