It seems like every week there’s another magazine claiming that some fruit or spice is the greatest thing since sliced bread for trimming waist lines and giving extra “wind” to the ol’ ticker.  We all should know by now that “sliced bread” isn’t the best for the waist line, but how many of us are afforded an honest, well-researched glimpse at some common (and uncommon) foods for their real nutritional value and health benefits?

According to the CDC, here are the 7 leading causes of death:

#1  Heart disease

#2  Cancer

#3  Stroke

#4  Chronic lower respiratory diseases

#5  Accidents

#6  Alzheimer’s disease

#7  Diabetes

Obesity can enhance incidence of every single line item on that list, but especially heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer.  These facts being noted, I took the leading causes of death into consideration when formulating my 10 ultimate foods list- foods that will not only help slim the waistline, but aid in preventing the incidence of 6/7 of the above leading causes of death.

So here it is, folks!  The ultimate guide to natural eating for optimal health!

#1:  Apples

So stereotypical, right?  An apple a day keeps the doctor away…  Your grandmother was right all along.  Apples are pretty much the best thing ever.  Let me explain:

• Apples contain galacturonic acid, which lowers the body’s need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes.
• Apples are very high in soluble fiber, specifically pectin (loaded with it), which has been proven to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
• Apples are high in Boron, which has been shown to help strengthen bones.
• Apples are an excellent food for weight loss, as it is considered a “negative calorie food.”
• Apples are high in flavanoids, which may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.  The findings of an extensive study were published in the March 2007 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
• Apples are high in antioxidants, specifically quercetin.  Quercetin has possible benefits ranging from:

Ø  reducing symptoms from allergies and asthma

Ø  Anti-inflamatory properties helping with pain reduction from arthritis.

Ø  May help to prevent cancer, specifically prostate cancer.

Ø  May protect the brain from free radical damage that leads to neural degenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s…)

#2  Lowfat Yogurts

Ø  Lean Protein

Ø  Cheap

Ø  Immune system booster

Ø  Super weight loss food

Ø  Disease fighter:  Yeasts, viruses, parasites, some cancers.

Ø  Great for the heart

The more cultures the better.  Yogurt’s pro-biotics help with optimal digestion and possibly disease prevention, and it carries an awesome ratio of carbs, protein, fat, and fiber.  Eaten alone it’s good, but if eaten with something like an apple it is a nutritionally complete super low-calorie diet snack!  Yogurt has been shown to help lower LDL(bad) and increase HDL(good) cholesterol levels, and is calcium-rich.  This practical food is so good, cheap, and practical that it almost took first place on the list!

#3  Strawberries

Ø  Weight loss

Ø  Heart health

Ø  Disease fighter:  Cancer, macular degeneration, arthritis, Alzheimer’s

Ø  Nutrient and antioxidant rich

These things are awesome!  A single serving provides 210mg of potassium, lowering your risk of heart attack and stroke.  They’re loaded with antioxidants, and high in folate- great for pregnant women and could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

They are great for the heart- very high (one of the highest of natural foods!) in soluble fiber, specifically pectin, and thus promote decreases in LDL cholesterol levels.  They’re a waistline slimmer, too- strawberries are on the “negative calorie” list, so stock up and snack on to keep off the L-B’s!

#4  Quinoa

Ø  Ethically harvested

Ø  Super protein rich

Ø  Should be number 1 staple for:  Vegetarians, vegans

Ø  Disease fighter:  migraines, diabetes, heart disease

I have a soft spot in my heart for this stuff.  One of the most socially-sustainable foods you can eat, quinoa is harvested by indigenous people of the Andes that have been doing it for thousands of years.  Harvested in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru this crop provides all 8 essential amino acids- very rare for plant proteins.

It is very high in phosphorus, manganese, iron, copper, and magnesium.  This helps with many issues, but specifically:

• Migraines and diabetes.  Its high magnesium content helps to relax blood vessels, and high riboflavin content helps reduce the frequency of attacks of migraine sufferers.
• Great for the heart!  It is very high in soluble fiber, and combining this with its high magnesium content (relaxing blood vessels).

