Top 12 Foods

What foods should you be eating? Every day there are more advertisements for the “next” superfood and it may be confusing to know what foods you should be choosing to incorporate into your daily diet.

Listed below are our Top 12 foods you can trust to be rich in needed nutrients.

1. Berries
   Berries are extremely rich in antioxidants which help protect the cells in our bodies from damage and therefore from diseases like cancer. Among other things they are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and soluble fiber. Blueberries might help reverse the short term memory loss that often comes with aging.
2. Broccoli
   Broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage) helps fight cancer, especially breast, colon and lung. It boosts the immune system. Broccoli also contains antioxidants and a substance called sulforaphane, which research is showing to be a powerful cancer fighter and preventer.
3. Citrus Fruits
   The citrus bioflavanoids in oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit have anti-cancer and antioxidant properties. Many of these citrus bioflavanoids have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and blood clot inhibiting abilities.
4. Garlic
   Numerous studies have shown that regular consumption of garlic can lower our blood pressure. It also prevents the blood from being overly sticky and decreases LDL cholesterol (the "bad" one) while increasing the good HDL cholesterol.
5. Nuts
   Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, a special type of fat that is essential for our bodies, but that the body cannot produce. Omega-3 essential fatty acids protect us against heart disease. Almonds are also known for their ability to help lower LDL cholesterol levels.
6. Oats
   Oats also help reduce cholesterol. Research shows that one bowl of oatmeal per day can reduce cholesterol by up to 23%. Oats are also considered an excellent grain for diabetics as they have less impact on blood sugar levels than some other grains.
7. Salmon
   The Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and other fatty fish may help prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the body's rate of blood clotting.
8. Spinach
   Spinach's secret weapon, lutein, makes it one of the best foods in the world to prevent cataracts, as well as age related macular degeneration, the leading cause of preventable blindness in the elderly.
9. Tomatoes
   Tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and as such helps to protect the cells in our bodies from damage.
10. Apples
    Apples are loaded with antioxidants. They have vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy and helps you absorb iron. That means a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease, especially if you eat the skin.
11. Avocados
    Avocados have the same thing going for them that olive oil does: healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. These are the "good fats," and they appear to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate and antioxidants up the ante.
12. Yogurt
    Yoghurt not only contains bone-building calcium, but is also a great source of probiotics. Probiotics are microbial foods or supplements that can be used to change or improve the intestinal bacterial balance to boost the health of the host. Probioics thwart the overgrowth of harmful bacteria by competing for attachment sites and nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract. Include a tub of fat-free or low-fat yoghurt in your diet every day – just make sure the label states "live AB cultures".

You can see that these top 12 healthiest foods, or "super foods," are also some of the easiest to find in your local grocery store. Including these foods as part of your regular diet will also put you on the path to a healthier heart and a healthier life.

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Weekly Recipe

Country-Fried Steak

• 343 Calories
• 82 mg Cholesterol (mg)
• 512 mg Sodium (mg)