The information on this page has been compiled and edited from previously published articles, by Dr. Connie Guttersen.  The articles are not intended as health advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the California Olive Committee. Always consult your physician on matters of health and wellness.

by Connie Guttersen, RD PhD.

Power Food Combos To Improve Men’s Health

Heart Disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes are the leading lifestyle-related causes of disease and death among men. In all of these metabolic threats, we can see the preventive role of maintaining a healthy body weight and lifestyle, stress management, exercise and, of course, smart nutrient rich choices in daily foods.

The news that most of these health threats are preventable by good lifestyle choices is important to convey. Men should be encouraged to exercise regularly and to choose nutrient rich foods in smart combinations. If there is one thing the research continues to emphasize, it is that eating a variety of different healthy foods, rather than just the small circle of foods we tend to eat every day, is more and more important.

Nutrient-Rich Dream Team

There are many foods that make the cut for the “dream team” of nutrient rich foods, and so they should. There is a wealth of knowledge and research coming in to support the extensive variety of foods that offer a wide spectrum of disease fighting substances.

If we had to choose the top five foods – and more importantly how to combine them in order to get more power and flavor out of them – what would they be and why are they so special? The key is the combination of these power foods with other healthy foods such as lean meats, low fat dairy, and a wide variety of vegetables. The power foods cannot exist alone; variety and balance are what make them powerful. The idea is to replace less nutrient rich foods, such as highly processed and refined grains, fatty cuts of meat and dairy, with these healthy combinations.

The Top Five Power Foods

1. Dark Leafy Greens
2. Berries
3. Smart Fats: Monounsaturated fats and Omega 3s
4. Whole Grains
5. Tomatoes

1. DARK LEAFY GREENS – NUTRIENT RICH, LOW IN CALORIES

There are lots of choices, such as spinach, kale, bok choy, arugula, broccoli rabe, and many many more. These leafy greens are great sources of vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals, minerals, and fiber without a lot of calories. That is why they are considered nutrient rich.

Heart Disease Prevention
Dark leafy greens, such as spinach, are an important source of folic acid and B vitamins. Folic acid and other B vitamins play an important role in heart disease prevention.

Recent scientific evidence has identified an amino acid, homocysteine, which if it becomes too elevated in the blood, increases the risk for coronary heart disease and stroke. Folic acid and other B vitamins help break down the homocystein in the body. In addition to folic acid in greens, the caroetnoids and vitamin C also play a protective role in inflammation, another disease process that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Medical experts find that inflammation and blood flow to the brain may be an important factor to the development of these health complications.

The Power of Broccoli
We know broccoli may not be a favorite with everybody, but maybe this good news will change your taste buds preference for broccoli. Broccoli provides a dream team of antioxidants and phytochemicals such as sulforaphane and indole 3 carbinol, which protect you against prostate, bladder, and colon cancer. A medium sized stalk of broccoli contains only 50 calories and is an excellent source of vitamin C, folate, vitamin K and the carotenoid antioxidants: lutein and zeaxanthin.

Get the most flavor and nutrition by combining these dark leafy greens with healthy fats, such as olives, olive oil and nuts. This not only adds great flavor, it mellows some of those bitter flavors that are not a favorite among many. What this combination does for your health is make many of the antioxidants, such as the carotenoids and flavonoids, more readily available for absorption in your body. Greens with lean meats are another great power combination. So whether you like salads with mixed greens or a slow braised dish with greens, you will be eating smart.

2. BERRIES – ANTIOXIDANT STARS

Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are nutrition powerhouses when it comes to providing health benefits. They are strong sources of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid and phytochemicals (naturally occurring antioxidants). Their protective qualities are at the core of research for heart disease, cancer, inflammation and diseases related to aging such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The pigments that give berries their deep rich colors of red, blue, black, and purple are also responsible for their strong antioxidant disease fighting powers. Berries contain a wide variety of different types of antioxidants and this concentrated total antioxidant interaction gives berries their potent antioxidant effect.

