10 Power Foods

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10 Power Foods

By Sid Kirchheimer, September-October 2003

Don’t be fooled by their mild-mannered appearance. These 10 tasty choices are secret sources of health and energy.

If Mom had her own food pyramid, chances are her homemade chicken soup would be at the very top. When we were kids, a steaming bowl of the stuff was the cure for just about anything, from a cold to a splinter. And, whether because we all simply believed that it possessed healing power or because somewhere deep down in the chemistry of Mom's soup lurked an actual curative agent, somehow it seemed to work.

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Today, we know a good deal more than Mom did about the mysterious world of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and all the other microscopic ingredients that make some foods better for you than others. Plus, scientists and nutritionists are continually revealing even more secret sources of health and energy. What have they discovered recently? Only that hidden beneath the otherwise ordinary surfaces of some everyday foods operate agents of robust health that render them even more potent than, well, Mom's chicken soup. Included among them are the following 10 supercharged foods that pay bigger benefits than you may have ever suspected. So, wipe that knowing smile off your face and prepare to be surprised.

Peanut Butter

Combats diabetes, heart disease
In addition to sticking to the roof of your mouth, this school lunchbox staple may help stick it to two of the biggest health threats to aging Americans—diabetes and heart disease. Last November, Harvard researchers reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association that women who ate peanut butter or other forms of nuts at least five times a week lowered their risk of diabetes by 21 percent compared to those who didn't. This, thanks to the hefty amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in nut products. These good-for-you fats improve glucose and insulin stability, as well as protect against heart disease, says researcher Rui Jiang, M.D.

Another good thing about peanuts (and all kinds of nuts, for that matter): They're good sources of fiber, says Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., a nutritionist at Georgia State University. The soluble fiber in peanuts helps control blood glucose and prevents dietary fat and cholesterol from entering the bloodstream, while insoluble fiber helps speed food through your digestive track, keeping you regular. Nuts are also loaded with the amino acid arginine, which may help relax blood vessels for better blood pressure control.

May we suggest "Aim for a daily tablespoon of peanut butter or one ounce of nuts—enough to fill a shot glass or a regular handful," advises Rosenbloom.

Web-exclusive recipe: Peanut Butter Blondies

Avocado

Neutralizes heart risks
Like peanut butter, avocado packs plenty of fat per serving, but also like peanut butter, most of the fat is the good unsaturated kind. At only 160 calories, a half avocado—the typical serving—also has the same amount of fiber as one slice of whole wheat toast. It also provides vitamin C and vitamin B6, and about one-third of your daily requirement of folate, a nutrient that helps neutralize excess levels of heart attack-causing homocysteine.

May we suggest Use it in place of spreads like butter or mayonnaise. Tip: The green, smooth-skinned Florida avocados have less fat and fewer calories than the smaller, rough-skinned California kind.

Web-exclusive recipe: Crab, Grapefruit, and Avocado Salad

Chili Peppers

Burn calories
The "hot" in chili peppers—an ingredient called capsaicin—is an effective weight-loss tool. Not only does eating peppers suppress appetite so you eat less—studies show that people eat fewer calories in a meal that typically includes chili, cayenne, or other types of "hot" peppers—but peppers also rev up metabolism, so you burn more calories even when you're not exercising. Capsaicin can also relieve sinus congestion by stimulating mucous membrane secretions.

At only four calories per tablespoon, chili peppers also provide one-third of the daily recommendation for vitamin C, 10 percent of vitamin A, and several other antioxidants. (Think of antioxidants as the Delta Force of nutritional soldiers, flushing out destructive oxygen molecules responsible for some of the ravages of aging.)

May we suggest Keep some red pepper powder handy, and get in the habit of adding a pinch to soups, omelets, and sauces.

Web-exclusive recipe: Stir-Fried Whole Mild Chilies

Watermelon

Aids prostate health
Tomatoes get the headlines for their protective effect against prostate cancer, but this picnic classic actually does the job better. Ounce for ounce, watermelon contains 40 percent more of the active cancer-fighting compound lycopene than tomatoes, says David Kiefer, M.D., a fellow at The University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine, headed by alternative medicine guru Andrew Weil, M.D. Not only is lycopene crucial in overall prostate health, but other studies suggest it may block the plaque buildup in your arteries that can lead to heart attack. And it may help to offset some of the cellular damage caused by environmental pollutants, bad diet, and even aging—which may lead to cancer, as well as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and arthritis.

May we suggest Serve it as a side dish with fish or chicken and rice, or try it for breakfast served with whole-grain muffins.

Web-exclusive recipe: Watermelon, Cantaloupe, and Sweet Pepper Salsa

Whole-Grain Cereal

Protects the heart
Breakfast each morning is a smart idea: Daily breakfast eaters are nearly half as likely to get heart disease or diabetes, or to become obese, as those who skip the morning meal, according to research presented at an American Heart Association meeting in March. This 10-year study examined only the importance of breakfast, but previous trials by the same Harvard researchers suggest that you'll fare best when that breakfast includes a bowl of whole-grain cereal. Why? It fills you up so you eat less throughout the day, stabilizes blood sugar, and has a higher concentration of fiber than most other foods, says study author and nutritionist Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

The soluble fiber in whole-grain cereals forms a gel-like material in intestines that prevents cholesterol and saturated fats from entering the bloodstream and also plays a beneficial role in metabolizing blood sugars. Meanwhile, the insoluble fiber in whole grains keeps you regular, so excreted carcinogens pass more quickly through your intestines—which may prevent colorectal cancer. And because these cereals are typically fortified, they also contain hefty amounts of vitamins C and B6 and iron, as well as folic acid and various phytochemicals that protect against heart disease and possibly some other cancers.

