michael s
(Michael S)
#1
blood sugar levels from swinging wildly. Fiber is also a key element in
cholesterol control and it can reduce your risk of developing heart
disease. Blueberries are all-stars, one of the most healthful foods you
can eat. Blueberries beat out 39 other fruits and vegetables in the
antioxidant power ratings. (Psst... frozen blueberries are just as good
for you as the fresh ones. In fact, all fresh berries should be refrigerated
to preserve their antioxidants.)
Other fruits, like bananas, kiwifruit, grapes, grapefruit, and
oranges, should fill your grocery cart, too. Apples, also known as
nature's toothbrush, pack 5,900 cancer-fighting nutrients. How's that for
a bargain? And a recent Penn State study demonstrated an apple's
potential as a weight loss tool: People who ate an apple 15 minutes
before lunch ended up consuming 187 fewer calories during the meal
than those who didn't snack beforehand. The subjects felt fuller
afterward, too, thanks to the belly-filling fiber in apples. Apples (as well
as grapefruit, strawberries, peaches, and grapes) are rich in a special
type of soluble fiber called pectin, which scientists believe may interfere
with the body's absorption of cholesterol and may even affect certain
enzymes in the liver that produce cholesterol. And all that apple
chomping isn't just a good workout for your jaw; it tricks your brain into
thinking you're eating more than you really are, say the researchers.
WAYS TO EAT MORE:
SLATHER AN APPLE with natural peanut butter and walk out the door:
instant breakfast.
DRESS UP AN AVERAGE MAIN DISH by topping chicken or salmon with
strawberries. Stir blueberries into vinaigrette for salads; combine with
chopped mangoes for salsa (see Blueberry-Mango Mahi Mahi on page
218 ).
PUREE APPLES into squash, pumpkin, or cauliflower soups.
INSTEAD OF ICE CREAMS, try fresh berries over vanilla yogurt with
