Five Winter Super Foods - Not just for the cold days

1.	Dried Beans
2.	Cranberries
3.	Sweet Potatoes
4.	Broccoli
5.	Dried Fruits

Research shows benefits of cranberries

Cranberries are among the top foods with proven health benefits; these tiny berries are full of antioxidants, which protects cells from damage by unstable molecules called free radicals.

The National Institutes of Health is funding research on the cranberry's effects on heart disease, yeast infections and other conditions, and other researchers are investigating its potential against cancer, stroke and viral infections.

So far, research has found: drinking cranberry juice can block urinary infections by binding to bacteria so they can't adhere to cell walls. While women often drink unsweetened cranberry juice to treat an infection, there's no hard evidence that works.

A compound called proanthocyanidine, discovered in cranberries, prevents plaque formation on teeth; mouthwashes containing it are being developed to prevent periodontal disease.

In some people, regular cranberry juice consumption for months can kill the H. pylori bacteria, which can cause stomach cancer and ulcers.

Preliminary research also shows: drinking cranberry juice daily may increase levels of HDL, or good cholesterol and reduce levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol.

Cranberries may prevent tumors from growing rapidly or starting in the first place.

Extracts of chemicals in cranberries prevent breast cancer cells from multiplying in a test tube; whether that would work in women is unknown.


Benefits of broccoli

Broccoli has been around for more than 2000 years.

The name "broccoli" comes for the Latin word brachium, which means "branch" or "arm". Americans have grown it in their gardens for only about 200 years!
The first commercially grown broccoli was grown and harvested in New York, then planted in the 1920's in California. A few crates were sent back East and by 1925 the broccoli market was off the ground.

This vegetable is highly recognized for its anti-cancer nutrients. It is a cruciferous vegetable and member of the cabbage family which is helpful in preventing certain types of cancer.