Improve your Health by Eating Well

There are many ways you can improve your overall health, including exercising, change your lifestyle and of course eating.  In this article we will focus on how to improve your health by changing the what you eat and how to prepare your food.

Eat Green

Most green vegetables are often seen as the World’s Healthiest Foods.  Collard greens, spinach, romaine lettuce, Celery, Cabbage, Swiss chard and others are included in this category.  Why not make greens a focal point with every meal you prepare and enjoy the vitality and health benefits that come with that.

Eat Light

Avoid eating when you are not hungry and lighten up the load on your digestive system.  Why not get out in the fresh air for a brisk walk when you're not really hungry but feeling tempted to snack.  Enjoy the satisfaction of meals that energize rather than weigh you down!  Remember, lightly cooked, lightly sautéed, lightly processed, lighter in calories and leaner in terms of fat is the way to go.

Eat Young

Stop thinking about all of your lifelong food habits as set in stone. Don't assume you won't enjoy a food because it did not appeal to you as a child. Be adventurous and try something new. Pretend you're starting out in the kitchen with new preparation techniques like our Healthy Sauté. The feeling of a fresh start also makes great sense if you are setting out on a spring weight loss program or if you're just after a renewed sense of vitality in your life.

Some Greens Favourites & Health Benefits

To add great flavour and nutrition to your menu, try the top 10 foods below that will leave you feeling refreshed, renewed and revitalized:

Apricots: Apricots were discovered growing on the mountain slopes of China; apricots have been cultivated for more than 4000 years. Not only do they help satisfy that sweet tooth, but apricots' red, orange and yellow hues signal their rich supply of carotenoids, phytonutrients that provide powerful antioxidant protection. Apricots are especially rich in beta-carotene and lycopene, two carotenoids important in reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, (the cause of plaque build up in arteries) and maintaining a healthy heart.

Green Peas: Although peas date back to biblical times, it was not until the sixteenth century that green peas were popularized by the French King Louis XIV. Green peas are an especially rich source of B vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B6 and foliate, which are essential for the proper metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Green peas are also rich in health-protective carotenoids, including lutein and zeaxanthin, which act as powerful antioxidants, promote healthy vision and protect against age-related macular degeneration.

Asparagus: Appreciation for asparagus dates back to ancient times when fleets of Roman ships were sent to gather asparagus for the emperors. Today, we know asparagus is a great source of foliate. Despite its wide availability in food, foliate deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the world. Just one cup of cooked asparagus, which provides 67% of the daily value for foliate, takes us a long way to fulfilling our daily requirements for this important nutrient, essential for heart health and the prevention of birth defects.

Spinach: Spinach is a Mediterranean favourite that has been recognized as a distinctive vegetable since the Golden Age of the Renaissance back in the 16th century. When Catherine de Medici left her home in Florence, Italy, to marry the King of France, she took cooks with her who knew how to prepare spinach in the special way she loved best - the dish that has come to be known as Spinach "a la Florentine." While spinach is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, it is an especially rich source of vitamin A (one cup of cooked spinach provides 294% of the daily value), which is important for cardiovascular health, and over 1000% of the daily value for vitamin K, an important vitamin for bone health! Researchers have also identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as powerful antioxidants and anti-cancer agents, as well as carotenoids, such as lutein, which are important for preventing age-related macular degeneration.

Green Beans: Green beans, which are picked when they are still immature and the inner bean is just beginning to form, are one of only a few varieties of beans that can be eaten fresh. Green beans' supply of vitamin A (through its concentration of beta-carotene) and vitamin C is part of the sine qua non for a healthy immune system. Beta-carotene and vitamin A are fat-soluble antioxidants, while vitamin C functions as an antioxidant in the water-soluble areas of the body. So, between their beta-carotene and vitamin C content, green beans help cover both of the body's internal environments against damage from oxygen free radicals.

Lettuce: Depictions of lettuce have been found on ancient Egyptian tombs, and it is believed that lettuce was held in high esteem by both the Greeks and Romans for its medicinal properties. Today, we know of no better way to lighten up your spring menu than to include more salads in your meals. Because all lettuce is not nutritionally equal, we recommend selecting romaine for your salads. While known to be a great low calorie food, romaine is not as well recognized for the many nutrients it contains. Romaine is a heart-healthy green as its vitamin C and beta-carotene content work together to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol, thus helping to prevent the formation of arterial plaques. And romaine is also one of only a few vegetables that contain a measurable amount of chromium, an important mineral in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

Avocados: Although we enjoy this delicious, versatile food as a vegetable, it is actually a type of tropical fruit. Since we now know that some types of fats are actually necessary for good health, those individuals who have been avoiding avocados because of their fat content can now enjoy their smooth, buttery texture and rich distinctive flavour with the knowledge that they are a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that can actually help lower cholesterol. And ounce for ounce, avocados provide 50% more potassium than bananas.

Collard Greens: Long a dietary staple for those living in the southern United States, collard greens are becoming increasingly popular throughout the rest of the country. Like their cousin broccoli, collard greens are a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables and share their many unique health-promoting properties. Scientific studies now show that cruciferous vegetables are extremely important for their health-promoting sulphur compounds. It's the sulphur compounds in these vegetables that appear to be particularly responsible for decreasing the occurrence of a wide variety of cancers, including breast and ovarian cancers. Collard greens also concentrate lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoid phytonutrients important for protection against age-related macular degeneration.

Basil: The name "basil" is derived from the old Greek word basilikohn, which means "royal," reflecting that ancient culture's attitudes towards an herb they held to be very noble and sacred. Today, basil remains a popular herb that can enrich the taste not only of your favourite pasta sauce, but the health benefits and flavour of your favourite spring salad. A very good source of vitamin A, basil contains a unique array of flavonoids that protect cell structures, as well as chromosomes, from radiation and oxygen-based damage.

Swiss Chard: Swiss chard has been renowned for its health-promoting properties since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. In fact, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote about chard as early as the fourth century B.C. Today, we know that calorie for calorie Swiss chard is one of the most nutritious vegetables around. It is an excellent source of vitamin A and E, two fat soluble vitamins that act as powerful antioxidants, along with a wealth of other vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and protein. Swiss chard is also a great source of carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, and flavonoids, such as anthocyanins, which help protect cell structures (including DNA) from the damage that can be caused by free radicals.