That's Fit

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Ever heard of goji berries? You should have -- they're the new kids on the superfoods block, the health food that everyone seems to be talking about these days (including us -- we wrote about them here, here , here and here.) Still not sure what all the hype is about? Here are some health benefits that have been attributed to goji berries:

• Boosted liver protection and immune function
  
• Improved eyesight
  
• increased sexual function and fertility
  
• Increased muscle strength
  
• Improved circulation
  
• Greater longevity

Cinco de Mayo is less than two weeks away, so get ready for the celebration. There's a cool restaurant called Tortilla Flats that I usually visit on Cinco de Mayo, but I'm not sure if I'll be making it there this year. Either way, I'll still be sure to sip on a few Coronas and enjoy some salsa and guacamole. These foods, at first blush, may not exactly seem like the most appropriate choices for someone who writes about health and fitness. However, thanks to some research from The Journal of Nutrition and Penn State University, I feel I can enjoy this fare without feeling like a hypocrite.

Staring first with the beer; Penn State researchers found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can help thin the blood, thus preventing against the formation of heart attack-causing clots. So, barkeep, crack me open another one of those Coronas, if you don't mind. And yes, I'd like to run a tab.

As for the salsa and guacamole, eating these two foods together actually makes for a healthier meal than eating each separately. Allow me to explain. In order to fully benefit from the beta-carotene, leutin, and lycopene found in abundance in salsa, you should eat a good source of fat at the same time. According to the journal article, fatty acids help dissolve these cancer and heart disease-fighting components in your intestines, increasing their rate of absorption. And, since avocados (the primary ingredient in guacamole) contains a high amount of healthy fat, it's the perfect compliment to this spicy topping.

The antioxidant known as beta carotene is a staple in the daily supplement ritual for many people (myself included). A study published this week stated that taking beta carotene for 15 years or more will dampen future dementia.

If you have a history of Alzheimer's disease, this study seems to suggest that you may want to read up on and begin taking beta carotene as part of your daily diet. Fruits and vegetables are full of this antioxidant, but many of us don't get enough fruits and veggies anyway.

The impact here from the researchers was the length of time taking beta carotene, not the simple act of taking it every day. Study lead author Francine Grodstein stated "my hypothesis is that it's how long you take it."

For everyone who's been popping vitamins to keep them healthy and strong, Reader's Digest recently published 'The Vitamin Hoax - What Not to Take' in their November 2007 issue.

To my friends (myself included), who have been popping pills like Vitamin A and E everyday by only following a beauty columnist's advice on how to make your skin glow (yes, I'm trying to get rid of wrinkles), the Reader's Digest article claims that studies show:

• Taking antioxidant vitamins increases a person's risk of dying by 16%.
• High doses of Vitamin E taken over 10 years slightly elevated cancer risk in smokers.
• Too much Vitamin A increases the risk of liver and lung cancer.

There's so much more to quote in the recent issue, and that doesn't mean I agree or disagree with the article. I just want to share it with you. Everyone should take the time to read it and decide for themselves about what it says because what we learn about vitamins and supplements seems to change daily.

If you are wondering, yes, I take vitamins (as do my children), and will continue to do so -- but that said -- people should stop depending on supplements and instead get their vitamins from a balanced diet consisting of real food (rather than processed). The problem: Only 3 percent of us actually eat that well, so it's much easier said than done ... and supplements can be a good option if you're not getting what you need from your diet.

Here is the list of 10 Vitamins that Reader's Digest suggests that we do not need to take and their reasons why:

Big, round, juicy, and in season, watermelons are cropping up all over. I recently bought a giant-sized one for $3.00 at my local market and we've been eating on it for three days. A great source of lycopene and beta carotene, watermelons are also a sweet summertime thirst quencher. To get the most out of this juicy fruit, let it ripen on your counter top for a day or two, instead of in the fridge. Studies have found that when watermelons were stored at room temperature, their antioxidant levels rose by 20-100%. Mmmmmmm.....enjoy!

A few days ago, this post inspired some interest in Goji Juice, after reader Cyndi praised its effectiveness in helping her lose weight. Now, I've heard of Goji juice but I admit, I don't know much about it, even though it's a multi-million dollar industry. Here's what I found:

Goji Juice is made from the Himalayan Goji berry, which promises 'more vitamin c than oranges, more beta carotene than carrots and more iron than steak' (From the BBC.) It's said to contain special 'master molecules' that aren't found in any other foods. Plus it's also been touted as the answer to healthy aging, weight loss, managing diabetes, preventing cancer and lowering blood pressure. Those are some pretty lofty claims -- can they hold up?

I'm often skeptical of these types of miracle products -- and rightly so, according to this video. I suggest you watch it if you're falling, or have fallen, for the Goji juice hype. Goji juice might not be the superfood you think.

Carrots may be good for eyesight -- you've probably heard this many, many times. But do you know what inside carrots cause that staggering eyesight assistance? Beta carotene -- and no, that's not a kind of paint thinner.

The carotenoid known as beta carotene is a form of vitamin A, which is generally known to help eyesight. Put another way, the vitamins and minerals in most fruits and vegetables -- including carrots -- continue to show immense health benefits to an increasing number of health-conscious people.

On the flip side, there have been some studies published recently that show certain levels of vitamins can actually harm human health. This makes sense, as too much of a good thing can end up being a bad thing. Does this apply to beta carotene, though? Read on and see for yourself here.

Scientists have apparently been having fun turning vegetables into different colors in the lab, and now they've stumbled onto something they're fairly proud of: orange cauliflower.

You may have already come across it in the grocery store (I'm actually kind of glad that I haven't, it looks a little creepy) but scientists are still working on it and other veggies -- and they're getting excited by what they're finding. Orange cauliflower, golden rice, even potatoes are getting successfully genetically modified to make more room for and to include extra nutrients like beta carotene and other essentials.

I'm all for vegetables, and I'm also all for science, but I still can't bring myself to happily eat anything that's genetically altered. Am I crazy?

You've probably heard it all your life -- carrots are good for your eyes because of the beta carotene that gives them their bright orange color. In the past studies have shown that taking beta carotene supplements help to prevent or lessen the severity of macular degeneration -- the leading cause of blindness in people over age 65, but today there is information that beta carotene might not be helping at all. It was a big study (over 21,000 men), and it found no difference between those who took beta carotene and those who took a placebo as far as their risk for developing macular degeneration. So which information is right?

At this point doctors are just saying to eat a variety of foods to ensure a complete balance of nutrients, and in the meantime they'll continue researching.

But one question: why did they study only men?

Chances are as you sit down to your holiday meal this month, sweet potatoes may be somewhere on the menu. Usually baked in plenty of brown sugar and surrounded by marshmallows, this classic dish is a sweet celebratory treat. Sweet potatoes don't have to be limited to the holiday table, however.

Rich in beta-carotene (262% of your daily recommended dose!), vitamin C, and magnesium, sweet potatoes are a good carb and a food that can do no wrong. Recent research even suggests they may help reduce insulin resistance, an important precursor to Type II diabetes, as well as reduce the symptoms of inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

But what do you do with a sweet potato? Just look at them sitting in the store -- they're oddly shaped, twisted, dull colored root vegetables. They hardly look tasty, let alone exciting. Never judge a veggie by its cover, I say, so here are a few quick and easy ways to enjoy this nutritious tuber: