If you are following a healthy eating diet plan then it may be quite likely you have the support of your partner and they are supporting you on your weight loss journey.
If your partner is health conscious, then lucky you as you will not have to force these superfoods into him, just advise him in conversation about a few of them here and there and your work is done!
This is a list of the top 10 superfoods to help men in particular (they are also great for women), guard themselves against illness including various cancers.
1) Tomatoes
Lycopene is a strong antioxidant and is an active compound found in tomatoes, alongside carotenoids. They are both extremely helpful in the fight of prostate and pancreatic cancer in men. Nutritionists recommend seven to ten serves a week – both cooked and raw juice. To gain the health benefits of juice, make your own as store bought tomato juice will be pasteurized.
2) Berries
Berries include currants, cherries, cranberries, hawthorn berries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. High in flavonoids, berries can be more potent than traditional antioxidants like vitamin C and E, beta-carotene, selenium and zinc, and are well-known to be crucial in the prevention of cancer. So add some fresh or frozen berries to your man’s breaky or protein shake for optimal immune support.
3) Cruciferous vegetables
These vegetables include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cress, horseradish, kohlrabi, mustard, radish and turnip. They are beneficial because they contain the phytonutrient, glucosinolates, which has been found to detoxify certain carcinogens and help lower cancer risk, especially colon cancer.
4) Turmeric
If your man loves curry, then turmeric is an easy one to sneak into a meal. Turmeric contains the phytonutrient, curcumin, which has been found to be anti-inflammatory and cancer-inhibiting. It can also be added to rice to make yummy turmeric rice.
5) Shiitake Mushrooms
Long a symbol of longevity in Asia because of their health-promoting properties, shiitake mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for more than 6,000 years. Mushrooms aren’t only tasty to eat, they can also protect one from cancer and reduce the effects of colds and flus and boost immunity.
6) Garlic
You can increase the health benefits you receive from garlic by letting it sit after you’ve chopped it or crushed it. If you give your chopped/crushed garlic time to sit before changing its temperature (through cooking) or its pH (through the addition of acidic food like lemon juice), it will give the alliinase enzymes in garlic an opportunity to work on behalf of your health. Garlic contains active compounds, such as sulfur containing amino-acids, glutathione and cysteine, that have powerful protective functions against cancer formation, growth and metastasis. If your man finds the smell and taste of raw garlic intolerable, you could lightly stir-fry it with meat and veges, or boil it in soups.
7) Miso
Soy miso is a very good source of manganese and copper as well as a good source of zinc – all three are important mineral antioxidants for health and wellbeing. It is also a very good source of the mineral phosphorus as well as a good source of protein and dietary fibre. In addition to these conventional nutrients, soy miso is also an important source of phytonutrient antioxidants including phenolic acids like ferulic, coumaric, syringic, vanillic, and kojic acid.
8) Fibre-rich foods
Whole grains, such as brown rice, beans, seeds, lentils and vegetables are all great sources of fibre, so be sure to include them in your partner’s daily meals. Fibre in plant foods are important not only for healthy bowels, they are also important for preventing colorectal cancer. Fibre facilitates the movement of food through the digestive tract, so there is less time for any carcinogens in one’s food to be absorbed, and less carcinogens are produced by the “rotting” food in the gut as it passes through.
9) Bee propolis
Propolis is a substance produced by bees to protect themselves and their hives against bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Rich in bioflavonoids, vitamins and amino acids, it has been found to be immunity-enhancing and cancer-preventing. Propolis can be purchased in liquid form and is a simple supplement to add to a man’s daily routine.
10) Omega 3
Oily fish, fish oil, flax seed oil, hemp oil, and healthy oil blend supplements provide omega 3 fatty acids (and other beneficial fatty acids), which fight inflammation and make the body less hospitable to cancer cells. Vitamin D is also known to kill cancer, and you can find many fish oils and some vegan oil blends with vitamin D in them.
Need to stock up on Healthy Mummy Smoothies? Then see our shop here
And join our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenges here