Be Smart, Eat Right

One example of a superfood is the unsaturated fatty acids found in plant oils, which have a blood cholesterol-lowering effect,” says Ria Catsicas, a dietician and founding partner of Nutritional Solutions.

She explains why the following foods are smart choices:

Fatty fish, such as salmon, pilchards, sardines, trout, mackerel, and herring, contains omega–3 essential fatty acids, and is healthy for our heart. The South African and American Heart Associations recommend that we should enjoy three portions a week. Essential fatty acids help lower blood pressure, keep the blood thin and the heart beating in good rhythm.

Fresh fruit and vegetables: the fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals found in fresh fruit and vegetables have many health benefits. Blueberries are rich in a phytonutrient called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin boosts the activity of enzymes that cause the release of a good substance called nitric acid. Nitric acid inhibits the sticking of blood platelets and cholesterol against the walls of our arteries, keeping them strong and elastic. They are essential for heart health. Spinach, kale, marog and dark-coloured lettuce are rich in phytonutrients called lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for good eye health. They are the only substances that accumulate in the retina, particularly in the macula region located at the back of the eye, and protect eye cells against the damage caused by free radicals created by stress and overexposure to the sun.

Olive oil contains a variety of at least 30 phenolic compounds. One, alpha-tocopherol, being a member of the vitamin E family. Approximately 70 per cent of the fatty acids in olive oil are monounsaturated.