Reap these amazing health benefits from your favorite summer foods.
Papaya
This tropical fruit contains fiber that can bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon, and prevent them from affecting healthy colon cells. Plus, the folate and beta-carotene found in papayas are associated with a reduced risk of colon caner.
Watermelon
This beloved thirst quencher is packed with vitamins A and C, potassium, and the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene, according to webmd.com. It’s also one of the richest natural sources of the amino acid L-citrulline, which helps regulate arterial function and may lower blood pressure, as discovered by researchers in a 2010 Florida State University study.
Corn
our eyes love corn on the cob. Corn is a good source of lutein, a powerful antioxidant that may help lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness in older adults. Cooking sweet corn unleashes beneficial antioxidants that can substantially reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, according to a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. The longer the corn was cooked, the higher the antioxidants.
Celery
Next time you serve celery in your barbecue crudité platter, crunch on this: Celery boasts a surprising array of good-for-you nutrients, including anti-inflammatory compounds that soothe your digestive tract, disease-fighting antioxidants, and vitamins such as folate, vitamin K, and vitamin C.
Sunflower seeds
Take these out to the ballgame (or golf course). Sunflower seeds are a terrific source of vitamin E—a quarter cup provides more than 90 percent of your daily need, according to the Chicago Tribune. They also offer a healthy dose of such key minerals as manganese, magnesium, and selenium. Here are more super seeds you should be eating.
Mushrooms
Cooking Light notes that mushrooms are the only vegetable source of vitamin D; and “many compounds have been identified in mushrooms that show potential for boosting immunity and possibly protecting against cancer,” says Pino Rose in Foodist. Next time you're craving a meatless barbecue option, try grilling up a portobello mushroom instead of a veggie burger.
Coffee
Ahhh, iced coffee. You'll be glad to hear just how healthy your favorite summer cool-down drink is. Coffee contains polyphenol antioxidants that may help even out blood sugar levels. The Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drank just one cup of coffee a day had a 13 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Coffee consumption is also linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer, liver disease, and Parkinson’s disease. A Harvard Medical School study even shows that coffee intake may help reduce the risk of skin cancer.
