The everyday foods you eat can help to keep you healthy and prevent or treat some common medical problems as well.
1. Honey
Nutrients: The B vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
Good for: Sore throats, coughs, and cold, healing wounds, and hay fever
2. Ginger
Nutrients: Vitamins A and B2 (riboflavin) iron, phosphorus and potassium
Good for: Nausea, food poisoning, motion sickness, vertigo, respiratory ailments, menstrual pain, lowering blood cholesterol
3. Garlic
Nutrients: the B vitamins, vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, iron, and selenium
Good for: Fighting infections, relieving colds, bronchitis, congestion, fungal infections, protecting against food poisoning, lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure, asthma, diarrhea, and indigestion.
4. Carrots
Nutrients: The B vitamins, vitamins A (beta-carotene) and C, iron, and fiber
Good for: Eye health, healthy skin, gum disease, asthma and respiratory problems, protecting against cancer.
5. Watercress
Nutrients: Vitamins A and C, folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, and lutein
Good for: protecting against cancer; urinary infections, and good eye health reducing risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
6. Avocados
Nutrients: Vitamins B2 and E and fiber
Good for: healthy skin and treating skin problems, fighting stress, good digestion, boosting immune system, and lowering cholesterol levels
7. Bananas
Nutrients: vitamin B6, potassium, zinc, and fiber
Good for: digestive ailments, constipation, diarrhea, convalescing after illness, relieving muscular cramping.
8. Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, flaxseeds)
Nutrients: Vitamin E and zinc
Good for: healthy nervous system, good digestion, reducing risk of dementia, and enhancing memory and thinking skills.
9. Nuts
Nutrients: protein, the B vitamins, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, magnesium, iron, healthy oils, and folic acid
Good for: healthy nervous system, easing fatigue and stress, lowering cholesterol, preventing memory loss.
10. Oats
Nutrients: protein, vitamins B6 and E, magnesium and fiber.
Good for: treating constipation, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, protecting against colon cancer.
11. Yogurt with live cultures
Nutrients: protein, vitamins A and D, calcium
Good for: stomach ailments, food poisoning, constipation, fighting fungal infections, boosting the immune system.
12. Oily fish
Nutrients: protein, vitamins A, B12, and D, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine
Good for: a healthy heart and preventing heart disease, healthy nervous system, protecting against memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease.
1000 home remedies, Metro Books, 2013101 Best Super Foods, Betsy A. Hornick, MS, RD, 2011
