Food Facts

Peas pack a protein punch. One cup of the small green orbs has almost nine grams of protein.

Dark-meat chicken isn’t such a bad choice. It contains lots of taurine, which appears to protect against heart disease, along with more iron, zinc and folate, according to the July/August ’12 Health. Calories? One ounce of dark meat has only eight more than an ounce of white—and only one more gram of fat.

Coke is the real thing—when it comes to sugar overload. According to the November/December ’11 Well Being Journal, “each 12-ounce serving of soda contains the equivalent of 10 or more teaspoons of sugar (mostly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup).” Yikes!

Vitamin D is showing its importance yet again. According to the March ’12 Bottom Line Health, “It’s among the most important nutrients for health and longevity. Researchers speculate that it increases levels of telomerase—and it clearly reduces telomere shortening.” That leads to an anti-aging effect and is at least part of the reason people with high levels of vitamin D showed the equivalent of five years less aging.

—Becky Holman
www.X-tremeLean.com