The Superhero Diet

[Sky]

The Superhero Diet

We use x-ray vision to identify secret foods that will give you powers beyond those of mortal men

 

By: Tamar Haspel, Illustrations by: David Arky

Posted on 06/27/2005

 

In this summer of the superhero, how do you stack up? Have abs like Christian Bale in Batman Begins? Relax--that's a rubber-coated Kevlar chest piece. Recognize any kindred spirits among the Fantastic Four? Who wouldn't want Mr. Fantastic's flexibility, the calorie-burning skills of the Human Torch, or boulder shoulders like the Thing's? (What if the Invisible Woman were in your bedroom right now, looking you over--would she like what she saw?)

 

Back to reality. Unless North Korea starts acting peevish, our source of radiation to produce mutant powers remains limited. We derive our power from exercise and food--and that means real food, not that tub of yellow, greasy popcorn at the multiplex. A Marvel-ous physique and super health are well within reach--you just have to know what to reach for. Start now and you'll be ready in plenty of time for next summer's Superman.

 

 

 

X-RAY VISION

 

Superman squandered his x-rays peering through brick walls instead of Lois Lane's flimsy feminist veneer. To keep your perception sharp, you need two key things: lutein and zeaxanthin, which sound like villains but aren't. Macular tissue--the clump of photoreceptors on each retina--degenerates faster than the rest of the eye, and as it does, you no longer see clearly, so "you lose the ability to read and to drive," says Steve Pratt, M.D., author of SuperFoods Rx. "There's a big smudge in the center of everything." Researchers at Heinrich Heine University in Germany found that lutein and zeaxanthin help filter blue light, which may wreck macular tissue. "People with high levels of these two phytonutrients are at lower risk of both macular degeneration and cataracts," Dr. Pratt says.

 

Your secret source: Dr. Pratt recommends 12 milligrams (mg) a day of the two nutrients combined, or ½ to ¾ cup of cooked spinach, one of the best sources. Cooking concentrates the greens and their powers; to get 12 mg from raw spinach, you'd be munching forever--and using too much dressing.

 

 

 

SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH

 

You can't build shoulders and biceps like the Hulk's unless you have a great special-effects department in your basement. But you can make the most of your workouts by eating at the right time. You probably already have the "guzzle a protein shake immediately after a workout" thing down. (And if you don't, start now; you have a 60-minute window for maximum protein uptake and glycogen restoration after exercise.) The rest of the day, make sure you take in the calories and protein you need for muscle growth.

 

Your secret source: Bulk up on lean meat, nuts, and cheese. Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that cutting carbs can change body composition better than cutting fat can. In a 6-week study, normal-weight men who trimmed calories by following an old-school low-carb diet traded 7.4 pounds of fat mass for 2.4 pounds of lean muscle. Lead researcher Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor of kinesiology, attributes the boosted burn to a reduction in insulin levels. "The effects are more pronounced when the diet is only slightly restricted in energy," he says. That means there's no need to be all crazy about cutting carb calories. Just be sensible: Skip the cookies before bedtime.

 

MENTAL FIREPOWER

 

What would Batman be without his deductive powers? Just a lonely, frustrated millionaire in a cape. You, on the other hand, can stay sharp (and maybe make your own millions) by getting enough niacin. A study at Chicago's Rush Institute for Healthy Aging found that people with diets high in niacin had a lower risk of both Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive decline. The study was done on people 65 and over, but lead researcher Martha Morris, Sc.D., says, "Some studies show that niacin is important for DNA synthesis and repair, as well as for normal brain functioning. One could surmise that people of all ages should make sure they eat a diet that includes niacin-rich foods." In the study, the top 20 percent of niacin consumers, who got 20 to 48 mg a day from food, had an 80 percent reduction in Alzheimer's risk.

 

Your secret source: Look to fish and poultry. Four ounces of chicken breast has 15 mg; 4 ounces of swordfish has 13 mg. Oddly, foods high in tryptophan (the stuff that seems to shut down your brain after Thanksgiving dinner) can add to your niacin intake, too; the body uses tryptophan to make niacin when it needs a fresh supply. So even though turkey breast contains only 6 mg niacin per 3 ounces, it's another good source.

 

 

 

INVISIBILITY

 

Now you see him, now you . . . well, see less of him--no disfiguring accident required. George Fahey, Ph.D., a professor of animal sciences at the University of Illinois, studies pig stomachs for clues to men's stomachs. He has established that compounds called oligosaccharides and resistant starches aren't digested completely and so have fewer calories than we think. But are men pigs? Depends who you ask, but Fahey says our digestive systems are similar. If pigs don't digest it, men won't either.

 

Your secret source: Smart dieting is easier than you think, Fahey says. Artichokes, onions, shallots, bananas, and beans have fewer absorbable calories than standard measures show--i.e., consequence-free food. Beans and peas are particularly high in resistant starches: "A conservative estimate is that people extract approximately a third fewer calories from beans than the label says," according to Fahey. Sadly, oligosaccharides and resistant starches haven't yet been found in prime rib or cheesecake.

 

 

 

ETERNAL YOUTH

 

Superheroes are on call 24-7, in perpetuity. No old age, no retirement, no condo in Florida. What's the secret? "Keep your biological age lower than your chronological age," Dr. Pratt says. One way to do that is by getting your astaxanthin, the potent carotenoid that gives salmon its orangey color. Astaxanthin acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals. Just as oxidation eats away at your car's quarter panels, free radicals age your cells. Astaxanthin is Rust-Oleum for your body. "While there aren't any clinical human studies yet," says Dr. Pratt, "astaxanthin is showing promise in the fight to slow biological aging." It may also help fight cancer and atherosclerosis, and have anti-inflammatory and UV-protective properties.

 

Your secret source: Dr. Pratt recommends 3 ounces of salmon 4 days a week. Salmon caught in the wild has up to 80 percent more astaxanthin than the farmed kind. The wild variety should be easy to find now, because it's just coming off its peak season. (Other sources include shrimp, crab, and trout.) Besides astaxanthin, salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids, which lower your risk of heart disease--particularly helpful, because not dying is the ultimate superhero power.