Love these Red Foods
Posted on February 5, 2014
by The Alternative Daily
There are a number of
red foods that are considered to be powerful superfoods offering a number of
health benefits due to their potent antioxidant content. There are a wide
variety of red colored fruits and veggies to choose from, with each offering
something a bit different, from helping to prevent cancer to decreasing stroke
risk and more.
Here is a look at five
red foods to love and how they can help you to achieve better health.
Cherries
Cherries are not only incredibly
delicious, but they are packed with antioxidants like anthocyanin which is
thought to help reduce inflammation and even pain. They are also believed to
fight cancer, diabetes and to aid in regulating blood pressure.
Cherries contain lots of
vitamin C, potassium and fiber too. The antioxidants in cherries are known to
slow down certain enzymes to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout in the
body.
This tart, juicy fruit
can even help slow the aging process due to the important flavonoids it
contains, isoqueritrin and queritrin which help to battle against the damage of
oxidative stress.
Beets
Beets have an earthy
flavor but become sweet when cooked and are incredibly nutritious containing
lots of folate and fiber. Betanin, a phytochemical known to boost immunity, is
what gives them their rich, red color. Just one serving can help increase
energy levels, reduce blood pressure and the pain of arthritis. The ancient
Romans were even said to have used them as an aphrodisiac.
Cranberries
Cranberries aren’t just
for Thanksgiving. This superfood is something you should enjoy all year long.
They are available fresh in the fall and winter, and frozen year round. They
contain lots of vitamin C and fiber while outranking nearly every fruit and
vegetable when it comes to important disease fighting antioxidants. They’ve
been shown to cause the death of cancer cells and can also help prevent
bacteria from sticking to urinary tract walls.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a rich
source of vitamin C and also contain plenty of vitamin A, fiber and potassium.
It’s lycopene that gives them their bright red hue, an antioxidant that helps
to battle skin aging as well as protect against cancer and heart disease,
improve vision and lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
Chile peppers contain
capsaicin which is an antioxidant that is known to protect blood vessels. It’s
what makes peppers hot as well as helping to increase the body’s metabolic rate
and even stimulate certain brain chemicals that can decrease hunger. When it
comes to peppers, the hotter the better – the hotter they are, the more
capsaicin they contain. Hot peppers also release endorphins which are known as
“happy hormones.”
How
often do you enjoy red foods?
-The Alternative Daily
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