SuperFoods

Superfoods, Super You !

A health-boosting diet doesn't have to equal exotic and expensive. If you want glossy hair, gorgeous skin and a sharper brain, it's the everyday foods that count.

1. GARLIC - There is evidence that garlic is good for the heart. Studies have shown that eating garlic can have a beneficial effect in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Garlic has anti-fungal properties too. If you have athlete's foot you can speed up your recovery by using garlic in a foot soak. Just get some warm water, add two crushed cloves and two tablespoons of cider vinegar, and bathe your feet.

2. TOMATOES - Packed with Vitamin C, they're great for your tissue and boosting your immune system. There are four in a teaspoon of puree and two in dollop of ketchup. If you buy whole tomatoes, choose sun-ripened ones. Lots of tomatoes are picked when they're green and ripened artificially. They won't give you the lycopene benefits (a caratinoid that acts as an antioxidant) because lycopene only develops on the 11th day of the tomato being in the sun.

3. SPINACH - This is really good for you. It's full of folic acid and contains Vitamins A, C & E (an antioxidant). Spinach also contains compounds called lutein and zeaxanthine. These are vital for protecting your eyes against age-related macular degeneration (AMD; an eye disease that leads to reduced vision). 

4. APPLES - The proverb should be 'two apples a day keeps the doctor away'. Because studies has shown that the pectin, the fibre in those two apples can lower your cholesterol by 10% in three weeks. French research found that just the smell of apples was enough to bring down people's blood pressure (So, if your boss is driving you mad, sneak off for an apple break). Apples with deep red skins and pinky flesh contain more betacarotene, which converts into vitamin A in you body, and helps look after your skin, while sourish green apples contain more vitamin C.

5. CABBAGE - Otherwise know as the medicine of the poor. It's full of vitamins and minerals and glucosinolates, which has anti-cancer properties. Everyone should try and eat some for of cabbage- sprouts, kale, broccoli, coleslaw ... everyday!

6. NUTS & SEEDS -  Containing dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids which are vital for our immune and nervous systems. Nuts are packed with goodness. There's also evidence that they can help protect against heart disease. Walnuts are the best for that. They contain monounsaturated fatty acids, which help the body get rid of cholesterol. Try and have a handful everyday.

7. OILY FISH - You should aim to eat four portions of fish a week. Of those, at least two should be oily fish like mackerel, herring, kippers and sardines. They contain essential fatty acids and lots of vitamin D. Without vitamin D in the body women can't absorb calcium, which is vital for strong bones. Oily fish also contains important minerals like iodine, which helps the thyroid work properly. Without it you'll feel tired and even depressed.

... what I read