Here are nine foods packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that have been linked to longevity. Don’t forget to try the delicious recipes we’ve also included. Eat up!
Broccoli: It contains immune-boosting compounds, and eating as little as 70 grams a day may also help ward off stomach ulcers and even cancer, says a recent Japanese trial. Like the look of this picture?
Salmon: Including omega-3-rich fish (and others like it, such as tuna, mackerel, and sardines) as a regular part of your diet may reduce your risk of heart disease and prevent against inflammation. A 2009 study from the University of Hawaii found that men who ate the most baked or boiled fish—as opposed to fried, dried, or salted—reduced their risk of heart-disease related death by 23% compared to those who ate the least.
Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries—all are bite-sized antioxidant powerhouses that stave off life-threatening diseases.
Garlic: It may not do your breath any favours, but the phytochemicals in garlic may halt the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the body. Studies have found that phytochemicals in garlic can halt the formation of carcinogenic chemicals in the body, and that women who eat more garlic have lower risk of certain colon cancers.
Bok choy: In a Vanderbilt University study, Chinese breast cancer survivors with diets high in cruciferous veggies like bok choy had a lower risk of death or recurrence.
Avocado: If your cholesterol numbers could use some help, listen up: eating more avocado may help lower your bad LDL cholesterol while also raising your good HDL cholesterol.
Tomato: There’s no better source for the antioxidant lycopene than rosy-red tomatoes. Eating them cooked, in pasta sauce, tomato soup, or chutney, actually increases the amount of carcinogen-fighting carotenoids your body is able to absorb.
Beans: Your go-to choice for plant-based protein, beans are also high in fibre, low in fat, and packed with more nutrients per gram than any other food.
Whole grains: In a study of more than 40,000 women, those who ate lots of grains had a 31% lower risk of dying from causes other than cancer or heart disease when compared with women who had few or no whole grains in their diet.