The effects of aging take a toll on the nervous system due to oxidation. Medical studies have found that memory impairment and difficulties in concentration can be reduced with fruit and vegetables high in antioxidant activity. Dr. James Joseph of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University found that diets supplemented with either spinach, blueberries, or strawberries prevented age-induced declines in motor learning and memory. All three foods improved short-term memory; however, only blueberries improved balance/coordination and reversed nerve cell dysfunction. Even though spinach has an equal amount of antioxidant activity, spinach was not effective in reversing damage caused by aging.

Role of Berries in Heart Disease

Berries also play a role in decreasing heart disease risk. Flavonoids in berries inhibit the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins in the blood. A study of berry extracts showed that a high concentration of strawberries and blueberries each inhibited the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins by at least 84%. In addition, flavonoids can lower blood lipids such as cholesterol.

Other Antioxidant Benefits

Blueberries may have additional antioxidant benefit since they contain anthocyanins, the indigo pigments. Anthocyanins are a sub category of the flavonoid family and are precursors of the blue violet and red pigments in blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. These bright antioxidant pigments are known as free radical scavengers. They protect against vascular disease as well as inflammation and allergies. Anthocyanins have the unique ability to penetrate cell membranes and provide protection on site. Today, the anthocyanins have pharmaceutical applications for improving vision, blood circulation, immune system and wound healing.

Cancer Prevention

Color pigments of berries are also responsible for their antioxidant disease fighting powers.

Ellagic acid, another phytochemical found in berries also protects the body against cancer. Ellagic acid has been found by scientific studies to be protective against cancers of the lung, skin, and liver. A study published by Ohio State University researchers found that raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries were top food sources for ellagic acid.

3. SMART FATS – MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES

Research continues to emphasize that fats are not all alike when it comes to flavor and health. Clearly, the healthiest choices include monounsaturated fats, such as olives, olive oil, nuts, canola oil, avocados and peanut oil; but also included are the omega 3 oils, which come primarily from cold water fish such as salmon and from plant sources such as canola oil, flaxseed and walnuts.

Olives are olive oil in its natural packaging. Extra virgin olive oil is not only a healthy fat, it is a delicious ingredient to serve with so many of the power foods. Extra virgin olive oil is unique in the sense that it is not extracted from seeds by the use of solvents or heat, like most vegetable oils. The oil is obtained from the whole fruit by using the cold press technique, which is considered desirable because of the high quality oils that can be extracted in this manner. The cold pressing technique preserves and transfers the natural components of the fruit into the oil. Olive oil also contains other minor components, many acting as antioxidants, such as tocopherols, carotenoids, chlorophyll phytosterols, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, which offer protective health benefits.

Effects on Cardiovascular Risk

A recent study by Etherton et al, provides interesting data for the varying effects on cardiovascular risk reduction within the different sources of monounsaturated fats. The study found that diets moderately high in total fat and comprised primarily of monounsaturated fat offered more cardiovascular disease protection than the conventional Step II American Heart Association diet (a low fat, high carbohydrate diet). Another important finding was that olive oil provided the greatest amount of cardiovascular risk reduction as compared to other monounsaturated fats such as peanut oil and peanuts. The low fat, high carbohydrate diet actually created a new problem: it lowered total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein, but it also decreased the amount of high density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) and increased blood trigylcerides levels.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Recent scientific studies have shown that eating fish regularly slows the progression of diabetes. Fish sources of omega 3 improve insulin sensitivity, thereby lowering the chance that a person with mildly impaired glucose tolerance will develop type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association supports the recommendation that people with type 2 diabetes consume high omega 3 sources of fish twice a week.

Additional news regarding the health benefits of omega 3s from seafood have been linked to the prevention of certain kinds of cancer, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease, and depression. According to researchers at an international conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health there is evidence which suggests that higher consumption of essential fatty acids in fish, such as the omega 3s, are linked to a lower risk of depression and schizophrenia. This is of no surprise when one considers that 60% of brain matter is comprised of fat. Omega 3 fatty acids make it easier for receptors on the brain cells to process different mood related signals and also maintain healthy brain cell activity.

4. WHOLE GRAINS – NOT JUST FIBER

With the news that “low carb diets” are on their way out, more Americans are looking to whole grains for the taste and, of course, the health benefits.

