Many Internet lists tout blueberries and quinoa as superfoods one MUST eat, but a list of top seven foods that slow aging has some surprising entries.
Dr. Joseph Mercola, a New York Times best-selling author, who is an osteopathic physician, complied this list, which he said contains the most highly nutritious food that will help keep consumers young.
He starts his list with whey protein, which he said increases the body’s stores of the antioxidant glutathione, or GSH. Glutathione is known to increase the integrity of telomeres, which shorten with age due to damage by free radicals. Consuming GSH lengthens telomeres, he wrote, which can thus keep patients younger.
Raw, organic eggs are next on the list. He said a single egg has nine essential amino acids, six grams of protein, lutein, zaaxanthin, choline and vitamin D. He wrote organic, local eggs are the best, but said one should avoid omega-3 eggs because they are from chickens that are usually fed poor-quality omega-3 fat sources. But why raw? He said allergic reactions to eggs are generally caused by the changes that take place in the cooking process. Eating eggs raw also helps preserve many of the highly perishable nutrients they contain, he said.
He also includes chlorella, which is said is often referred to as a near-perfect food, with its health benefits including boosting the immune system, improving digestion, enhancing focus, increasing energy and reducing cancer risk. However, he said the most important property of chlorella is its ability to help rid the body of heavy metal toxins.
Leafy greens, broccoli, blueberries and garlic are the more conventional items on his list, but he offered reasons they should also be included in the diet.
He concluded the article by saying optimizing insulin levels is the number one way to slow aging. To do this, he wrote, reduce or eliminate grains and sugars from the diet.