Make Healthy Life with Super Foods

Pump up your mood, energy, and brainpower too with these scientifically proven superfoods Shop wisely If a single food was guaranteed to make you instantly slim or happy, or end your allergy woes, stores would have to fight back the feverish shoppers. OK, we're not quite there yet, but there are foods and nutrients that science says benefit your well-being. "Diet has tremendous effects on our short-and long-term health, especially when it comes to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease," says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School. Just remember, he adds, to "eat a variety of healthy foods, rather than focus on one magic bullet." Next time you're shopping, add these picks to your nutritionally balanced grocery cart. Legumes Peas, beans, and peanuts are stand-up sources of magnesium, a mineral that plays a core role in your body's energy production. (It's involved in more t...

The right foods can help you build muscle, improve endurance, and speed recovery. Beet juice for stamina Recent research shows that this ruby red root veggie may be more effective at  boosting energy  than caffeine, or nearly anything you'll find in the supplement aisle. When UK researchers asked male athletes to down either 16 ounces of organic beetroot juice or a placebo, those who gulped the real thing cycled for up to 16% longer, an effect scientists say isn't achievable by any other known means, including training. To bolster your performance, invest in a juicer and grab some fresh beets, which are in season year-round. Or look for bottled beet juice, which can be sipped straight or blended into a pre-workout smoothie. Honey for endurance Research conducted at the University of Memphis Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory found that consuming honey before exercise provides "time-released" fuel to give athletes steady blood sugar and insuli...