It sometimes seems as if the internal politics of any country are easier to sort than the latest thinking on nutrition. Here is the answer: Just eat these eight foods along with a little protein such as fish, chicken, or lean meat, beans, peas or groundnuts everyday.
Spinach
For muscle growth, healthy heart, bone building, enhanced eyesight, eat spinach.
It may be green and leafy, but spinach is the ultimate man food. This noted biceps builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.
Spinach is also packed with lutein, a compound that fights age-related mascular degeneration. Cook a cup or half-a-cup of fresh spinach everyday.
If you cannot easily find spinach, substitute it with kale or lettuce. You can also make salad by adding spinach to scrambled eggs.
Yogurt
It helps fight cancer, build bones and boost immunity. Various cultures claim yogurt is their creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed.
Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the beneficial bacteria in the body.
The bacteria boost the immune system and provide protection against cancer.
Not all yogurts are probiotic though, so make sure the label reads live and active cultures. Aim for one cup of the calcium and protein-rich food a day.
Yogurt substitutes are Kefir or soy yogurt.
For a quick recipe, yogurt topped with a fruit salad makes a good snack or dessert. Plain low-fat yogurt is also a perfect base for creamy salad dressings and dips.
Tomatoes
They help fight cancer, maintain a healthy heart and to boost immunity.
Red tomatoes are the best because they are packed with lycopene antioxidant. Processed tomatoes are as potent as fresh tomatoes because it is easier for the body to absorb the lycopene.
Studies reveal that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Eat 22mg of lycopene a day, which is about eight red cherry tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice.
You can substitute tomatoes with red watermelon, pink grapefruits, Japanese persimmons, pawpaws and guavas.
For a quick recipe, chop a small watermelon, two grapefruits, one pawpaw, four guavas and garnish with mint. Pour the ketchup onto the chips.
Carrots
They help fight cancer, boost immunity and enhance eyesight. Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits contain carotenoids; fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers as well as reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
But none are as easy to prepare, or have as low caloric density as carrots. A medium sized carrot a day is enough. You can substitute them with sweet potatoes (orange variety), pumpkins, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper and mangoes.
For a quick recipe, bake the sweet potato fries. Scrub and dry two sweet potatoes. Cut each into eight slices and toss with olive oil and paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F. Turn and bake for about 10 minutes or more.
Blueberries
These fruits stimulate the brain, fight cancer, boost immunity and help maintain a healthy heart. They are also a host to anti-oxidant. Blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname brain berry.
Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fibre and vitamins A and C, boost cardiovascular health.
Aim for one cup of fresh blueberries a day, or half a cup of frozen or dried ones. Blueberries are not common in Uganda, but they maintain most of their power in dried, frozen, or jam form.
Blueberry substitutes include raisins, strawberries, purple grapes, prunes, Açai berries (Açai, an Amazonian berry, has more anti-oxidant than the blueberry).
For a quick recipe, mix two tablespoons of Açai powder into orange juice or add two tablespoons of Açai pulp to cereal, yogurt, or a smoothie.
Black beans
For muscle growth, brain stimulation and a healthy heart, eat black beans.
All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. They are full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function.
Daily, half-a-cup of serving provides eight grammes of protein and 7.5 grammes of fibre and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. You can substitute black beans with peas, lentils, pinto, kidney, fava and Lima beans.
For a quick recipe, prepare the beans with tomato salsa. Dice four tomatoes, one onion, three cloves of garlic, one yellow bell pepper, and one mango. Mix them in a can of black beans and garnish with the juice of two limes.
Oats
These help in muscle growth, to stimulate the brain and for a healthy heart.
Oats are packed with soluble fibre, which lowers the risk of heart disease.
They are also loaded with carbohydrates, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fibre and because oats also have 10 grammes of protein per half-a-cup-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-building energy. They can be substituted with quinoa, flaxseed and wild rice.
Walnuts
These help in muscle growth, brain stimulation, fighting cancer, for a healthy heart and to boost immunity. They are richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon and are loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine.
Packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a nutrient supplement tablet, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, but not all the three.
A serving of walnuts — about one ounce, or seven nuts is good anytime, but especially as a post-workout recovery snack.
You can substitute them with almonds, groundnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts or hazelnuts. For a quick recipe, sprinkle them on top of salads, dice and add to pancake batter, spoon peanut butter into curries or grind and mix with olive oil to make a marinade for grilled fish or chicken.
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