Superfoods make super healthy humans??

After superman having enthralled the audience world over it is the turn of super foods. Foods with special nutrients or high level of nutrients are ruling the roost these days.

Tesco has marketed a super tomato which has high levels of Lycopene.

The catch is that they are a little expensive if you say that for around Euro 3 for four or five.

Likewise there are many other foods which are touted as good alternatives and supply the body with many vital nutrients.

Examples are blueberries which may slow or reverse short-term memory loss, protect against heart disease, cancer and cataracts.

Chewing on a carrot a day like Mr. Bunny provides a potent dose of alpha and beta ' carotene which collects in the fat ' layers of our skin and reflect harmful ultraviolet radiation. The result is a glowing skin which has extra protection from skin cancer and from remature skin ageing and wrinkles.

Tomatoes are excellent to fight lung a stomach cancer. Cooked or processed tomatoes in pasta sauce, pizza and tomato juice will provide cardiovascular benefits and may protect against prostate, lung and stomach cancer. Cooking softens the cell walls, allowing the lycopene out. Brazil nuts are great for body cells as they contain selenium, which helps to protect cells from DNA damage leading to wrinkles and genetic mutations that ulti1mately lead to cancer.

A cup full of beans helps keep the cholesterol in check. Kidney, borlotti and black-eyed beans lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar and help fight obesity - all life-extending attributes.

Another much talked about is OMEGA-3 fats in oily fish which make blood less sticky, helping prevent clots and lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Still it is not an easy cake walk, there is conflicting research. It's recommended that women of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding should eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week because of the toxins in it caused by water pollution.

Curly kale or spinach is one of the best ways to keep your eyes healthy into old age. These green veg are packed with lutein believed to protect the macula region of the retina from damage by sunlight.

Broccoli is another great veggie. Which while digestion, compounds in broccoli get converted into active compounds called ITCs, which appear to cut cancer risk by stimulating precancerous cells in the gut wall to "commit suicide".

ONE of the very best sources of folic acid which may help to combat Alzheimer's disease is asparagus. In a study of Alzheimer's patients, folic acid lowered homocysteine - a substance that interferes with blood flow to the brain. Other sources include fortified breakfast cereals, orange juice and liver. But it is easy to overcook which boils out the goodness.

Not to be left behind is our home made yogurt which, besides being a good source of protein, the calcium and minerals in low-fat yoghurt promote strong bones and help reduce blood pressure.

Thus although we believe that superfoods are the best conflicting researches blind the image. Still eat healthy to stay healthy should be the mantra!