Superfoods

More superfoods, this time from Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth

Super Food 1: Berries

Berries are low-sugar low-calorie high fiber fruits that provide more nutrients and health benefits than you can begin to count. I'm talking here about every kind of berries- blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, goji berries, they're all great for you!

Let's take blueberries for example. In experiments, when you feed rats blueberry extract, they start to function like young studs. They don't suffer the same decline in middle age that other rats do and that lots of humans do as well. Their memory function, muscle strength and co-ordination were all way better than the rats that weren't fed blueberry extract.

Blueberries have the one of the highest antioxidant capacity of any fruit, making them highly protective for the cardiovascular system. They contain compounds that lower cholesterol, and others that improve vision and brain function. Blackberries are very similar.

Something in blueberries actually helps neurons communicate better with one another, so blueberries are a real memory food.

Berries contain compounds like anthocyanins that are anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. The best thing we can do for our health is eat a diet high in anti-inflammatories, Inflammation is involved in virtually every major killer disease: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and obesity.

Raspberries contain ellergic acid, a compound that's been found to inhibit the growth of tumor cells. Raspberries also contain anthocyanins that are said to be as effective as ibuprophen. And they're one of the great high fiber foods- one cup contains 8 grams of fiber, that's as much as some people get in a whole day.

In fact, all berries- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries- contain chemicals that have a protective effect against cancer. In one study, extracts from strawberry and blueberry decreased the growth of cervical and breast cancer cells. And like blueberries, strawberries have compounds that have been shown to protect memory, making them- and all berries- a great brain food.

So there you have it- anti-cancer activity, memory enhancing activity, anti-inflammatory compounds and tons of antioxidants. That's a class of superfood that can really impact your health.

And here's a tip from my own kitchen- freeze those berries and then eat them with a little milk or cream or yogurt. The yogurt will freeze right on contact with the berries and you'll have your own healthy version of cherry Garcia. Sprinkle some almonds and some flaked coconut and you'll have the healthiest desert on the planet.