NutritioNal powerhouses

Matt Avoyer

my top 10

Below is my list of Nutritional Powerhouses.

I call them Nutritional Powerhouses because they are loaded with

vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

And they are foods that will give you the most bang for your buck so I

try to consume them on a regular basis.

Watercress is a powerhouse dark, leafy green vegetable.

It contains a lot of powerful antioxidants such as:

• Vitamin C - Great for strengthening your immune system

• Vitamin A - Important for your eyes, teeth, bones, and skin

•   Chlorophyll - Good for fighting free radicals in your body as well as digestion

Watercress was ranked #1 on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index

which “measures vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content in

relation to caloric content. To earn high rank, a food must provide a

high amount of nutrients for a small amount of calories.”(1)

try throwing them into a smoothie or mixing them in with

your salad.

1. Watercress

2. Brussels sProuts

There are many reasons it would be a good idea to incorporate

Brussels Sprouts into your diet.

• They are a good source of Vitamins C and K1

•  They are high in fiber

• They help to detoxify your body

• They are high in Folate, which may lower your chances of getting heart disease

• They may be helpful in preventing many types of cancers such as colon cancer

“While all of the cruciferous veggies are known for their cancer-

fighting powers, Brussels sprouts have been shown to contain even 

greater amounts of glucosinolates than cabbage, kale, cauliflower, 

and broccoli.”(4)

Brussels sprouts are great

sautéed in butter or olive oil.

and i really like them

steamed as well.

Broccoli is another favorite vegetable of mine and is definitely consid-

ered a powerhouse veggie.

It provides numerous health benefits such as:

• It contains a lot of fiber

• It contains phytochemicals, which have anti-cancer properties

• It helps regulate insulin due to its abundance of chromium

• It protects against UV radiation due to a compound it contains called sulforaphane

• It’s good for bone strength because it contains a lot of calcium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus

3. Broccoli

another nice thing about broccoli is it’s extremely versatile

meaning it can be eaten cooked or raw and used in different

types of dishes. Personally, i like broccoli steamed but the

main thing is try to include it

into your diet.

Avocados are technically a fruit and are definitely my favorite type of 

healthy fat.

They provide an array of health benefits such as:

•   They contain a lot of fiber and important nutrients such as Vitamins K, C, E, etc.

• They are very high in potassium, which helps to reduce blood pressure

• They are loaded with Glutathione, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals in your body

• “Numerous studies have shown that eating avocados can improve heart disease risk factors like Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, as well as blood triglycerides”(6)

4. avocado

one of the great things about avocados is you can use them in so

many different ways. they’re a great thickener for smoothies,

and they’re great in salads

and on sandwiches. But my

favorite way to eat avocados is

to make guacamole. Whatever

way you prefer to eat

avocados make sure

to incorporate them into

your diet.

I’m sure you’ve heard of cacao but what exactly is it?

“Cacao: Refers to the plant, a small evergreen tree of the species

Theobroma cacao, cultivated for its seeds, also known as cacao beans

or cocoa beans.”(8)

The health benefits from consuming cacao are numerous such as:

• It’s loaded with antioxidants to help fight off free radicals

• It’s high in vitamins and minerals esp. magnesium which is an “alkaline mineral necessary for heart and muscle function, for arterial relaxation, and for proper mental focus. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and has been linked to increased happiness and improved mood.”(11)

• It’s good for cardiovascular health

I’m sure you’re thinking what is

the difference between cacao and

cocoa. Well cocoa is roasted cacao

seeds ground into a powder.

It’s important to point out that

“the closer your cocoa is to its

natural raw state, the higher its

nutritional value. Ideally, your

chocolate or cocoa should be

consumed raw (cacao).”(10)

5. raW cacao

so when purchasing chocolate your best bet would be to buy a raw,

organic bar with a cacao percentage of at least 70 and as little sugar

as possible. usually the higher the cacao percentage the lower

amount of sugar it will contain.

You can, also, buy cacao powder and nibs to put in a smoothie.

However, a beverage i’ve started drinking in the last year or so is

called “rau cacao”. it’s a raw, cold-pressed, chocolate drink that’s

loaded with anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals and contains

no sugar. i normally add a little stevia to it and it tastes like

chocolate milk.

Whole Foods and a few other stores carry them. If you get the

chance pick one up. For more information on “Rau Cacao”

visit http://www.drinkrau.com/.

6. aPPle cider viNegar

I believe consuming raw, organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

can improve your health in many ways.

