Here in Australia, our traditional Christmas Fare contains many great Superfoods. So as you prepare your menu be sure to include some of these to satisfy your tastebuds and enhance your health!

1.    Cherries

The appearance of fresh Australian cherries is the first sign that summer has arrived and Christmas is on its way. Sweet and delicious, cherries are packed full of antioxidants called anthocyanidins which help to support your health during the Christmas period. Anthocyanidin-rich cherries are known to:

• reduce joint inflammation and pain especially after exercise
• slow wrinkles and signs of ageing of the skin
• relieve the pain of gout and arthritis
• reduce the adominal weight gain

2.    Macadamias

Native to Australia, macadamia nuts are creamy and delicious eaten raw or used in cooking. Just the nut for an Australian Christmas. In the past, people have worried about the fat content of these tree nuts, but research has shown that they are mostly monounsaturated fats – the same kind found in olive oil! Research conducted in Newcastle showed that when people ate macadamias, their cholesterol levels actually improved and they lost weight. They also provide a complete range of essential amino acids, so are a great source of plant protein, and contain plenty of fibre and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and selenium. Eating macadamias might help you to:

• improve cholesterol and blood fats
• lose weight
• lower blood pressure
• feel full faster

3.    Oysters

Seafood is quickly replacing the traditional turkey on the Australian Christmas table and what better food than fresh oysters. Oysters have a reputation for being an aphrodisiac, most probably due to their high zinc content, but did you know that they are also a great source of the omega 3 essential fatty acids that are found in fish? Not only that, Australian research shows that they might have potential as an antiviral, anti-bacterial and even anti-cancer treatment. Eating oysters this Christmas might help:

• strengthen your immune system
• increase libido
• boost brain health
• protect your heart and blood vessels

4.   Prawns

Cooked prawns feature on many summer Christmas menus, and conveniently enough, their delicate pink colouring might actually help protect our skin from the sun. Wild prawns eat algae which contains the pigment astaxanthin which colours the flesh and shell during the cooking process. Astaxanthin is thought to have 40x the antioxidant capacity of betacarotene and 1000x that of vitamin E! This unusual antioxidant is able to penetrate the brain and retina barriers, protecting the vulnerable tissues in these areas, and increases the skin’s UV tolerance helping to slow down the damaging effect of the sun. Eat prawns to:

• protect the skin from UV damage
• reduce post-exercise muscle soreness
• increase exercise endurance
• improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles

5.    Champagne

Christmas celebrations often call for something cold and bubbly so it’s good news that researchers in the UK have discovered that drinking champagne has the same protective effect on the cardiovascular as red wine.  Compared to a drink with the same alcohol content, Champagne improved the function of blood vessels and slowed down the removal of nitric oxide, which is thought to help lower blood pressure. A rich source of polyphenols from the red grapes used to make it, Champagne also helps to protect cells from damage. Make a toast with Champagne and you will help to:

• reduce the chance of stroke and heart disease
• lower high blood pressure
• protect cells from free radical damage

Good Health and Happy Christmas from Mr Vitamins