14 “Superfoods” that Everyone Needs to Stay Alive and Healthy

‘Superfoods’ Everyone Needs

Experts say more than a dozen easy-to-find ’superfoods’ can do wonders for your health.

It’s a bird … it’s a plane … it’s … walnuts? Don’t laugh. The humble walnut, along with a dozen other dietary choices — from beans to yogurt — is no less than a “superfood,” say some health experts.

Steven Pratt, MD, is one of them. In his book SuperFoods RX: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, he goes into detail why he thinks these foods are so potent.

Pratt, an ophthalmologist who specializes in ocular plastic surgery at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., says he became convinced of the power of these basic foods when he saw the positive results of a few simple diet changes in his patients suffering from age-related macular degenerationmacular degeneration — a leading cause of blindness.

“Whether you’re trying to prevent cataractscataracts, macular degeneration, cancercancer, or cardiovascular disease, the same type of preventive dietary measures apply,” he says. “The whole body is connected: a healthy heart equals a healthy eye and healthy skin. You’ll hear about all these special diets for special health needs, but really, the same diet and the same lifestyle choices prevent the same diseases. With rare exceptions, you don’t need 20 different preventive modalities — just one really good diet.”

And that “one really good diet,” Pratt says, should be founded on these “superfoods”:

* Beans
* Blueberries
* Broccoli
* Oats
* Oranges
* Pumpkin
* Salmon
* Soy
* Spinach
* Tea (green or black)
* Tomatoes
* Turkey
* Walnuts
* Yogurt

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