7 Cheapest Healthy Foo Fightersds 1. Oats - Cost: about $3 pound Benefit: Oats are rich in avenanthramide, an antioxidant that protects the heart. This superfood lowers cholesterol and has been shown to possess disease-zapping antimicrobial activity, making organic oatmeal the perfect affordable breakfast item for cold and flu season. 2. Dry beans - Cost: about $2 per pound, depending on the variety Benefit: Forget expensive steak and sausage. Dry beans and dry lentils pack a healthy low-fat, plant-based protein punch. Known as a perfect food, just one cooked cupful can provide as much as 17 grams of fiber. Beans are also loaded with protein and dozens of key nutrients, including a few most people fall short on, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Studies tie beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers. Soak beans overnight and rinse them well to eliminate most of the flatulence causing compounds. 3. Garlic - Cost: $1 per bulb Benefit: This onion relative contains more than 70 active phytochemicals, including allicin, which studies show may decrease high blood pressure by as much as 30 points. High consumption of garlic lowered rates of ovarian, colorectal, and other cancers, according to a research review in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To boost garlics health effects, be sure to crush the cloves and let them stand for up to 30 minutes before heating them. Extend the life of your garlic by storing it in a paper bag in the refrigerator. 4. Cayenne pepper - Cost: about $3 per jar Benefit: If you can handle the heat, this powerhouse pepper is worth your while. The heat in cayenne peppers come from a phytochemical called capsaicin, which can help clear congestion, fight cholesterol, melt away body fat, and jump-start your metabolism. Sprinkle it over veggies and beans to sneak it into your diet, just a half a teaspoon is all you need. 5. Celery - Cost: $1.99 per bunch Benefit: Eating four sticks of celery a day can produce modest reductions in blood pressure, thanks to the vegetables rich supply of phthalides, phytochemicals linked to cardiovascular health. 6. Tomatoes - Cost: $1.50 per pound Benefit: Tomatoes are our most common source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may protect against heart disease and breast cancer. Stock up at farmers markets or from your own garden while you can. Canned tomatoes (a cheaper option when fresh tomatoes are out of season) can expose you to the harmful plastic chemical BPA, which is used in the epoxy coatings that line cans. When fresh tomatoes arent available, or arent good, look for jarred or boxed varieties. 7. Onions - Cost: $2.99 per two-pound bag Benefit: This bulb boasts far-reaching health benefits, including immunity-boosting compounds that can help prevent everything from the common cold to cancer. Onions are also rich in quercetin, a flavonoid shown to keep your blood healthy. Its also a must have for natural allergy prevention. Tip: Store your onions somewhere cool and dry, such as a dark cabinet or unused closet, and that two-pound bag will last for months.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 13:30:00 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015