#5  Broccoli

Ø  SUPER disease fighter- cancer, allergies

Ø  Weight loss

Ø  Heart health

Cholesterol-lowering benefits when steamed, a powerful detoxifier (hangover cure, anyone?), and it possesses kaemphferol which has been shown to lessen the impact of allergy-related issues with the body.  It’s high in fiber, could help in vitamin D metabolism due to its high concentrations in vitamin K and vitamin A, and is on the list of negative calorie foods.  It’s great for weight loss, but the benefits behind broccoli transcend simple vanity.

Broccoli has a unique combination of antioxidants, detox-supporting nutrients, and anti-inflammatory properties.  This means broccoli is one of the best foods for preventing cancer.  Research pertaining specifically with broccoli and cancer prevention has shown decreased risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer with as little as an average of ½ cup per day intake (22 calories).  Further research strongly indicates that more is better, so don’t hesitate to pile it on!

Broccoli retains these and other benefits most when eaten raw or steamed, but stir-frying on low heat is ok.

#6  Eggs

Ø  Lean protein

Ø  Cheap!

Ø  Disease prevention:  Heart disease, some cancers, Alzheimer’s

Eggs are excellent for two reasons:  They have some of the highest-quality protein of anything you can eat, and are very cheap.  A single egg provides 5.5 or higher grams of protein (depending on size) and only 68 calories.

They are high in choline, a deficiency of which can lead to folic acid deficiency.  This makes eggs a fantastic food for pregnant women, whose folic acid requirements are higher.  Choline also helps with cellular functioning and brain health.  Going further, Choline has anti-inflammatory properties.  Chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of health conditions, from heart disease to Alzheimer’s.

Iowa State University researchers (Jensen H, Batres-Marquez S, et al. FASEB Journal) demonstrated that over 90% of Americans are Choline-deficient.

An important note about eggs, cholesterol, and Choline:  The yolk (yellow part) is what contains the Choline.  It is also the part that contains the fats and cholesterol.  To reap the true benefits of eggs, you must eat the whites and the yolks!  Recent research has shown that eating whole eggs (6 per week) does not significantly affect cholesterol levels, and could even improve them by increasing the physical size of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) in the body.    Larger LDL poses much less of a threat than the smaller variants.

SugEGGstions:

• Don’t be an egg-racist!  Shell color does not affect the nutritional value of the egg.
• Eat the yolk and the white, cut calories and cholesterol elsewhere in your diet!

#7  Salmon

Ø  Lean Protein

Ø  Loaded with nutrients

Ø  Disease fighter- Heart disease,  stroke

High protein, low fat, low calorie, and high in omega-3 essential fatty acids.  Excellent sources of selenium, niacin, phosphorous, magnesium, and B-vitamins, this nutrient-dense fish is delicious!  Its high omega-3 content makes it a super food for the heart and overall circulation, and may also help prevent strokes.  Eating fish like salmon 1-3 times per month may protect against strokes caused by lack of blood supply to the brain (blood clot).

According to the FDA’s analysis of fish and shellfish containing mercury, salmon ranks extremely low, from none detected to .19ppm.  Compare that to tuna, which can be as high as 1.3ppm.  That makes Tuna up to over six times as mercury-toxic as salmon!  Mercury intake can be extremely dangerous to pregnant women, but should be avoided by all populations.

There are lots of super-healthy lean meats out there (bison, venison), but salmon made the list because of its other health benefits in combination with its easy of preparation.  Smoked salmon can be taken out of a package and eaten directly as a super-healthy snack, and a complete meal when eaten in conjunction with a healthy fruit like an apple.

Ethical note:  Though salmon is one of the healthiest things you can possibly eat, do your homework on origination.  Alaskan salmon is a dangerously over-fished resource.  I’m not convinced there is currently any especially ethical or sustainable ways of harvesting, so the environmentally-conscious may want to limit intake to special occasions!

