10 Healthy Foods That We Often Forget To Eat

Healthy and rational nutrition is one of the most frequently discussed and discussed topics. Although science and the media have all sorts of opinions on health and food, in practice the diet of most people does not change and remains just as unhealthy, and some interesting, healthy and even pleasant foods rarely or never reach the table. us.

Jimmy Bowden is an American nutritionist and author of numerous books. He published in the New York Times a list of products he thought people should consume but don't do often enough. The list includes some little-known and harder-to-find plants such as purslane or goji berries, but there are also those that have unique nutritional qualities and are fully available.

Here is a list of 10 healthy foods that we often forget about.

Beet
This root plant is sweeter than any other vegetable and is one of the best sources of folic acid and betaine. These two ingredients together regulate the level of homocysteine ​​in the blood, which damages the arteries and causes heart disease.

Experiments have been performed on mice, which have shown that the natural pigments that give it its red color are useful in the fight against cancer.

The beneficial properties of beets have been known since ancient times. Even the Romans used beets to treat fever and wounds, in the Middle Ages it was known as an aphrodisiac. Beetroot is so legendary as a universal panacea that South African Health Minister Manto Chabalala Mismang has officially promoted it as an anti-AIDS drug, earning her the nickname "Doctor Beetroot."

Nutritionists say that beets are good to eat fresh and raw. Baking reduces its antioxidant properties. Its leaves are also edible and are loaded with useful vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Cinnamon
This spice has also been known since ancient times. Today it is most often mixed with sugar and used in confectionery.

Cinnamon helps control blood sugar, which raises the risk of heart disease. Studies have found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed 1 gram of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks (about ¼ teaspoon each day) significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and bad cholesterol. . The active ingredients in the spice help cells absorb sugar up to 20 times faster.

Pomegranate juice
The drink has been popular for decades in the Middle East, but in our country, if consumed, it is most often used as an ingredient in a cocktail in a restaurant. In fact, pomegranate juice is considered extremely useful. Israeli researchers have found that men who regularly consumed 50 ml of pomegranate juice for a year reduced their blood pressure by 21% and significantly improved their blood circulation. In addition, 100 ml of juice provides 50% of the required daily dose of vitamin C. It is believed to contain three times more antioxidants than red wine and green tea. As early as ancient Greece, pomegranate was believed to increase sexual ability and it became a symbol of fertility.

Prunes
They contain chlorogenic acids, antioxidants, especially effective against the superoxide anion-radical, damaging the structure of cells, which is considered one of the main causes of cancer. In home medicine, plums and their juice are often used against constipation.

Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are the most nutritious part of the pumpkin. Using them is the easiest way to consume more magnesium. French researchers recently found that men with higher blood magnesium levels were 40% less likely to die early than those with less magnesium.

Pumpkin seeds also contain zinc and a variety of vitamins, and some even believe that they reduce bad cholesterol. In addition, 1 gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as there is in 1 full glass of milk. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that serves a number of body functions and is believed that foods rich in tryptophan help regulate appetite, good sleep and improve mood. 30 grams of roasted seeds contain about 150 mg of magnesium, which can easily provide the required daily dose of 420 mg.

Sardines
Sardines are rich in omega-3 fats and calcium and, unlike many other fish, have no mercury. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese, as well as all B vitamins. Omega-3 fats are good for the heart and brain and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Turmeric
Turmeric is often referred to as the "spice superstar". Curcumin - the active ingredient in turmeric, is yellow-orange and is found in curry. In recent years, it has attracted considerable interest with its ability to treat various conditions without side effects. 

Since ancient times in India, the ingredient has been used to treat rheumatism, skin diseases, diarrhea, worms, inflammation, constipation, colic. Curcumin is known for its antitumor, antioxidant, antiamyloid and anti-inflammatory properties. There is also circumstantial evidence that curcumin improves brain function.

Blueberries
In addition to fresh in summer, can be used frozen throughout the year. Blueberries are known for their beneficial effects on memory and aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Animal experiments have shown that they reduce stroke damage.

Pumpkin
Fresh or canned, pumpkin is a delicious low-calorie vegetable, rich in fiber, immunostimulating vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. Helps regulate appetite and prevent atherosclerosis.

Guava Guava
is not very well known in our latitudes tropical fruit, with a slightly sour taste that becomes sweeter inward to the heart. It is remarkable because it contains a higher concentration of lycopene - an antioxidant against prostate cancer, than any other edible plant, even tomatoes and watermelon.

A bowl of guava contains 688 mg of potassium, which is 63% more than that contained in bananas. One of the richest foods in fiber - almost 9 years in a glass. Everything in the fruit is eaten and nutritious - from the bark to the seeds. The peel has more vitamin C than the peel of an orange. It is located in larger supermarkets.