The First 5 of 25 Ridiculously Healthy Foods

I Can't Believe These Foods are Healthy and Yummy!

Most, minus my sister, will tell you that I love to share. So I'm sharing with you my experiences to eating healthy- these foods fend off serious diseases like diabetes and cancer and heart problems fortify your immune system; protect and smooth your skin; and help you to lose and maintain weight.

1. Eggs

I want the entire egg...not just the yolk or the egg white and believe it or not the ENTIRE egg is good for you! The yolk is home to tons of essential but hard-to-get nutrients, including choline, which is linked to lower rates of breast cancer (one yolk supplies 25% of your daily need) and antioxidants that may help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. though many of us have shunned whole eggs because of their link to heart disease risk, there's actually substantial evidence that for most of us, eggs are not harmful but healthy.

How many eggs should I eat? People with heart disease should limit egg yolks to two a week, but the rest of us can have one whole egg daily; research shows it won't raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. Make omelets with one whole egg and two whites, and watch the cholesterol at other meals.


2. Olive Oil
I switched from vegetable oil to strict extra virgin olive oil about two years ago and I love the difference. My food has more natural flavor. Olive oil is full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) which lower 'bad' LDL cholesterol and raise 'good' HDL cholesterol. It's rich in antioxidants, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, like Alzheimer's.

How do I use olive oil? Look for extra virgin oils for the most antioxidants and flavors. Drizzle small amounts on veggies before roasting; use it to saute or stir-fry, in dressings and marinades, and to flavor bread at dinner in lieu of a layer of butter or margarine.

3. Avocado

My introduction to avocados came during a business meeting at Randi's house. I have them rarely as they are high in calories. But to avoid weight gain, use avocado in place of another high-fat food such as cheese or mayo. Avocados are smooth, buttery fruits that are a great source of not only MUFAs but other key nutrients as well.

How do I incorporate avocados into my diet? One Ohio State University study found that when avocado was added to salads (my absolute favorite way to eat avocados!) and salsa, it helped increase the absorption of specific carotenoids (plant compounds linked to lower risk of heart disease and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness). Avocados are packed with heart-protective compounds such as soluble fiber, vitamin E, folate and potassium.

4. Broccoli

My entire family loves green stuff! I would touch anything green until a year ago. I strongly disliked the taste of anything green. But Randi told me it was okay to add a little lite ranch dressing with it and now I'm hooked. I have it in the fridge on most days!

Pick any life-threatening disease- cancer, heart disease, you name it- and eating more broccoli and its cruciferous cousins may help you beat it, Johns Hopkins research suggests. Averaging just four weekly servings of veggies like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower slashed the risk of dying from any disease by 26% among 6,100 people studied for 28 years.


Try this! For maximum disease-fighting benefits, whip out your old veggie steamer. It turns out that steaming broccoli lightly releases the maximum amount of sulforaphane.

5. Apples

I have always loved apples. My family and I typically go to the orchard every fall and my favorite are the gala apples for eating and honeycrisp for baking. Apples are one of the healthiest fruits you should be eating.


The Iowa Women's Health Study, which has been investigating the health habits of 34,000 women for nearly 20 years, named apples as one of only three foods (along with pears and red wine) that are most effective at reducing the risk of lung cancer and type 2 diabetes- and even help women lose weight.

Unhealthy use of apples v. healthy use of apples: One of the only things that could make an apple unhealthy is mixing it with sugar, flour, and butter and stuffing it into a mile high pie. Instead, have one as an afternoon snake with a tablespoon of peanut butter, or add slices to sandwiches or salads. I love apples in my salad but I also recently found a new combination (Thanks Randi!) of apples and low fat skim milk mozzarella cheese sticks.


If you have any healthy food ideas to share, please feel free to comment to this blog! This is your chance to help yourself and help others get healthy and stay healthy!