#8  Sweet Potatoes

Ø  Nutrient-packed

Ø  Disease fighter:  Type 2 Diabetes

Ø  A simple switch in our diet- regular potatoes to these!

Aside from them being delicious, a simple change from regular potatoes to sweet potatoes can mean huge changes for overall health.  Sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotene, vitamin A, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients.  To achieve the maximum health benefits of sweet potatoes, steam or boil them and add a little bit of dietary fat (a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, for example).  This releases more antioxidants and helps the body uptake the most beta-carotene.

They are lower on the glycemic index, helping you feel fuller for longer, and recent studies have shown that extracts from sweet potatoes can increase blood levels of adioponectin in people with type 2 diabetes, which improving their insulin regulation.  Thus, sweet potatoes are a super-food for diabetics!

#9  Oats

Ø  SUPER food the heart!

Ø  Lower LDL cholesterol levels

Ø  Prevent heart disease

Ø  GI tract health

Oats are one of the best ways to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease or diabetes.  They are loaded with soluble fiber, and in studies has demonstrated reduced cholesterol levels by 8-23%.  Going past its fiber content, oats contain antioxidants (avenanthramides) which have been shown to further assist in preventing cardiovascular disease.

#10  Papaya

Ø  Great for weight loss… calorie negative food!

Ø  Helps with protein digestion

Ø  Super high in potassium

Ø  Disease fighter:  Allergies, heart disease, stroke, macular degeneration, arthritis, prostate cancer

Papayas are a delicious way to reward yourself with a sweet treat in a healthy way.  These fruits are huge, so what you can’t eat in one sitting you can freeze for later use in a protein shake.  They are loaded with antioxidants and enzymes which support the immune system and possess anti-inflammatory properties.

Papayas are high in lycopene, which help fight and reduce incidences of prostate cancer in men.  Guys, I will release a “super food guide for the modern cave-man” eating guide in the future, but for now know this… stack lycopene-rich foods with green tea; research has strongly indicated that consuming both of these together helps more than one or the other alone.

Pick the good ones!  Grab papayas that have red-orange skin and are a little soft if you want to eat them right away.  The fully ripe papayas are highest in antioxidants.

Honorable Mention 1: Beans!  Black, Pinto, and Kidney beans are excellent sources of high protein when eaten with rice and are naturally high in fiber.  They are excellent foods for the heart, are great for the GI tract, and are cheap.  Eat more beans and reap the health rewards!

Honorable Mention 2: Almonds.  They are a great source of protein, can help lower cholesterol, fantastic for the heart, and loaded with vitamin E.  They can help prevent diabetes, and are incredibly convenient and healthy to snack on.  For this reason they were worth mentioning, yet didn’t make the list.  They are so convenient that they are very easy to over-indulge upon.  For the belly-conscious, pre-package a set amount of almonds in a bag and carry them with you to work so that you don’t over-do it!

Surprising finds- In my research I came across several spices and additives that have some truly amazing nutritional properties.  This is so critical in western diets, as many of us have become so dependent on salt.  There are so many better (tasting) alternatives that are real gems for the body out there just waiting to be discovered.  Look forward to my “spice up your life” section of my blog to follow!

One of my “side gigs” in the fitness industry is acting as a consultant and writer for a nonprofit specializing in battling childhood obesity.  So after compiling a ton of data and working with some top-tier physicians on what foods have real health benefits, I got this idea.  Why not put five or ten of the very best foods in terms of heart health and weight reduction in a head-to-head competition and discuss their benefits in a simple, matter-of-fact way to help us all during our trips to the grocery store or farmers market?

I have a long list of great candidates to decide between, so while I am chiseling away at the list I decided to give you all a simple “fast facts” eating guide to help you with your shopping and diet decisions.  Stay tuned for the “Ultimate List,” but for now here is a great, quick guide to eating right for your enjoyment!

