Eating healthier can be as easy as including more citrus fruits, berries, avocados and mushrooms in your diet. That’s because these four foods are loaded with nutrients and compounds that can help prevent certain conditions and diseases.
Citrus Fruits
Everyone knows citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C. But did you know vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants? Besides helping the body fight infection, vitamin C helps fight cell and tissue damage that could lead to disease.
Citrus fruits also contain a number of other essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and a variety of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are compounds found in plants that can help lower the risk of some chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Berries
According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture study, blueberries top the list of antioxidant-rich fruits, followed by cranberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. That’s because berries contain anthocyanins, the antioxidants that give berries of all shades their color. Anthocyanins help neutralize cancer-causing substances and may help prevent gastrointestinal cancers.
Berries are also a good source of vitamin C and fiber, and they contain ellagic acid, which may help prevent cancers of the skin, bladder, lung, esophagus and breast.
Avocados
The avocado is high in fat, but most is the heart-healthy monounsaturated kind. Avocados also contain nearly 20 beneficial nutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, fiber, iron and potassium. And they are full of active compounds that might help prevent cancer.
In addition, avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are high in fiber, low in calories and free of sodium, fat and cholesterol. The common white cultivated mushroom has lots of potassium, while the exotic shiitake is higher in fiber and protein, with lots of flavor. Potassium helps lower blood pressure, while fiber can help lower the risk of developing certain conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Recent studies have shown that compounds in mushrooms may play a part in everything from boosting the immune system to suppressing breast and prostate cancers. And mushrooms contain large amounts of an antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. It’s believed that fungi are the only foods that contain this compound.