Blueberries
Blueberries are my #1 favorite fruit for living long and strong. These tiny berries are bursting with vitality – just like you will be when you add them to your daily diet. Blueberries are low in calories but higher in cell-protecting antioxidants – including the powerful cholesterol fighter resveratrol – than any other common fruit or vegetable.
Just one cup of blueberries contains more than 25% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C and 4 grams of fiber as well as vitamin K and manganese to help prevent osteoporosis and joint inflammation. They contain significant amounts of both antibacterial and antiviral compounds and may even help protect you from heart disease and cancer!
The tannins in blueberries serve to cleanse the digestive system and promote a healthy urinary tract by preventing bacterial growth. They contain insoluble fiber which prevents their total calories from being absorbed. And, their naturally sweet, but low amount of fructose makes them a perfect, guilt-free snack for satisfying a sweet tooth.
Fresh blueberries are available in the U.S. for nearly eight months of the year and frozen berries can be found in most grocery stores. On pages 161-162 of my new book, Radical Longevity, you’ll find a section of bonus recipes including my mouth-watering, healthy Blueberry Crumble, that’s sure to become a family favorite!
Broccoli
Broccoli needs to be high on your list of healthy veggies if you care to have better eyesight, lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, and renew the youthful glow of your skin. High in antioxidants, sulfur and vitamin C, broccoli is an excellent detoxifier. It also contains omega 3s, amino acids and folate to keep your skin radiant. Rich in beta-carotene, phosphorus, zeaxanthin and B vitamins, broccoli is excellent for protecting your eyes from age-related diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
If that’s not enough to send you into the kitchen to steam some broccoli for dinner, how about its ability to help regulate blood pressure? It’s high in chromium which helps insulin to function properly by regulating blood sugar and helping to keep blood pressure in check. Broccoli also can’t be beat for its immune system strengthening minerals such as selenium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. And, did you know that broccoli is an excellent source of calcium? It provides 47 milligrams per 100 grams of calcium to help prevent osteoporosis or weakening of the bones and teeth.
One of my favorite ways to take advantage of the many benefits of broccoli is in a delicious broccoli slaw. I just buy a bag of organic broccoli/carrot slaw, toss in ½ cup safflower mayo, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, a little sea salt and mix together. Then pop in ½ cup pistachios or walnuts. If you have time you can also peel and shred fresh broccoli stalks or cut them into matchsticks to make your slaw.
And, don’t forget fresh broccoli sprouts! They contain the highest known source of vital phytonutrients, indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane, which aid the liver in its ability to process and neutralize toxins. Sulforaphane acts like a “signaling molecule” to communicate with other cells. With the ability to affect over two thousand genes, activating numerous defense mechanisms and neutralizing free radicals, sulforaphane is one potent toxicity zapper. Toss a cupful a day onto your salads or tuck them into a veggie wrap.
Beets
Beets are one of the most regenerative foods for your body, making them longevity rock stars well worth adding to your daily diet. Beets aid digestion, thin the bile, cleanse the liver, alkalize the blood, and even improve cognitive function and sports performance. They are rich in potassium, manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, folate, vitamin B6, nitrates, fiber – and more. The betalains in beets partner with glutathione to help your body detoxify.
If you’re concerned about weight loss, beets are your best friend because of their benefits for your liver and gallbladder. They contain betaine, which thins the bile that your liver uses to excrete toxins and helps to break down fats so they can be used for fuel, instead of padding your hips and thighs. Bile deficiency is very common for those of us over 60 and especially more so for those without a gallbladder. For those with their gallbladder intact, betaine also helps prevent gallstones. And, it even increases serotonin, helping to boost your mood.
I recommend UNI KEY Health’s Bile Builder which contains betaine from beet root to help promote thin, free-flowing bile and is a rich source of hydrochloric acid to aid digestion. It also contains choline to assist with fat digestion, taurine to help bile excrete toxins from the liver, pancreatic lipase to help further break down fats as a digestive enzyme, and ox bile to provide important bile salts helpful for people with or without a gallbladder.
Beets are delicious juiced or grated raw onto salads, lend themselves well to pickling and are great pureed into hummus for added color and nutrition. Try simmering beets and tomatoes in stock, and puree for a colorful, antioxidant-rich soup. Or make “borscht”, a classic European beet soup with dozens of variations.
If this all sounds delicious, go get your “3 Bs” to add vitality to your life and live long to 100 and beyond! You can preorder your copy of Radical Longevity and claim three free bonus guides, and a $28 coupon to my store at Unikeyhealth.com, as my special gift.
Do check out my recent blog, Reclaim Your Brain to Make Senior Moments a Distant Memory to learn how to help protect your brain as you age, and listen to my latest podcast, Powerful EMF Protection You Can Wear – Episode 66, with Valerie Burke.