Are These Power Foods in Your Diet?

Prevention is key when it comes to disease. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle includes eating healthy and keeping fit. In this post I'm going to share with you the 7 most beneficial foods for diabetes.

1. Asparagus

Asparagus is packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. High in folate, asparagus is a non-starchy vegetable that will give you nearly 2 grams of dietary fiber. It's also high in vitamin B folate, vitamin C, and an antioxidant called glutathione - which will help boost your immune system.

There are cardiovascular benefits of asparagus as well. Folate and vitamin B can lower homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood that has been linked to coronary heart disease (Jordan, 2012).

2. Blueberries

The USDA ranked this indigo fruit #1 out of 40 common fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants. Blueberries are believed to lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), prevent urinary tract infections, and improve memory, eyesight, balance and coordination, in addition to slowing signs of aging and reducing the risk of heart disease.

3. Red Grapefruit

In a preliminary 30-day test of 57 people with heart disease, those eating one red grapefruit daily decreased their LDL (bad) cholesterol by 20 percent and decreased triglycerides by 17 percent. In contrast, those eating a white grapefruit reduced LDL by 10 percent with no significant change in triglycerides, compared with a group of people who didn't eat the fruit.

Include the vitamin C-rich grapefruit as a juice, in salads, or by itself. The only way the body can get vitamin C is through food, such as citrus fruits, or supplements.

4. Beans

You can't go wrong with beans. Beans are high in fiber and protein and are a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium, which is essential for the water balance between the cells and body fluids, such as electrolyte balance. The American Heart Association recommends eating a variety of foods to get the necessary soluble and insoluble fiber needed daily--about 25 to 30 grams a day, which is twice the amount the average American adult normally consumes.

5. Broccoli

this nonstarchy vegetable has more vitamin C per 100 grams than an orange and is considered a good source of fiber and the antioxidant beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A. This dark green vegetable's vitamin A power promotes healthy vision, teeth, bones, and skin. Vitamin C is essential for healing wounds and is a disease-fighting antioxidant, according to the National Institutes of Health's U.S. Library of Medicine.

6. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is the new "it" superfood, noted for its alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a fatty acid that can be converted into omega-3 fatty acids, which offer similar benefits as the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA found in fish. ALA omega-3s are known for helping to lower triglycerides, reduce inflammation, and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Flaxseed has emerged as a must-eat power food for overall health. High in both soluble and insoluble fiber, flaxseed is also a good source of lignans, a phytoestrogen that is considered another type of antioxidant.

Flaxseeds are available whole, ground (milled), or as flaxseed oil. To reap the most nutritional reward from the nutty-flavored flaxseed, use ground flaxseed on salads and cereal and mixed into breads, smoothies, and dressings.

7. Spinach

Popeye ate spinach for a reason. This dark green leafy vegetable is loaded with vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B2 and B6, folate, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and fiber, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Studies of spinach have found it has potential to decrease the risk of cancer, cataracts, and heart disease. Spinach is high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body uses to make vitamin A.

Beta-carotene helps protect the body's cells from free radicals, whichcontribute to chronic illness and aging. Plus, just 1/2 cup of cooked frozen spinach has 145 mg of calcium and 3.5 grams of fiber.

Although many studies have concluded that more research is needed to declare that cartenoid-rich vegetables, such as spinach, prevent or decrease disease, spinach is still a great nonstarchy vegetable to include in any meal plan.