Functional Foods

The term functional foods refers to foods or food components that may have health benefits beyond basic nutrition, says the International Food Information Council Foundation.

Functional foods can boost health in many ways.

For example:

• Soy products may reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Probiotics in some yogurts may promote digestive and immune system health.
• Plant sterols and stanols added to some margarines may lower cholesterol and heart disease risk.
• Oatmeal and other whole-oat products may help lower cholesterol levels.
• Soluble fiber in legumes and apples may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Whole grains may lower heart disease risk and promote healthy blood sugar levels.
• Omega-3 fatty acids found in tuna, salmon, and other oily fish may help protect heart health and mental function.

Source: SelectHealth

Power Couples

They saw two heads are better than one, but that isn't the only thing.  When certain foods are eaten together they are even more nutritious.  Reap lots of extra health benefits with these dynamic duos.

Yogurt + Bananas = Better Digestion

• Probiotics found in fermented foods are a type of good bacteria that may help prevent colds, the flu and UTIs.  "Bananas contain prebiotics, which act as fuel for the probiotics," explains Samantha Heller, R.D.

Cottage Cheese + Blackberries = A Sharper Mind

• Dairy products (as well as fortified breakfast cereals) are a good source of vitamin B12, "which works in conjunction with the folate in berries to break down homocysteine, an amino acid that may play a role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia," Heller says.

Tomatoes + Avocados = A Brighter Complexion

• The antioxidant lycopene, which gives tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit their hue, has been shown to decrease the effects of sun damage to your skin. "But to absorb it, your body needs fat," Heller says. The heart healthy kind in avocados can boost absorption by more than 400 percent.

Broccoli + Tofu = More Energy

• If you're low on iron, which helps transport oxygen to muscles, you may feel fatigued.  The vitamin C in broccoli helps you soak up more of the kind of iron that's in plant-based foods, such as tofu.