Some report benefits by drinking a glass of water each day with a 

teaspoon or two of Apple Cider Vinegar in it. And there seems to be

little risk in consuming low amounts of vinegar. Here are some of the

ways apple cider vinegar(acv) can benefit you:

• It’s anti-bacterial and may be helpful in treating sore throats as well as clearing your sinuses

•   It’s good for digestion and acid reflux by improving your stomach’s acid content

• “Several animal studies have shown that vinegar can reduce blood triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure.”(13)

•   It may be beneficial for helping treat diabetes. “One study found that vinegar treatment improved insulin sensitivity in 19 percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes and 34 percent of those with pre-diabetes. Yet another study found taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes by up to 6 percent by the morning.”(12)

•   It may be beneficial for weight loss

i like using acv in my salad dressings.

But be careful to not go overboard in using ACV because “long-term

excessive use could conceivably cause low potassium levels and can

adversely affect your bone density. “(12)

There are many reasons it would be a good idea to start increasing

your consumption of collagen if you aren’t already.

Bone Broth is a great way to do this as it has many wonderful qualities.

But I’m too lazy to make it so I turn to option #2, Hydrolyzed Collagen.

“Collagen is a protein made up from amino acids, including the amino

acids proline, glycine, glutamine and arginine. “(15)

Unfortunately, as we get older our collagen production declines so we

get wrinkles, looser skin, and stiff joints. One way to combat this is by 

supplementing with collagen hydrolysate.

Here’s a look at some of the benefits using collagen hydrolysate 

may provide:

• Reduced joint pain

• Tighter, more vibrant skin

• Increased metabolism

• Strengthened teeth, and nails

• Healthier gut function

i use collagen hydrolysate

quite often and feel it really

helps my joints, tendons, and

ligaments.

7. Hydrolyzed collageN

8. raW garlic

The health benefits of eating garlic are numerous. Garlic is such a 

powerful herb because:

• “It can help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure and may help prevent heart attacks by reducing blood clotting.”(17)

• “It is a potent antibiotic that is especially active against fungal infections”. (17)

• “It has immune-stimulating properties as well as antibacterial and antiviral effects.”(17)

The compound in garlic that makes it so potent is called allicin. “But

note that allicin is formed from an inactive precursor compound only

after garlic is mashed or chopped and exposed to air for at least a

few minutes.”(17)

So the next time you feel like you’re coming down with a cold, try

mashing or cutting a clove of raw garlic and adding it to your meal.

If you don’t like the taste cut the

clove into smaller pieces and

swallow them whole.

Personally, i will put raw garlic

on top of some vegetables or a

piece of meat.

If you’re worried about garlic

breath try chewing some

parsley afterwards to reduce

the odor.

An ancient root that comes from the Curcuma longa plant, turmeric

has many healing qualities. And curcumin, the primary component in

turmeric, is the main reason it can be so beneficial to take.

Some of the reasons to take turmeric are:

• It’s anti-inflammatory. “The journal Oncogene published the 

results of a study that evaluated several anti-inflammatory 

compounds. It found that aspirin (Bayer, etc.) and ibuprofen

(Advil, Motrin, etc.) are least potent, while curcumin is among

the most potent anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative agents 

in the world.”(18)

• It may help fight depression.

• it’s anti-diabetic. “An article published in Biochemistry and

Biophysical Research Communications shared a study out of

Auburn University that discovered curcumin suppresses glucose

production in the liver.

Fascinatingly, researchers

proved that it’s actually

400 times more potent

than Metformin (a common

diabetes drug) in activating

AMPK and its downstream

target acetyl-CoA

carboxylase (ACC). Turmeric

acted as an anti-diabetic

and antioxidant in diabetes,

especially type 1 diabetes,

9. turmeric

improved metabolic function and reduced the risk of plaque

buildup in the arteries of type 2 diabetes patients.”(18)

• It’s been shown in recent studies to kill cancer cells.

• It can help increase memory function by improving your brain’s

oxygen intake.

While taking turmeric has many great benefits, people taking aspirin, 

clopidogrel, and warfarin should check with their physician as

turmeric may interfere with them.

As always, it’s a good idea to check with your physician before you

start taking any herb or supplement.

