“Gene Smart Principle is to add polyphenols to your diet. Use this guide to bring with you grocery sthopping, or to restaurants when out to eat”
FRUITS WITH HIGH POLYPHENOL LEVELS |
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Apples without skin | Dates | Oranges: navel, | Red apples (with skin |
Apple Butter | Elderberries | tangelos, tangerines, etc. | Raspberries |
Applesauce | Gooseberries | (the white pithy stuff is | Rhubarb |
Apple cider & juice | Green apples (with skin) | flavanoid-rich) | Raisins |
Apricots | Kiwi | Peaches | Strawberries |
Black or red currants | Lemon | Pears | Sweet or sour cherries |
Blackberries | Ligonberries | Plums & purnes (dried | |
Blood orages | Limes | plums) | |
Blueberries | Mangoes | Pomegranates | |
Chokeberries | Marionberries | Quinces | |
Cranberries | Nectarines | Red or Purple Grapes | |
FRUITS WITH LOW POLYPHENOL LEVELS |
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Avocadoes | Figs | Grapefruits | Pressed juices & |
Bananas | Fruit jellies & jams | Pineapple | juice drinks |
VEGETABLES WITH HIGH POLYPHENOL LEVELS |
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Artichokes | Fennel | Onions | Rutabagas |
Broccoli | Garlic | Parsnips | Scallions |
Celery (particularly hearts) | Greens like kale & turnip | Pumpkins | Shallots |
Cherry or grape tomatoes | Kohlrabi | Raw Spinach | Small spicy peppers |
Corn | Leeks | Red Cabbage | Sweet potatoes |
Eggplant (aubergine) | Lovage | Red & yellow onions | Watercress |
VEGETABLES WITH LOW POLYPHENOL LEVELS |
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Bok Choy | Canned tomatoes | Endive | Pumpkin |
Burssels sprouts | Carrots | Fresh tomatoes | Yellow squash |
Cooked spinach | Cauliflower | Green & red swt peppers | Pumpkin |
Cabbage | Cucumbers | Mushrooms | Zucchini |
LEGUMES, NUTS & SEEDS WITH HIGH POLYPHENOL LEVELS |
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Almonds | English peas | Nut butters | Sunflower seeds |
Cashews | Fava beans | Pecans | Walnuts |
Chick Peas | Flax Seeds | Peanuts | |
Dried beand – black beans | Green peas | Pistachios | |
red kidney beans, pinto | Hazelnuts | Pumpkin Seeds | |
beans, black-eyed peas | Lentils | Snap beans | |
DARK CHOCOLATE |
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At least 60 percent cacao, preferably 70% or more. Choose those with high polyphenolic additives – ingredients like currants, raspberries, orange peels, blueberries, cranberries, as opposed to flaked coconut, toffee, or fruit fillings. | |||
RED WINE |
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Examples: Pinot Noir, Eglodola, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. (French wines are only slightly preferred over california varieties due to the aging process.) | |||
TEA |
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Brewed green tea (preferred), black tea, Oolong tea, grean decaf tea, or black decaf tea served hot or cold and flavored with lemon if desirable. Earl Gray, Ceylon, and Darjeeling are varieties of black tea. | |||
HERBS, SPICES & SEASONINGS WITH POLYPHENOLS |
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Basil | Curry | Ketchup | Red or green Capers |
Chives | Dill Weed | Oregano | Rosemary |
Cinnamon | Horseradish | Parsley | Sage |
Tarragon | Thyme | Vinegar |
INCREASE OMEGA 3 FOODS & DECREASE OMEGA 6 FOODS
A Dramatic Increase in our Omega 6 to Omega 3 Ratio
Anthropological evidence suggests that our hunter-gatherer ancestors maintained an omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of about 2:1, which is very different than today’s Western diet where omega 6 omega 3 ratios of 15:1 are more typical. This major shift is the result of changes to bothour food supply and our food choices. Our consumption of omega 3 righ fish has declined; while our consumption of foods made with ingredients containing high levels of omega 6 has increased.
Foods Contributing to a Shift in Omega 6 Omega 3 Ratios
Foods high in omega 6s include fried and other processed foods made with large amounts of vegetable oil, especially soybean oil, corn oil and cottonseed oil; as well as salad oils and margarines. Soybean oil is the #1 source of omega 6s in the American diet. It is a popular ingredient for processed foods because it is very inexpensive and stable making it easy to formilate into long-shelf life foods; however, its high prevalence in so many of our foods in modern diet has contributed to a dramatic shift in our omega 6 omega 3 ratio.
Reducing or elimitanating Omega 6 foods, saturated and trans fat; increasing the intake of omega-3 fat (fish, fish oil, flaxseed oil) helps reduce chronic inflammation.
Our nation’s food supply has changed dramatically in recent generations. Today, typical American diets contain far too many rich omega 6 sources from high omega 6 foods, and not enough omega 3. This omega 6 to omega 3 imbalance increases whole body inflamation since omega 6s tend to be pro-inflammatory while omega 3s are anti-inflammatory.
To reduce whole body inflammation, as a key strategy is to increase omega 3 consumption while reducing high omega 6 foods in your diet by choosing fewer high omega 6 foods.
INCREASE OMEGA 3 FOODS AND DECREASE OMEGA 6 FOODS
Omega 6 Sources Promote Inflammation
- Safflower Oil
- Grapeseed Oil
- Wheat Germ Oil
- Corn Oil
- Walnut Oil
- Cottonseed Oil
- Soybean Oil
- Vegetable Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Dairy
- Peanuts
- Red Meats
Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids are Anti-Inflammatory
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Walnuts
- Sardines
- Mackerel
- Flax Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Spirulina/algae
The best oils to use are cold pressed Olive oil and Sesame oil – both high in antioxidants & inflammation-lowering abilities.