10 Top Foods To Keep You Young

November 5, 2009 by Shaun
Filed under The Fitness Bug

Now, admit it, you wouldn’t be on stayfitbug.com if you weren’t into maintaining your youth by building sweet lean muscles… right?

Well for now I’m going assume that the answer to that question is yes and today I am going to share with you 10 foods which will help you maintain your youth.

Dark chocolate

As Christmas is coming up, you will probably be eating quite a lot of this, and you shouldn’t hold back either. Contrary to common beliefs, you won’t actually be breaking many healthy eating rules (which I often encourage you to do). It will be the opposite, and here’s why.

Contains flavonoids – A natural nutrient in cocoa which improves the blood flow in the brain and which helps boost cognitive function.
Contains procyanidin – Can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low.
Better skin texture
Stronger resistance to UV rays

Eat one ounce a day to get all the benefits

Alaskan King Crab

High in protein and low in fat.

This is filled with Zinc, which is a great antioxidant. It also helps keep your bones healthy and gives your immune system a boost. The reason why this has made it into 10 top foods is because Alaskan king crab stacks a massive 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. So don’t wait up on this one. Get crabs already

Pomegranates

This has made its way to the top because of the juices contained within it.

Benefits

Can reduce your risk of most cancers
Slows the growth of prostate cancer cells

Bok Choy

I’m not a huge fan of this one, and you certainly won’t catch me eating it by itself. However, it is a top 10 food. And here’s why,

Rich in calcium
Vitamins A and C
Folic acid
Iron
Beta-carotene – Can reduce the risk of lung cancer, bladder cancer and macular degeneration.
Potassium – keeps your muscles and nerves good.

Oysters

The keyword here is ‘boosts testosterone levels’. Anything that can do that is great. But this shellfish also has some extra benefits.

Contains

Zinc
Calcium
Copper
Iodine
Iron
Potassium
Selenium

Kiwis

I like to call this one the nutrient king. Most of you probably know about the Kiwi. But maybe you are not including them into your weightlifting diet. If you want to keep your youthful look and feel then you’d better start. Eat them once or twice a week after a workout. If you want an energy kick, freeze them without peeling the skin off.

Benefits

Potassium
Vitamin C
Lutein – Can help reduce the risk of heart disease

Artichokes

I call this the super bone building vegetable. Check the stats.

High in magnesium and potassium (more than any other fruit)
Contains flavonoids and polyphenols – Helps reduce the risk of a stroke
Vitamin C – Helps maintain your immune system

Go for them when ripe – Should feel heavy and squeak when squeezed.

Grass-Fed Beef

Pure Protein and protein builds muscle!

I love eating cows just like most of you do… after all, we need that muscle. However, most of those cows are grain fed, which would give the store bought beef a high ratio of omega 6/ omega 3 fatty acids.

= Inflammation

Eating grass fed beef however contains more omega 3, which is always good. But what makes this a top 10 is that it contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This has been found to reduce belly fat (build that 6 pac) and help build lean muscle. So this is something to think about on your next food-shopping trip.

Figs

You might not have heard of this fruit before, but now you do. But even better, look at the benefits it brings.

Potassium
Manganese
Antioxidants

Helps support proper pH levels in the body

The fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood sugar levels that reduce the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Choose figs with dark skin (they contain more nutrients) and eat them on their own.

Chili Peppers
Eating chilis will help stimulate your metabolism. They will also act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins.

Other benefits

Rich in beta-carotene (which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections) Capsaicin – which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation).
Has been found to contain elements that can prevent prostate cancer

Eat half a chili pepper (or one tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.

That probably didn’t take you long to read, but guess what? You just became slightly older (sorry for stealing your time). But there is no need to waste anymore time. Add these foods to your weightlifting diet, stay fit and stay young.

See you in the comments.

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