Foods That Fight the Flu

Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili

ANTIOXIDANTS AND YOUR HEART

Recent studies suggest that taking oral antioxidant supplements have no significant effect on heart health. However, eating a diet rich in antioxidant-packed foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which also contain fiber and nutrients, has been found to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Featured Recipes:
Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili
Basil Chicken Parmigiana
Fresh Fruit With Lemon-Mint Sauce
Toasted Barley-Vegetable Salad

Staying healthy during cold and flu season can be as simple as fixing nutrient-packed meals. Test Kitchens Professional Alyssa Porubcan researched nature's most healthful foods, and then created these fresh and flavorful recipes that help protect your body against illness. Best of all, they taste amazing and are easy to prepare. For a dose of vitamin C, try our Fresh Fruit With Lemon-Mint Sauce. Or dig into Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili for a satisfying meal with a surprising kick that is sure to ward off the sniffles.

Cold and Flu Fighters
Stock up on these immunity boosters to help protect your body against illness and aid in healing.

Beta-carotene: butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli
B Vitamins (folate and B12): spinach, legumes, peanuts, whole grains, leafy green vegetables, eggs, milk
Vitamin C: oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, green peppers, cabbage
Vitamin E: peanuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, spinach, whole grains, vegetable oils, poultry
Zinc: fish, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, cheese, milk, peanut butter, whole grains

This article is from the January 2006 issue of Southern Living.

These recipes will set you on the path to good health.|Holley Johnson, M.S., R.D.

ANTIOXIDANTS AND YOUR HEART