Thanksgiving started the most anticipated time of the year. Form
Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, we will gather with family and friends,
take time off, enjoy parties, and eat a lot of food. Since we know it’s
coming, why not prepare for it now by thinking about how to make that
food as healthy as it can be? Here are five foods that should always be
on our table.
Cod – water, wild fish
Tuna, trout and salmon are all high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which
have been shown to lower the risk of coronary disease. Fish also
contains protein, magnesium, calcium, and important B-Vitamins.
Tomatoes
There are so many ways to get tomatoes into our diet it is almost
hard to miss them. Lycopene is the driving force behind the tomato’s
nutritious contribution to any diet. More potent than vitamin C,
lycopene is an antioxidant that can help suppress prostate cancer in
men, and help support immune system function for everyone.
Sweet potatoes
Let’s substitute our beige baked spuds with this colorful, flavorful
nutritional powerhouse. Sweet potatoes can be baked with the skin on,
or sliced and baked as fries if we need our ketchup-dipping fix.
Carotenoids, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C are just a few of the
beneficial nutrients in these tubers.
Spinach
Not only does spinach create strong bones, preventing osteoporosis by
blocking free radicals, it also has iron and other minerals that are
good for the heart. Spinach also has lutein, which helps to prevent eye
disorders such as cataracts and macular degeneration. Let’s go heavy
on the spinach, since it has almost no calories, and it is full of
antioxidants and vitamins, which help control cancer and reduce stroke
risk.
Oranges
We all know oranges for their power to ward off colds. But the
vitamin C in oranges is pulling double duty by also lowering the risk of
cancer. Studies have also shown that people who eat citrus throughout
the day tend to eat less at meals, thanks to its high fiber content.
This is a great benefit for those many Americans who want to lose
weight.