Background Fast-Facts:

• Food Labels- Read them, and know what to look for. What do you look for in a food label?  Well, there are many things to be conscious about, but here’s a simple breakdown.

1.       Calories- This is the measurement of the total energy contained in the food.  Lower is better for weight loss.

2.       Fats- This is what to watch for.  Fat contains 9 calories per gram, making it over TWICE as energy-dense as protein or carbs, which have 4.  Lower is better when it comes to fat, and saturated fats are bad for the heart so avoid them whenever possible.

3.       Fiber- More is usually better.  Soluble for heart health, insoluble for colon health; both are important.

4.       Protein- More is usually better, but the source is very important.  Protein derived from animal sources is complete, and protein derived from plant sources is not complete unless you “complete” it by eating diverse sources.  For all you vegetarians- Rice and beans (together), or Quinoa are good sources.  Avoid soy protein.

5.       Ratios- See my next bullet point, but here’s some basics:

Ø  Meats, cheeses, and nuts:  Ratio of protein to fat.  You want more protein and less fat.

Ø  Breads and grains:  Fiber to carbohydrate ratio.  You want more fiber and less carbs- protein is a plus!

• When eating any snack or meal, complete it. That means have some carbs, complete protein, fat, and fiber every time you munch.  Complete protein comes from all animal sources, but can be made with a combination of plants like legumes and rice, or even quinoa alone.  This helps to keep the body full so you don’t end up eating even more!
• Bread isn’t the enemy. The butter, cream cheese, and olive oil is.  Also, not all breads are created equal.  Bread should be selected in order of its content of dietary fiber. Oat bran is highest, followed by whole wheat.  If it’s less than 3g of fiber per slice, forget about it.  So, the white-bread dinner rolls… yeah, they’re still horrible for you.
• Tofu sucks. Sorry hippies, but most tofu is calorically 50% fat, and the marketers behind it claim that it’s good for the environment, animal-friendly, and a good source of protein.  FACT:  When they chop down the rainforest, guess what the Brazilians are growing?  Soy beans, to feed the demands of nose-in-the-air hipster Americans.  FACT:  Tofu does not deliver the complete (all essential amino acids) demands of the human body.  Incomplete proteins turn to fat, which tofu already has enough of.  All this and it tastes horrible!  If you like hugging trees, eat quinoa instead- it has all the essential amino acids and is harvested in a socially sustainable way!
• Fiber, fiber, fiber! Intake of soluble fiber, specifically pectin, has been shown in peer-reviewed testing (this is the official scientific kind, people) to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.  LDL cholesterol is that “bad” cholesterol you keep hearing about, and leads to plaque formation in the arteries, heart attack, and DEATH.  The same type of testing has proven the benefits of insoluble fiber for colon health, and is preached by every proctologist from here to China.  Here’s a fun fact… high intake of fiber helps to satisfy hunger, and is more expensive for the body to digest.  This means that along the 25 feet or so of GI tract the muscles have to work harder to squeeze this “crap” along.  Harder work means more calories required… sometimes even more than the body absorbs from eating the thing in the first place!
• Snack more! You already have heard this, and yes, it’s true.  Eat more often, eat smaller portions, eat 4-6 times per day.
• Fad diets are garbage. No amount of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, lethargy-inducing ketosis, or (insert latest stupid cosmo/muscle and fiction diet here) is or has ever been natural throughout the evolution of mankind.  Knock it off, educate yourself, and grow some willpower.
• Eating nuts is nuts for weight loss! I often hear clients tell me that they snack on nuts to be healthy.  The truth is, they are- for the heart.  Nuts have many vitamins and minerals and have been proven in many studies to very beneficial to heart health.  However, all nuts are high in fat (though some much more than others) so a heavy reliance on them (more than 2 ounces/day) for snacking is a very poor choice for weight maintenance.  Snack on leaner sources of protein, eat the healthier nuts (higher fiber, lower fat, higher protein) in moderation to complete snacks, and…
• Take a multivitamin! Do it.