Personally, i take a turmeric supplement just about every day.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your health it would be a good

idea to start adding fermented foods to your diet. Fermented foods

are loaded with probiotics or good bacteria. And a “a myriad of

research has demonstrated how the ideal balance of good and bad

bacteria in your gut forms the foundation for physical, mental, and

emotional well-being.”(19)

Some of the benefits of consuming fermented foods are:

• They strengthen your immune system and this is crucial because “an estimated 80 percent of your immune system is actually located in your gut.”(19)

• They help detoxify your body of toxins and heavy metals.

And when you consume fermented foods you improve “your

microflora” – a term used to describe the bacteria, fungi, viruses 

and other microbes that make up your microbial inner ecosystem.”(19)

Improving your microflora can

• Positively affect your mood

• Help people trying to lose weight

your best bet would be to eat a

variety of fermented foods such

as kefir (fermented milk),

raw yogurt, and fermented

vegetables just to name a few.

10. FermeNted Foods

my favorite fermented foods are:

• Kimchi, a spicy Korean dish made mostly of fermented cabbage

• Coconut Kefir water which is just fermented coconut water

• raw sauerkraut

There you have it. These are my top 10 nutritional powerhouses that I recommend you give a try if you haven’t already.

sources:

1) Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 18 May 2015. 2)  “11 Health Benefits of Watercress.” 11 Health Benefits of Watercress. N.p., n.d. Web. 

19 May 2015. 3)  “What Are the Health Benefits of Eating Brussels Sprouts?” Healthy Eating. N.p., n.d. Web. 

19 May 2015. 4)  “What’s New and Beneficial about Brussels Sprouts? Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 

19 May 2015. 5)  “15 Health Benefits of Broccoli.” EHealthZine. N.p., 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 May 2015. 6)  “12 Proven Benefits of Avocado (No. 5 Is Very Impressive).” Authority Nutrition. N.p., 

16 Sept. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2015. 7)  “15 Health Benefits of Avocados.” EHealthZine RSS. N.p., 20 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. 8)  “Dr. Beatrice Golomb Says That Chocolate Benefits.” Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 

19 Mar. 2015. 9)  “The Rich Benefits of Eating Chocolate.” Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2015.10)  “Health Benefits of Dark Chocolates.” Mercola.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.11)  “Superfood Spotlight: Health Benefits of Raw Cacao.” Essential Living Foods RSS2. N.p., 

27 May 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2015.12) “Surprising Apple Cider Vinegar Uses: How It Can Change Your Life.” Mercola.com. N.p., n.d.

Web. 22 Mar. 2015.13)  “6 Proven Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (No. 3 Is Best).” Authority Nutrition. N.p., 

22 June 2014. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.14)  “13+ Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.” Readers Digest 13+ Health Benefits of Apple 

Cider Vinegar Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.15) “Tighten, Tone and Repair Your Whole BodyHere’s How You Can Improve Leaky Gut,

Support Your Digestion and Metabolism, Tone and Tighten Your Skin .” N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.

16) “What Is Collagen? 7 Ways Collagen Can Boost Your Health.” DrAxecom. N.p., 15 Feb. 2015. Web. 02 Apr. 2015.

17) “Q & A Library.” Getting Enough Garlic? N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2015.18)  7 Powerful Turmeric Health Benefits and Side Effects.” DrAxecom. N.p., 17 Dec. 2014. 

Web. 22 May 2015.19)  “Fermented Foods – Your Ultimate Guide to Fermented Food Lists.” Mercola.com. N.p., 

n.d. Web. 24 May 2015.

I’m Matt Avoyer, publisher of

thatHealthguy.com.

Nutrition, health, and working out have

been a serious passion of mine for as long

as I can remember.

When I was much younger, I was mainly

interested in these areas for aesthetic

reasons, ok I’ll admit it – I wanted to look better.

But as I’ve gotten older, I now want to look and feel my best both

physically, and mentally. And nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being

are critical to achieving this.

I am, also, an avid runner logging approximately 1,400 miles a year. So,

I’m always looking for ways to maximize my energy.

Not too long ago, I woke up and realized that since I spend a lot of my

free time researching health, and nutrition, then why not go back and

get some formal training.

So in 2014 I enrolled at Precision Nutrition, “the largest private

nutrition coaching and research company in the world.” There I earned

my nutrition certification and became PN Certified.

After finishing Precision Nutrition, I decided I wanted to further my

education and enrolled at the highly regarded institute for integrative

Nutrition. I received my health coach certification in 2015.

Hopefully with my prior training as well as everything I’ve learned

up to this point I can relay my passion, journey and knowledge to you

along the way.

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