Does this ever happen to you – you come home from a hard day’s work and are too tired to cook?
When you’re too tired to prepare a healthy meal, you often make the mistake of eating whatever you can quickly find around you. Eating packaged or fast food too often can be bad for your health. On the other hand, you can easily get quick, healthy, superfood alternatives that will boost your health.
If you’re like me, you often start eating junk food instead of a decent home-cooked dinner because you have a busy life and are often too tired to cook. You either order food or go to a drive-through, wasting your money and health on junk food.
But, it’s not that difficult to make healthy choices. All you need is a little bit of practice and you will gradually get used to new healthy choices.
Making healthy choices with your food will help you stay healthier and younger with more energy. The food that you eat has an enormous impact on your health and wellbeing. Your body reconstructs and heals itself with the food you consume, and it needs the right elements and nutrients. Eating right will also keep your immune system strong and keep you healthy to naturally fight diseases.
In this article we are going to talk about some of the healthiest superfoods that you can easily find in the market, and how they can enhance your health and wellbeing.
They will also help you to stay slim, so keep reading!
1. Fruits
There are some fruits that qualify as “superfruits” by nutrition scientists. These fruits are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. These nutrients can help you boost your immune system, fight diseases and help you look younger. They also provide you with all the nutrients you need to stay energetic and healthy for a long life.
Here is a list of superfruits
- Apples: Grab a sweet apple for a quick energy boost. They are great sources of vitamins and antioxidants too. Try to eat at least two apples per day, red or green.
- Bananas: For your daily dose of potassium, grab a banana. Bananas are also known as happy foods. They boost your mood, lower your blood pressure and are also good sources of resistant starch, a healthy carb which helps to boost your metabolism.
- Berries: Berries are loaded with nutrition. They are sweet and filled with goodness, such as antioxidants, phytonutrients, water and fiber to help control blood sugar and keep you looking and feeling younger.
- Cantaloupes: These could be your perfect secret weapons for healthier, smoother, younger looking skin. They contain vitamin A and nutrients that boost cell reproduction, making them natural exfoliators.
- Kiwis: Kiwis are packed with antioxidants. They also have an impressive range of nutrients including potassium, fiber, and are decent sources of vitamins C, A and E.
- Grapefruits: A grapefruit a day can help keep heart disease at bay, says health.com. They are high in antioxidants and effective weapons for fighting high cholesterol.
Fruits are great with a meal, as a snack in-between meals or whenever you need an energy top-up. Get in the habit of first grabbing a piece of fruit to quiet your hunger long enough to make a healthy meal choice. You cannot go wrong with eating fruits!
2. Nuts
Nuts are full of protein, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. Include them with your meals, between meals for a healthy snack or for an energy boost on the go. All nuts work great for lowering your cholesterol levels and for promoting weight loss. But, remember to eat them in small servings, as they can be fattening if you over-do-it.
3. Eggs
Eating eggs is a great way to get your daily protein, vitamins and minerals. They have 12 essential vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is good for brain development and memory. Researchers have also found that protein in eggs can trigger and release a hormone called glucagon, which actually helps you to burn fat. So, eat eggs for breakfast or in-between meals as a snack.
“Studies show if you eat eggs at breakfast, you may eat fewer calories during the day and lose weight without significantly affecting cholesterol levels,” says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD (WebMD)
Frittatas or omelettes are easy to cook with tons of vegetables. Prepare them in a 3-day quantity and refrigerate for a quick meal or snack.
4. Veggies
Veggies are the best foods you can eat. They fill you up without getting you fat and there is no limit to how much you can have each day, so eat up!
Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Eat all types of green leafy vegetables, in particular, with as much frequency as you can.
Top vegetables that you should eat daily
- Broccoli: Broccoli is a veggie that tastes good and is good for you. It is a low calorie high fiber food that contains vitamin A,B C,E,K,calcium and iron. It also contains a number of natural phytochemicals, several with biological activity which are potentially important for fighting cancer. (SF Gate)
- Beans: Beans are packed with insoluble fiber; they are really, very good for your heart.
- Carrots: Carrots are excellent sources of beta-carotene and vitamin A, another one of those delicious and healthy vegetables. Carrots help you fight cancer and heart disease, and also give you radiant skin.
- Bell peppers: Bell peppers are full of vitamin C and antioxidants.
- Spinach: Spinach is packed with vitamins K, E, C and B. It also contains folate, manganese and beta-carotene. For a full dosage of antioxidants, you must eat spinach every day.
- Tomatoes:Tomatoes contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and lycopene.
Most green leafy vegetables give you vitamin C and a wide range of antioxidants. They help you fight diseases and boost your immune system. Eat as much as you want.
5. Whole grains
For those who want to lose weight naturally and still stay energetic, there is no substitute for whole grains. We need carbohydrates to work and think efficiently. Whole grains are great sources of “good carbs” and eating them regularly will reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. “Bad carbs” are in foods such as refined white bread and sugary foods like doughnuts and cakes.
Whole grain foods are readily available in most grocery stores and can be as quick and easy to prepare as their less healthy alternatives. Some good examples are whole wheat pasta, brown rice or even pop corn.
Quinoa is one of the best whole grains you can eat, now widely available in many supermarkets. “It is an ancient grain, easy to make, interesting, high in protein (8 grams in 1 cup cooked), fiber (5 grams per cup) and a naturally good source of iron,” – WebMD
Whole grain carbs contain soluble fiber that lowers blood cholesterol. They also contain other useful minerals, such as selenium, potassium and magnesium which are important nutrients for our bodies.
It’s not only what you eat, but how your food was prepared and processed that also impact your health and environment. Try eating locally and seasonally as much as possible. A lot of energy is wasted trying to grow food in the wrong climates at the wrong times of the year. You may also try growing your own kitchen garden indoors. It is an easy way to get fresh grown herbs and vegetables.
Conclusion
Eating healthy is a habit. You might need to put in some extra effort in the beginning, but once you establish your routine, you will be surprised with how easy it can be.
Eating right will not only improve your health but also the environment. Instead of buying processed, packaged and imported food, try eating healthy locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs.
For more expert advice on health and nutrition, watch a replay of our Webinar Huddle with guest Naturopath, Dr. Jennifer Orlowski. If you have a specific question or comment, please add it in the comment box below.
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Source: Balanced Life Team
