I have a girlfriend is who is a health nut. She recently started eating quinoa and told me about all the wonderful benefits in this little grain. I was actually surprised that this smart food (aka superfood) had so much nutritional value and could also help prevent certain health issues. I wondered whether maybe my meals should include more of these smart foods since they have such great benefits. So I decided to find out what the top smart foods were on AOL Search. I can see why salmon made it to the top of the list. Salmon is full of omega-3 fatty acids which can actually reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, prostate cancer and colon cancer.
Blueberries, spinach and broccoli are filled with antioxidants that can help decrease your risk of certain cancers. The antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products called "free radicals" that can lead to cancer.
I was actually surprised to see foods such as pumpkin, ginger and sweet potatoes on the list. I didn't know these foods had any health benefits. After further research, I found out that pumpkins and sweet potatoes are actually great sources of alpha-carotene. This is a powerful member of the carotenoid family that helps prevent cataract formation and boosts immunity.
Do you know of a smart food that didn't make the list? If so tell us about it or try searching for smart foods on AOL Search. Also check out AOL Body for additional smart foods and AOL Food for great recipe ideas for smart foods.
Top Searched Smart Foods on AOL Search:
1. Salmon
2. Quinoa
3. Spinach
4. Broccoli
5. Sweet Potatoes
6. Green Tea
7. Pumpkin
8. Vitamin Water
9. Blueberries
10. Ginger
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
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Posted at 6:29PM on Mar 26th 2008 by Smart food nutrition
2. One of the strong anti oxidant foods not on this list is HEALTHY CHOCOLATE. Not the high sugar alkalinized candy so many of us eat, but the raw cacao product you find in Xocai. Check uot the website I have linked to conniegriffiths.com for more info on this chocolate product and then let me know what you think.
Posted at 7:33PM on Mar 26th 2008 by CONNIE
3. I believe in smart foods and making smart choices. Fiber in general is key as it makes you feel full. I love All Bran Bran Buds as they stay crunchy in milk, and eat healthy portion sizes of fruit especially melons and berries. Something can be a smart food, but if you eat too much of it, that is not too smart.
I was an obese teen and heavy in my twenties. I have changed my life
through Weight Watchers (www.weightwatchers.com) and making small changes in my day to day
that I can keep up with. I swear by drinking plenty of water,
avoiding carb laden meals in the evening and trying to get exercise
whenever I can. I wear smartsole insoles http://www.smartsole.com to
increase the calories I burn with every step. It also tones
muscles. I also try to wear a pedometer to keep track of miles and
try to do 10,000 steps every day.
Posted at 11:15PM on Mar 26th 2008 by Hallie
4. I have smartsoles too. Love them. I used to wear MBT trainers and found them hard to run in. I wear my smartsoles all the time when I am wearing flat shoes. They don't fit in any shoe with a heel.
My big tip is to add flax seeds to everything. You have to grind them first. But they have made my skin look better and do wonders for my stomach. I am regular for the first time in years (sharing!)
Posted at 9:02AM on Mar 27th 2008 by Cassie
5. i found quinoa at Trader Joes none at the other stores
Posted at 2:06PM on Apr 1st 2008 by LaVerne
6. I wanted to post a comment, but I don't have a website to promote.
Posted at 2:18PM on Apr 1st 2008 by wankandfile
7. A high quality omega-3 suppliment is the best. The problem with eating fish is the heavy metals, pestiscides and other toxins. Not all omega 3 suppliments are created equal. The best I've found is mediomega.com. Third party tested. Tons of benefits without the risk.
Posted at 2:27PM on Apr 1st 2008 by jnpkto
8. The best source of omega 3 is suppiments that have removed the heavy metals, toxins and pestasides. The best I've found is http://mediomega.com. It's third party tested for quality.
Posted at 2:27PM on Apr 1st 2008 by John
9. http://www.worldsgreatestsupplement.com/
Zylene is great, I first found out about it on the hotsearches and saw that blog. I have lost over 15 pounds in less than 2 months and would recommend it to anyone. Its truly the worlds greatest supplement.
Posted at 2:28PM on Apr 1st 2008 by getting slim
10. Zylene is great.. I bought it on Amazon and got it discounted
Posted at 2:32PM on Apr 1st 2008 by Beth
11. You have a very hard site to use.
Posted at 2:42PM on Apr 1st 2008 by chfinancialgroup
12. I just LOVE quinoa! I also like tree sap thickened with powdered sunflower seed husks - almost as much as lawn clippings sprinkled with sawdust and garnished with guano. All yummy and SO COMPLETELY natural!
Posted at 2:43PM on Apr 1st 2008 by No Tastebuds
13. Quinoa is a wonderful food. It's easy to prepare, tastes great and is soooo healthy. I would add flaxseed to the list of super foods. You can practically put it in or on everything and it has more benefits than fishoil.
Posted at 2:47PM on Apr 1st 2008 by maxine
14. The whole fruit puree of the Mangosteen fruit contains the most powerful anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory found in nature.They are called Xanthones and are backed by Scientific studies.
If your health is important to you, this is THE ONE supplement you should be on. To learn more :
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Posted at 2:54PM on Apr 1st 2008 by Mangosteen evangelist
15. The ACAI BERRY from Brazil is known to have the most antioxidents in the world. Having an ORAC score of 1027. check out
www.thegreatproduct.com/mora
Posted at 2:55PM on Apr 1st 2008 by mmora4u
16. Hands down the #1 superfood in the world is the acai berry found in the Amazon...even Oparah says so!...you can find this amazing fruit along with 17 other fruits from around the world ,rich in antioxidents,in a product called monavie...http://mymonavie.com/daveandrocio
Posted at 2:57PM on Apr 1st 2008 by bighognpin
17. Best superfood is Goji berries. Many times more antioxidants than blueberries. Fruit is found in Tailand and Himalayan mountains. Has so many health benefits to long mention. Check out dried goji berries at smarter.com.
Posted at 3:00PM on Apr 1st 2008 by Charlotte de Dios
18. quinoa belongs to the aztecs and should be remembered for its history. like spelt,it is not a modern food.our tastes are to the things we domesticate and grow in abundance. no matter how beneficial these ancient grains are there is a commensurate modern grain or food to enjoy that is just as nourishing. it's simple, buy nothing that is in a box or has microwavable directions. then you will be eating healthy food. some new cooking skills might be in order, but the benefits of real foods are worth the effort.
Posted at 3:00PM on Apr 1st 2008 by madsarro
19. There is a grain like Quinoa called Fef thats made in Etheopia, (I found some at a good health food store), that is very small and has perfect nutrition in it. That means it crries all the nutrients in it.
Posted at 3:00PM on Apr 1st 2008 by Rose
20. Fish, the best source of omega 3 is suppiments that have removed the heavy metals, toxins and pestasides. There is a botanical product which contains the highest level of Omaga 3 among plants...FLAX SEEDS!
Flax seeds are also a great source of dietary fiber. It offsets much or the carbos & fats we consume and is great for weight loss and colon cleasing.
When roasted or added as a baking ingredient, it provides a nutty taste with a crunchy texture! As a healthy snack, I eat corn chips baking with whole Flax seeds. An excellent replacement for potato, crackers or nacho chips, since whole corn has a great deal of fiber as well.
You can buy Flax Seed Corn Chips at BulkFoods.com. Try them with chilli, soup, stews or just buy themselves. They are also great when combined with any nut. Try them with walnuts or any nut you for a special treat!
Posted at 3:01PM on Apr 1st 2008 by Richard Rodriguez