Preventing common diseases (like cancer and heart disease) and promoting health and longevity is as simple as regular trips to the farmer’s market, says Dr. Joel Fuhrman, star nutrition researcher, physician, and author of Eat to Live and Super Immunity. Why? While building-block nutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—are essential, Americans are over-stuffing their diets with them and missing out on disease-fighting micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. “Your healthy life expectancy is proportional to the micronutrient-per-calorie density of your diet. We want to get as many micronutrients as possible per caloric buck,” he said at a recent lecture in New York City. In other words, heaping servings of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and lycopene should accompany each gram of carbohydrate you ingest. Sweet potatoes are good at this; bagels are not. To help get you started, Fuhrman created the acronym G-BOMBS to lay out six of the most nutrient-dense foods that promote health and longevity. Here they are… Greens. This one’s a no-brainer, but no matter how often you’re eating leafy greens, you could probably still eat more. In addition to protein, greens contain calcium, folate, and a slew of antioxidants. Extra credit portion: Cruciferous green veggies like broccoli and kale also release isothiocyanates (when their cells are broken by chewing, chopping, or blending), compounds linked to lower cancer risk. Legumes. These nutrient-dense carbs that come with lots of fiber, and because your body digests them slowly, they have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar. Multiple studies suggest that beans may decrease the risk of colon cancer, as as well as other cancers. For four more nutrition superstars to add to your dinner plate, check out Well+GoodNYC’s 6 Nutrient-Dense Foods That Should Rule Your Diet.
