What it does...
- Help your body make efficient use of sugar
- Maintain an energy supply in your nerve cells
Foods it is found in...
Eggs
Calcium
What it does...
- Maintain healthy, strong bones
- Support proper functioning of nerves and muscles
What foods it is found in...
Spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, sesame seeds
Choline
What it does...
- Keep your cell membranes functioning properly
- Allow your nerves to communicate with your muscles
- Prevents the build-up of homocysteine in your blood (a harmful compound that is associated with cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis)
What foods it is found in...
Soybeans, egg yolk, peanuts, potatoes, cauliflower, oats, sesame/flax seeds
Copper
What it does...
- Help your body utilize iron
- Reduce tissue damage caused by free radicals
- Maintain health of bones and connective tissues
What foods it is found in...
Calf's liver, crimini mushrooms, turnip greens and blackstrap molasses
Flavonoids
What it does...
- Help protect vessels from rupture or leakage
- Enhance Vit. C
- Protect cells from oxygen damage
- Prevent excessive inflammation throught the body
What foods it is found in...
Apples, apricots, pears, strawberries, cabbage, tomatoes
Folate
What it does...
- Support red blood cell production and help prevent anemia
- Help prevent homocysteine build up in blood
- Support cell production (especially in skin)
- Allows nerves to function properly
What foods it is found in...
Romaine lettuce, spinach, turnip greens, calf's liver, broccoli, beets and lentils
Glutamine
What it does...
- Maintain the health of intestinal tract
- Help body produce glutathione (key antioxidant nutrient)
- Ensures proper acid-base balance in the body
- Helps maintain muscle mass
What foods it is found in...
Beef, chicken, fish, beans and dairy products
Iodine
What it does...
- Help ensure proper thyroid gland functioning
What foods it is found in...
Sea vegetables, yogurt, cow's milk, eggs, strawberries and mozza cheese
Iron
What it does...
- Enhance oxygen distribution throught the body
- Keep immune system healthy
- Help the body produce energy
What foods it is found in...
Chard, spinach, turmeric and thyme
Magnesium
What it does...
- Relax the nerves and muscles
- Builds and strengthens bones
- Keeps your blood circulating smoothly
What foods it is found in...
Swiss chard and spinach
Manganese
What it does...
- Help the body utilize several key nutrients (biotin, thiamin, ascorbic acid and choline)
- Keeps thebones strong and healthy
- Helps body synthesize fatty acids and cholestorol
- Maintain normal blood sugar levels
- Promotes ptimal function of the thyroid gland
- Maintain the health of the nerves
- Protects cells from free-radical damage
What foods it is found in...
Mustard greens, kale, raspberries, pineapple, romaine lettuce and maple syrup
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
What it does...
- Help lower cholesterol levels
- Stabilize your blood sugar
- Support genetic processes in the cells
- Help the body process fats
What foods it is found in...
Crimini mushrooms and tuna (excellent sources). Salmon, chicken breats, halibut and venison (very good sources).
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
What it does...
- Reduce inflammation throughout your body
- Keep your blood from clotting excessively
- Maintain the fluidity of your cell membranes
- Lower the amount of lipids (fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides) circulating in the bloodstream
- Decrease platelet aggregation, preventing excessive blood clotting
inhibit thickening of the arteries by decreasing endothelial cells' production of a platelet-derived growth factor (the lining of the arteries is composed of endothelial cells)
- Increase the activity of another chemical derived from endothelial cells (endothelium-derived nitric oxide), which causes arteries to relax and dilate
- Reduce the production of messenger chemicals called cytokines, which are involved in the inflammatory response associated with atherosclerosis
- Reduce the risk of becoming obese and improve the body's ability to respond to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism, and is expressed primarily by adipocytes (fat cells)
What foods it is found in...
Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
What it does...
- Help turn carbs and fats into usable energy
- Improve your ability to respond to stress by supporting your adrenal glands
-Assure adequate production of healthy fats in your cells
What foods it is found in...
Mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip greens and sunflower seeds
Potassium
What it does...
- Helps your muscles and nerves function properly
- Maintain the proper electrolyte and acid-base balance in your body
- Help lower the risk of high blood pressure
What foods it is found in...
Fruits and vegetables, chard, button mushrooms and spinach
Protein
What it does...
- Keep your immune system functioning properly
- Maintain healthy skin, hair and nails
- Help your body produce enzymes
What foods it is found in...
Tuna, shrimp and cod
Selenium
What it does...
- Protects cells from free-radical damage
- Enable your thyroid to produce thyroid hormone
- Help lower the risk of joint inflammation
What foods it is found in...
Button Mushrooms, cod, shrimp, tuna, calf's liver and salmon
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
What it does....
- Maintain energy supplies
- Co-ordinate the activity of nerves and muscles
- Support proper heart function
What foods it is found in...
Asparagus, romaine lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, tuna, tomatoes, eggplant and brussel sprouts
Tryptophan
What it does...
- Help regulate your appetite
- Help you sleep better
- Elevate your mood
What foods it is found in...
Red meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, bananas, soy products, tuna, shellfish and turkey
Vitamin B-12
What it does...
- Support production of red blood cells and prevent anemia
- Allow nerce cells to develop properly
- Help cells metabolize protein, carbs and fat
What foods it is found in...
Calf's liver, snapper, venison, chinook salmon, scallops
Vitamin B6
What it does...
- Support a wide range of activities in your nervous system
- Promote proper breakdown of sugars and starches
- Help prvent homocysteine build-up in the blood
What foods it is found in...
Bell peppers, turnip greens and spinach
Vitamin C
What it does...
- Help protect cells from free radical damage
- Lower risk of cancer
- Regenerate the Vit. E supply
- Improve iron absorption
What foods it is found in...
Parsley, broccoli, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, mustard greens and brussel sprouts
Vitamin D
What it does...
- Help keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy
- Regulate the growth and activity of your cells
What foods it is found in...
Shrimp, milk, cod and eggs
Vitamin E
What it does...
- Protect skin from ultraviolet light
- Prevent cell damage from free radicals
- Allows cells to communicate effectively
- Help protect against prostate cancer and Alzheimer's disease
What foods it is found in...
Mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens, almonds and spinach
Zinc
What it does...
- Help balance blood sugar
- Stabalize your metabolic rate
- Prevent a weakened immune system
- Support an optimal sense of smell and taste
What foods it is found in...
Calf's liver, mushrooms and spinach
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All this information --- as well as even more --- can be found at The World's Healthiest Foods. Please refer to the site if you are interested in learning more about what can make you the healthiest person you know
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