May we suggest Read labels to ensure that whole grains are listed as the first ingredients and that the cereal contains at least two grams of fiber per serving. And watch the sugar content. (Less than three grams is recommended.) Bran cereals can contain the most fiber of all whole-grain choices, up to eight grams per serving.

Blueberries

Boost immunity
The best topping for your cereal—or any other meal? Blueberries, according to researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. They tested almost 40 different fruits and vegetables—and found that this tiny fruit packs in the most antioxidant power. In fact, in only one-half cup, you can get twice as many antioxidant nutrients as most Americans consume in an entire day, says lead researcher Ronald Prior, Ph.D. That serving also delivers a mere 40 calories, virtually no fat, a hefty amount of vitamin C, and nearly two grams of fiber.

May we suggest Don't just think of blueberries for cereal or pie. Blueberries are a sweet surprise in salads, as a solo snack, or served as a side dish with poultry and meat.

Web-exclusive recipe: Spiced Blueberry Pie

Apples

Protect lungs
No surprise that apples make this list. But chances are you never knew that eating an apple a day is particularly good for your lungs, all the more so if you smoke. In a study presented before the American Thoracic Society, British researchers said that apples were more effective than other fruits and vegetables in reducing the risk of developing serious disease, including lung cancer. In another study, Dutch scientists found that smokers who ate an apple a day were half as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

But apples aren't just for smokers. They're a genuine nutritional treasure: An apple contains only 81 calories, with almost no fat and three grams of fiber—including a type called pectin that helps lower cholesterol levels and moderate blood sugar—says Rosenbloom. It also contains hefty amounts of boron, a mineral believed to boost alertness and help curb calcium losses that lead to osteoporosis.

May we suggest An apple and cheese snack is smart as well as tasty. Cheeses, such as gouda, mozzarella, or cheddar in particular, may counteract the sugars in apples that could lead to tooth decay.

Web-exclusive recipe: Apple-Ginger Chicken

Salmon

Benefits the prostate and heart
The overall health-boosting, heart-smart benefits of this cold-water fish—along with mackerel, sardines, and herring—are well established. But bet you didn't know that salmon may help fight prostate cancer. In a 12-year study published in January in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers from Harvard Medical School and the National Cancer Institute discovered that men who eat fish, including salmon, more than three times a week were less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Most of the health-boosting credit in salmon goes to its treasure chest of omega-3 fatty acids, which also regulate depression and other mood disorders and are believed to reduce arthritis pain. "The acids in salmon and other fish help fight inflammation, so they are good for aches and pains," says Kiefer. Other studies show frequent fish consumption may protect against Alzheimer's.

May we suggest Canned pink salmon has the highest amounts of omega-3s—but also the most salt. Sockeye salmon has the most vitamin B12, important for nerves and blood cells.

Web-exclusive recipe: Salmon in Zesty Herb Sauce

Eggs

Fight eye disease, lower (!) cholesterol
Eggs will surprise you. Did you know eating them can help prevent heart and eye disease? "Eggs have gotten a bad rap; they're actually one of the best overall food sources available," says Rosenbloom. "They're very low in saturated fats and provide a lot of important nutrients. And the yolk is among the very best sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent age-related macular degeneration."

But what about that cholesterol matter? Granted, a yolk has 213 milligrams of cholesterol—two-thirds of the recommended daily value—but newer research finds that it also contains phosphatidylcholine, which in lab animals decreased the absorption of dietary cholesterol contained in eggs into the bloodstream. In fact, a landmark study on 38,000 men in The Journal of the American Medical Association, part of the ongoing Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, concluded that eating one egg each day is "unlikely" to play any role in heart disease.

May we suggest Oh, the possibilities. But since spinach is another rich source of vision-protecting lutein, how about eggs Florentine?

Web-exclusive recipe: Asparagus and Cheese Strata

Turmeric

Fights cancer, eases pain and swelling
Fabled as the spice that lends zing and yellow color to curries and mustard, turmeric also provides numerous health benefits. Besides helping to ease arthritis, and muscle and postoperative pain and swelling—without the side effects of pain medications—it may also act as a cancer-fighting agent.

The healing power of turmeric comes from its active ingredient—curcumin. In a study published last September in the medical journal Blood, researchers found that adding curcumin to cancer cells suppressed most of them and stopped others from spreading. More recent research on laboratory animals has shown that eating curcumin may protect skin during cancer radiation treatments.

May we suggest No, we're not going to ask you to gobble this spice by the spoonful or whip up a curry every evening. But you might get in the habit of keeping a container within easy reach and using it occasionally to replace some of the salt and pepper in your cooking.

Web-exclusive recipe: Tofu with Green Peas

Sid Kirchheimer has written 13 health books, including the bestselling The Doctors Book of Home Remedies II.