Here are 5 good-for-you foods – a list that’s good 365 days a year with a mid-summer twist. Eat hearty and healthy!
- GREEN BEANS – High fiber foods like green beans can help you prevent weight gain and promote weight loss – without dieting.
Research shows: Boosting fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed resulted in losing an average 4 ½ pounds. Also try raspberries, chick peas and strawberries. - SALMON – The Omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish can boost your skin’s defenses against UV damage. Research shows: Those who ate a little more than 5 oz. of omega-3-rich fish each week decreased the development of precancerous skin lesions by almost 30%. Scientists think the omega-3’s act as a shield, protecting cell walls from free-radical damage. Also try: Tuna
- WATERMELON – Red watermelon is a good source of Vitamin C. It also has lycopene, an antioxidant that may help protect against heart disease and some types of cancer.
Research shows: eating food that are full of water, such as watermelon (92%) helps keep you satisfied on fewer calories. Also try: Cucumbers (95% water) , Salad greens (90%) and strawberries (91%). - BLUEBERRIES – The diverse range of polyphenols – health-promoting plant compounds that include anthocyanins and ellagic acid – provided from berries such as blueberries, can help keep your heart healthy. Research shows: Eating just under a cup of mixed berries daily for 8 weeks can increase levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure. Also try: Red raspberries and strawberries
- TOMATOES – Eating more Vitamin C-rich foods such as tomatoes may be a secret to smoother skin.
Research shows: Vitamin C’s can have youthful effects on skin, like lowering the risk of wrinkles and age-related dryness in middle-age women. Its antioxidant properties help protect against ultraviolet rays, and it helps in keeping skin firm via collagen synthesis. Also try: oranges, strawberries and broccoli.
“YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. So don’t be fast, cheap, easy, or fake!”
—Patti Sciulli, Group Exercise and Wellness Director