Superfoods Super Health

Mom said always to eat your fruits and veggies such as boring broccoli and bluesy blueberries. Not so fast with ousting broccoli and blueberry to the curb, but here are some old and new exciting superfoods. To your health!

Barley - Decreases blood sugar and insulin levels, decreases bad cholesterol by as much as 17.4%. High in fibre and helps metabolize fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates.

Blueberry - Rich in antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, potassium and vitamin C. They lower your risk of heart disease and cancer and they are anti-inflammatory.

Broccoli Sprouts - You know broccoli is good for you, now how about broccoli sprouts which are even better. They contain at least 20 times as much sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS). Eh, what? SGS kill tumors. As in cancer cells or keep them from growing. Just 1oz of sprouts has as much SGS as 1 1/4 lbs of broccoli.

Cranberry - Don't just save them for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Cranberry is among the top 10 antioxidant rich foods and very potent cancer protector. Great in treating urinary tract infections and preventing gum disease stroke and E. coli. It is said the compounds in the juice can alter antibotic strains making it impossible for the harmful bacteria to trigger an infection in E. coli.

Kiwi - Loads of antioxidants and fibre. Out of the 27 most popular fruits, kiwi is the most nutritionally dense with substantial amounts of vitamin E and contains more lutein than any other fruit or veggie except for corn. It also lowers blood clot risk. People who ate 2 or 3 kiwis for 28 days reduced their potential to form a clot. Their triglycerides, a blood fat linked to heart attack decreased by 15%.

Pomegranate - A pain in the butt to get to the edible seeds, but loads of antioxidants even more than red wine and green tea. Studies have shown that it may prevent skin cancer and kill breast and prostate cancer cells. It also helps fight Alzheimer's disease. Studies showed that mice who drank pomegranate juice had 50% less brain degeneration than animals who drank sugar water. The pomegranate drinkers also did better in mazes and tests as they aged.

Yogurt & Kefir - These foods contain healthful bacteria that aid immune function and the calcium help burn fat.