Telomeres (following)

As promised I’m now going to write about the most telomere-friendly foods, dividing them more or less in half, being in total twenty. Ready? Here we go:

Blueberries - One of the best source of antioxidants. They improve blood flow (benefitting your brain and your heart), fight cholesterol (containing pterostilbene), memory loss and diabetes. A mere half-cup serving has as much antioxidant power as five servings of other fruits and vegetables.

Grapefruit - In particular red grapefruit significantly decreases cholesterol and fight heart disease. It enhances every other health properties of different fruits if eaten together: even accelerating the effects of some prescription drugs. So check with your doctor. This is a very powerful fruit. 

Almonds – A true superfood. A fantastic source of protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc. High in vitamin E and monounsaturated fats to keep your arteries supple.

Apples – They contain quercetin (I dedicated a whole post to this), which prevents oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol lowering the risk of damage to arteries and the risk of heart disease. They also contain pectin, also lowering the levels of blood cholesterol.

Avocados – The best fruit for a healthy heart. Rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin E, folic acid and potassium. Most of all the first source of beta-sitosterol (reducing cholesterol) and lutein (an antioxidant that prevents cataracts and prostate cancer).

Beets – With high levels of carotenoids and flavonoids, they reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and one of the richest sources of folic acid. The silica helps the body utilize calcium reducing the risk of osteoporosis. They also have cleansing and detoxifying properties.

Broccoli – In this vegetable there are two powerful anticancer substances: sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. Sulforaphane destroys ingested carcinogenic compounds and kills the bacteria helicobacter pylori which cause stomach ulcers and gastric cancers. Indole-3-carbinol metabolizes estrogen, protecting against breast cancer. It’s also a good source of beta-carotene and potassium.

Sweet potatoes – A sweet potato is a meal in itself: full of protein, fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E. Unlike white potatoes they won’t send your blood sugar soaring.

Garlic – Most probably the cancer fighting number one. It has the ability to prevent development of cancers of the breast, colon, skin, prostate, stomach and oesophagus. It stimulates the immune system by encouraging the growth of natural killer cells. It’s also able to destroy the newer super bugs that are resistant to the most powerful antibiotics.

Olive oil – Full of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. It doesn’t even need to be presented: the secret of the Mediterranean diet itself.

Oranges – Its main flavonoid is hesperetin, which lower rates of heart disease. Hesperetin helps protect against inflammation as well. Oranges are a rich source  of pectin, which lowers cholesterol, and potassium which reduces blood pressure. They are also a rich source of folic acid, which lowers levels of homocysteine.

Wild salmon – It provides an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Here’s the main benefit: high levels of omega-3s have been correlated with telomeres length. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE USE OF FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS.

There are more telomere-friendly foods. I’ll surely talk about them in a future post. I hope you’re liking all the posts I’m dedicating to this particular topic. You can find them all in the “Telomeres” section.

….Always humble,

Angiolino

(To be followed)

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