Special Diets

• By Linda Knittel

Upgrade Your Grocery List

You know improving how you eat can affect your long-term health and well-being—but you might not realize that even small changes can make a big difference. Try these foods to give yourself a health-promoting diet upgrade.

Even small changes can make a big difference

Pick pomegranate juice

Not only is pomegranate juice packed with antioxidants, it has been shown to reduce cholesterol buildup and improve circulation. In a double-blind study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, drinking 1 cup (237 ml) of the juice daily for three months significantly improved circulation in patients with restricted blood flow.

• Drink one 8-ounce (237 ml) glass daily.

Consider organic dairy products

According to a growing number of physicians, scientists, and natural-food advocates, milk taken from cows that have not been injected with the synthetic hormone recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a healthier option.

• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stands firmly behind its ruling that rBGH is safe; however, Canada and Europe have banned its use. Some studies have linked rBGH milk to premature puberty and even cancer.

• Consider buying dairy products labeled rBGH-free or rBST-free.

Cook with coconut oil

While it is well-known that unsaturated fats are generally more heart-healthy than saturated fats, unsaturated fats are unstable, and cooking with them forms heart-damaging free radicals. Because it is an almost completely saturated fat, coconut oil is stable enough to resist the heat-induced damage that can make other oils unhealthy.

• Use coconut oil in place of butter, margarine, olive oil, or any other type of oil in all types of recipes.

• Choose fresh, organic, and unrefined coconut oil, because it contains the most nutrients and no chemicals.

Look for omega-3 eggs

Omega-3 enriched eggs do not appear to increase cholesterol levels in the way regular eggs can, and in clinical studies, omega-3 eggs have been shown to actually lower blood pressure.

• Buy eggs produced by hens fed special diets to produce eggs with enhanced amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

• These eggs contain 100 to 200 mg of omega-3s (three to six times that of a normal egg).

Go with grass-fed beef

Cattle that graze on grassy fields produce healthier meat than those fed grain. Grass-fed beef:

• has less fat and is lower in calories,

• is higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids,

• and is a richer source of vitamin E.