This list is based on health beifits, taste, and afordability.
1: Broccoli The vegetables that are part of the brassia family such as broccoli are an excellent sources of isothiocyanates. “Isothiocyanates fight cancer by neutralizing carcinogens… They also reduce their poisonous effects and stimulate the release of carcinogen killers, speeding up their removal from the body” (Bowden, 2007, p 24).
Broccoli also has antioxidant properties, specifically indole-3-carbino which can protect against carcinogenic effects of pesticides and toxins (Bowden, 2007, p 25). Broccoli contains sulforaphane which “increases the activation of enzymes known as phase 2 enzymes which help fight carcinogens” (Bowden, 2007, p 25). Broccoli is also one of the foods least contaminated by pesticides.
One cup of broccoli “contains more than 28 g of protein, 25 g of fiber, 288 mg of potassium, 48 g of calcium, 81 mg of vitamin c, plus folate, magnesium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, vitamin A and 1,277 mcg of the superstars of the eye nutrition, lutein and zeaxanthin” (Bowden, 2007, p 25).
Broccoli is very inexpensive and can be eaten raw or lightly cooked; alone or in combination with other food.
2: Blueberries Blueberries are one of the best fruits. They have anti-aging properties because they are packed with antioxidants. Blueberries have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is part of every major disease like, “Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes, and heart disease…” (Bowden, 2007, p 101).
Bowden states that blueberries keep your memory sharp. Blueberries help fight against cardiovascular disease, they taste great and cost approximately $4 per container. I like to eat my blueberries in a milk shake with cranberries, bananas, strawberries and a little bit of spinach
3: Spinach Spinach is one the best sources of vitamin K which helps get minerals to the bone (Bowden, 2007, p 60). Spinach also has a good amount of calcium, vitamin A, folic acid, manganese, magnesium, vitamin C, iron and an effective anti-inflammatory called quercetien (Bowden, 2007, p. 60). Spinach has many compounds that help fight aging and cancer. Spinach also helps reduce inflammation in the brain. It has lutein which protects against eye diseases and vision loss.
Baby spinach is my favorite. A large bag can be bought for $2. Bowden recommends adding a little olive oil so that the lutein can be absorbed.
4: Flaxseed Oil/Flaxseeds Flaxseed and Flaxseed oil is one of the best sources of Omega-3. The body does not produce alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3), which is why it is considered an essential nutrient.
Flaxseed also contains omega-6 and omega-9s. They protect against cancer “like breast cancer, uterine and prostate cancers” (Bowden, 2007, p. 304).
In four table spoons of flaxseed oil there are 6 g of protein and 8 g of fiber. Flaxseed also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Bowden states that “flaxseed promotes cardiovascular and colon health, can boost immunity, promotes healthy skin and helps stabilize blood sugar” (Bowden, 2007, p. 305).
I like milled flaxseed, especially on steamed green beans with lemon juice. Milled flaxseed is affordable and costs approximately $3 a box.
5: Butternut Squash Bowden states that “[b]utternut squash is an absolute vitamin A giant… (Bowden, 2007 p. 62). Butternut squash contains a high amount of “both beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, which has many benefits of its own” (Bowden, 2007 p. 62).
Unlike the other squashes the butternut has a good amount of beta-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid that may lower the risk of developing lung cancer (Bowden, 2007 p. 62). According to Bowden the “Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention followed more than 63,000 people in China and found that those eating the most cryptoxanthin rich foods had a 27 percent lower risk for lung cancer” (Bowden, 2007 p. 62).
My favorite way to eat it is by making it in a beef stew. It is very affordable; a butternut squash is about $2-3.
6: Cinnamon My favorite spice is cinnamon, it can lower blood sugar without “imposing toxic cost on the body” (Bowden, 2007 p. 278). A new phytochemical in cinnamon has been identified as chalcome polymers. “Cinnamon also contains anthocyanins which improve capillary function” (Bowden, 2007 p. 278). Cinnamon can also stop ulcers, relieve nausea, gas, reduce blood sugar, bad cholesterol, and blood pressure and increase the blood flow to the stomach. Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant. Bowden states that “cinnamon can help with pain and joint stiffness in muscles and joints “(Bowden, 2007 p. 278). Cinnamon costs approximately $4 a bottle or $3 a bundle and can be used to flavor numerous dishes.
7: Almonds
Research has shown that almonds can help weight loss and reduce heart disease risk. “In a meta-analysis of seven almond studies, the results showed a 5.3 to 7.2 percent reduction in total cholesterol and a 6.8 to 10 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol…” (Bowden, 2007 p. 147). Almonds contain 6 grams of protein, 38 grams of dietary fiber, 80 mg of calcium, along with “phosphorous…vitamin E and…an excellent source of magnesium” (Bowden, 2007 p. 148).
Almonds are $6 a bag or more. I picked almonds over the other nuts and seeds because they are not only highly nutritious but taste and smell great.
8: Leeks Regular consumption of leek reduces the risk of strokes, cardiovascular problems and prostate and colon cancer (Bowden, 2007 p. 48). Research suggests that leeks prevent macular degeneration, the number one cause of blindness in adults (Bowden, 2007 p. 48).
Leek also lowers LDL cholesterol. According to Bowden, leeks are a good source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxathin, which are a good for the health of our eyes. Some of the many nutrients in leek are “fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, vitamin K and more than 1,400 IUs of vitamin A” (Bowden, 2007 p. 48).
Leeks are very inexpensive; they usually cost $1 a leek. They’ve become popular due to the leek soup diet which emphasizes leek’s diuretic properties to help people lose water weight.
9: Sweet Potatoes Bowden states that “sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A and hearty healthy potassium and they even have calcium. The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry has “found an extract from a baked sweet potato has chemopreventive (cancer-fighting) properties” (Bowden, 2007 p. 64). Sweet potato also has quercetin. Quercetin is a very powerful “anti-inflammatory, and chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant” (Bowden, 2007 p. 64).
People who are over weight or need to control their sugar intake need to be careful because sweet potatoes run 16 and 20 in glycemic load.
Sweet potatoes are a decent value at approximately $2 per pound and can be eaten in a large variety of ways. My favorite is to eat them in the same way as mashed potatoes.
10: Avocado Avocados reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes and lower cholesterol because of a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. They are also great for the eyes, heart and skin. “In research at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Socailin Mexico, forty-five volunteers who ate avocados everyday for a week experienced an average 17 percent drop in total blood cholesterol” (Bowden, 2007 p. 97).
Avocados contain a lot of fiber, about 11-17g per avocado. They also have potassium, folate, vitamin A, beta-carotene and beta cryptoxanthin (Bowden, 2007 p. 98). Avocados are eaten raw, they taste great, especially coupled with meat or in salads and guacamole. They cost $1.50 to under a dollar per avocado depending on the time of year.
Reference
Bowden, J. (2007). The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Beverly, MA: Fair Winds Press.