A new study from the MIT Clinical Research Center suggests irritability and moods swings are often associated with extreme low carbohydrate diets. According to study author and Director of Women’s Health, Judith Wurtman, low-carb dieting can cause serotonin levels to plummet, which in turn contributes to mood disorders. Other research has linked depression with low levels of the important B vitamin, folate, found in abundance in most fruits and vegetables, as well as fortified grain products, but in low amounts in low-carbohydrate diets.

Prevent health threats by good lifestyle choices like exercise and smart food combinations.

These hormonal and emotional effects may help explain why such extreme low-carb regimes are so difficult to maintain in the long run. Serotonin deprivation can lead to carbohydrate cravings, setting unsuspecting dieters up for binges and rebounds. We know that the health effects of stress and depression can increase the incidence of other metabolic problems such as heart disease and insulin resistance.

Whole grain means that all of the parts of the grains are used: the fiber rich bran (outer layer), the energy containing endosperm (middle layer), and the nutrient packed germ (inner layer). Whole grain foods are foods in which 51% or more of the ingredients are whole grains. Until recently, it was thought that the health benefits of whole grains were largely due to their high fiber content. Recent scientific evidence confirms that it is the total grain package–fiber, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and phytonutrients–working together that promote and maintain health.

Whole grains are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber and phonemics, such as phenolic acid which is the same phytonutrient found in green tea, berries, and red wine and has a wide range of beneficial properties including antiviral, antimicrobial, antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects. Phytic acid, another antioxidant present in whole grains, may have cancer prevention benefits. Try the new varieties of rice, such as black rice, red rice and brown basmati rice for more options beyond wild rice. Grain medleys, which include a variety of grains and beans and are then flavored with healthy ingredients such as olives, nuts, and vegetables are a savory way to enjoy these smart combinations of foods. The nutritional benefits of whole grains can be enhanced by serving them with a variety of other healthy foods such as nuts, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats.

5. TOMATOES – PROSTATE PROTECTION

What better way to enjoy power food combinations than a roasted tomato sauce made with extra virgin olive oil, olives and fresh herbs served over a whole wheat pasta with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Sound good? Well, the nutrients packed in this dish are even better. Their dream team effect comes from combining the healthy fats in olives and olive oil with the strong antioxidants of tomatoes which happen to be fat soluble. This means they work better in your body when they are eaten in combination with dietary fats.

Prostate Cancer Prevention with Lycopene

Serving whole grains with healthy foods like nuts, olives, vegetables and lean meats enhances nutritional benefits. Tomatoes not only provide vitamin C, potassium and beta carotene, but also lycopene. Lycopene, the nutrient that gives tomatoes its deep red color, is one of the best sources of protection against prostate cancer. It also targets the free radical that is implicated in lung and digestive cancers.

Researchers from Harvard University Medical School studied 47,894 men, ages 40 to 75 and free of any diagnosed cancer, over a six-year period. Their dietary preferences and consumption frequency for 131 foods and beverages were assessed, providing researchers a detailed picture of the yearly nutrient intake of each man. Tomato sauce, tomatoes, pizza, and strawberries were associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The researchers learned that the first three of these foods were the primary dietary sources of lycopene, accounting for 82% of the lycopene intake for the men. (While strawberries were associated with a reduced prostate cancer risk, they are not a significant source of lycopene.) Those who consumed ten or more servings of these three tomato-based foods per week had a 35% reduced chance of developing prostate cancer.

REFERENCES:

• Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ. AHA Scientific Statement: Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Circulation 2002;106:2747.
• Leaf A, Kang JX, Xiao Y-F, Billman GE. Clinical prevention of sudden cardiac death by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and mechanism of prevention of arrhythmias by n-3 fish oils. Circulation 2003;107:2646-2652.
• Siscovick DS, Raghunathan TE, King I, Weinmann S, Wicklund KG, Albright J, Bovbjerg V, Arbogast P, Smith H, Kushi LH, et al. Dietary intake and cell membrane levels of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of primary cardiac arrest. JAMA. 1995;274:1363-1367.
• Albert CM, Hennekens CH, O’Donnell CJ, Ajani UA, Carey VJ, Willett WC, Ruskin JN, Manson JE. Fish consumption and risk of sudden cardiac death. JAMA. 1998;279:23-28.
• Hu FGB, Bronner L, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Rexrode KM, Albert CM, Hunter D, Manson JE. Fish and omega-3a fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease in women. JAMA. 2002;287:1815-1821.
• Pawlosky RJ, Hibbeln JR, Novotny JA, Salem N Jr. Physiological compartmental analysis of alpha-linolenic acid metabolism in adult humans. J Lipid Res. 2001;42:1257-1265.
• Lands, W.E.M., Libelt, B., Morris, A., Kramer, N.C., Prewitt, T.E., Bowen, P., Schmeisser, D., Davidson, M.H., and Burns, J.H. Maintenance of lower proportions of n-6 eicosanoid precursors in phospholipids of human plasma in response to added dietary n-3 fatty acids. Biochem. Biophys. Acta. 1992;1180:147-162.
• Sirtori CR, Crepaldi G, Manzato E, Mancini M, Rivellese A, Paoliett R, Pazzucconi F, Pamparana F, Stragliotto E. One-year treatment with ethyl esters of n-3 fatty acids in patients with hypertriglyceridemia and glucose intolerance: reduced triglyceridemia, total cholesterol and increased HDL-C without glycemic alteration. Atherosclerosis. 1998;137:419-427.
• Hu FB, Cho E, Rexrode KM, Albert CM, Manson JE. Fish and long-chain ?-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease and total mortality in diabetic women. Circulation. 2003;107:1852-1857.
• Kivipelto, M, et al. Body mass index, clustering of vascular risk factors, risk of dementia: A longitudinal population based study. Neurol Bio of Aging. Elsevior Vol 25, supplement 2. 2004
  Kang, J. et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption and cognitive decline in women. Neurol Bio of Aging. Elsevior Vol 25, supplement 2. 2004
• KJ Joshipura, FB Hu, et al. The effect of fruit and vegetable intake of risk of coronary heart disease. Annals of Internal Medicine. 134:1106 – 1114. 2001
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000; 72:922-8.
  Steinmetz KA, Potter JD. Vegetables, fruit, and cancer prevention. J Am Diet Assoc 1996;96:1027-1039
• Messina MJ, Persky V, Setchell KDR, et al. Soy intake and cancer risk: a review of the in vitro and in vivo data. Nutr Cancer. 1994;21:113-131
• Drewnoski and Carneros, Bitter taste, phytonutrients, and the consumer: a review. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:1424-35
• Cao, Sofic, Prior. Antioxidant capacity of tea and common vegetables. J Agric Food Chem. 1996; 44:3426-3431
• Lampe, J. Health effects of vegetables and fruit; assessing mechanisms of action in human experimental studies. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:475S-90S.
• Adom, KK and Liu, Rh. Anitoxidant activity of grains. Journal of Agric Food Chem. 2002, 50:6182 – 6187.
• Tucker, KL. Dietary intake and coronary heart disease: a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals are important. Current Treatment Options Cardiovascular Medicine. 2004, 4:291-302.
  Rimm, et al. Vegetable, fruit, and cereal fiber intake and risk of coronary heart disease among men. JAMA 1996 274: 447-451.
• Mckeown et al. Whole grain intake is favorable associated with metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;76:390-98.
• Venn, BJ and Mann, JL. Cereal grains , legumes, and diabetes. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004. May 19
• Liu, s. et al. Dietary fiber intake and obesity. National Research Newsletter. 2003 22:12.
  Riso P, Pinder A, Santangelo A, Porrini M. Does tomato consumption effectively increase the resistance of lymphocyte DNA to oxidative damage? Am J Clin Nutr; 69(4):712-8 1999
• Gann PH, Ma J, Giovannucci E, Willett W, Sacks FM, Hennekens CH, Stampfer MJ. Lower prostate cancer risk in men with elevated plasma lycopene levels: results of a prospective analysis. Cancer Res; 59(6):1225-30 1999
• Giovannucci E. Tomatoes, tomato-based products, lycopene, and cancer: review of the epidemiologic literature. J Natl Cancer Inst; 91(4):317-31 1999