The Best Foods to Fight Disease in Your Diet by Mark Ramos

Are you looking for that eternal fountain of youth? What you eat may directly impact how young you look, not to mention your quality of life. Find out what powerful foods to eat to protect from disease, prevent wrinkles, and keep you feeling your best!

Tomatoes

Eating more tomatoes in your salad at lunch will naturally boost the health of your skin. In a recent study, people who ate 5 tablespoons of high lycopene tomato paste each day for three months had a 25% higher protection against sunburn. Additionally, their skin had a higher content of collagen, which is the substance that keeps your skin firm and free from sagging. Higher levels of lycopene in the skin provide antioxidant benefits to reduce the risk of deep wrinkles and fine lines so that you will look younger!

Coffee

There have been rumors that coffee is bad for you, but recent research has shown that is far from the truth. Coffee is a perfect source of daily antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, especially since it is consumed in excess by coffee drinkers in the US. Research has proved that drinking coffee will not cause heart disease or cancer, and if you have good health, it will also lower the risk of cirrhosis of the liver, developing type II diabetes, and boost your athletic performance. However, it is important to watch your caffeine intake if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, or are anxious, but in general, health professionals recommend drinking 2 to 3 cups of Joe per day. Thank goodness!

Honey

Including dark honey, like blueberry or buckwheat, within your diet will give you the antioxidants you need to fight aging, according to researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. They studied more than 19 varieties of honey to find that its antioxidant content neutralizes free radical damage within the body to prevent cognitive decline, heart disease, macular degeneration, and cancer. Since honey has such a strong flavor, use a small amount in your plain yogurt, oatmeal, and tea instead of refined sugar.

Dark Chocolate

This is exciting news for many chocolate lovers because dark chocolate that contains over 70% cocoa has a number of healthy antioxidants and polyphenols. One square of dark chocolate has twice as many antioxidants as a glass of red wine and almost as much as a cup of green tea that is steeped properly. These antioxidant molecules will prevent the growth of cancer cells in the body and limit any blood vessels that feed on them. It is best to enjoy 1/5 of a dark chocolate bar each day without any guilt. However, milk chocolate is not a good substitute because dairy neutralizes the cancer protection of the polyphenols within the chocolate.

So next time that you plan out your upcoming meal, keep these top power foods in mind to not only benefit your health but dramatically improve your quality of life. Here’s to a more youthful you!