There's not doubt we are what we eat, as they say! If you don't think the quality of food you put in your body impacts it's performance, how you feel, and how your skin and hair looks...I think you are missing the boat. The quality (and quantity) of the food we fuel our bodies with is growingly more important today than ever with all the chemicals and other things we are exposed to daily. People today are also on the go more than ever.
I decided I would share a list of top foods I think bring great healthy benefits. I did not list these items in any particular order, so don't think there's a rhyme or reason behind it. I simply jotted them down as they came to mind. Just remember moderation is the key with anything. But if you incorporate some or all of these items into your diet, I think your body will thank you.
Green tea has been linked to many health benefits, including improved heart health, lowers cancer risk, and has thermogenic properties. A good friend introduced me to iced green tea, which is one of my favorites. You can use it in smoothies, drink it plain, add no added sugar fruit juice, etc. It's really good with a little ginger/black pepper simple syrup and little bit of plain bubble water as a treat.
Whole grains help fill you up and have more fiber than processed grains. It helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. Whole grains offer good carbs, and your brain needs carbs to function properly. So, it's ok to limit carbs but I would not recommend removing them completely from your diet. I also like to eat my carbs earlier in the day with a little protein of some sort to help burn them off and prevent my body from converting them to stored fat. Some of my favorite grains are oatmeal, brown rice, barley, and quinoa. They can be added to soups, served with stir fried veggies, made into a salad...lots of ways to incorporate them into your diet.
Avocado is one of my favorite foods! They are loaded with lots of vitamins, good fats, and a little fiber. They are great as guacamole, just smashed with tiny bit of sea salt and spread on whole grain crackers, diced up in a salad, sliced on a burger...you name it...I love avocado!
Cinnamon offers numerous health benefits. It is known to help level out insulin levels, inhibits bacterial growth (keeps foods from spoiling), and reduces inflammation.
Nuts - Walnuts and almonds offer fiber and good fats that are heart healthy. They are a good snack with an apple or banana. I also like to put a few broken up walnuts or sliced almonds in oatmeal or home made granola or muesli. Pistachios are also one of my favorites. You can put them in salads too for a little extra crunch. Nuts are high in natural fats, so be aware of how many you consume. The calories and fat add up quickly. (There is such a thing as too much of a good thing!)
Ground flax seeds are another good source of healthy fat and fiber. They are good for skin and women's health too. I like to add a bit to cereal or oatmeal in the morning or maybe with yogurt.
That brings us to yogurt. I think greek yogurt is great in moderation. A 6 oz. serving of Fage non-fat greek yogurt is a good source of calcium, has 100 calories and a whopping 18 grams of protein! Top it with a little fresh fruit and you've got a super healthy, low cal snack!
Berries are probably my favorite fruit (well technically avocado is a fruit, but I know you all don't think of it as a fruit)! Specifically raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries are my fav's. And yes, in that order! Berries offer lots of antioxidants and fiber. And they just taste good and look great in a bowl by themselves, on cereal/oatmeal or with greek yogurt! Did you know strawberries offer more vitamin c per serving than an orange? Who knew! And strawberries are only 50 calories for a one cup serving (that's about 8-10 berries, depending how large they are). I think that's a lot of healthy food for very few calories!
Nut butters used sparingly add fiber and good protein sources. Add a little almond butter to a sliced apple, pair or celery or put a tablespoon in a smoothie. You can smear a little on a wholegrain english muffing or slice of toast for a tasty treat and extra protein punch. Again, be careful how much you use as it packs a lot of calories in a small serving.
Last but definitely not least are eggs. Eggs offer a good source of protein and has nutrients to fight inflammation. If I am not using plain egg whites, I try to mix 1 one whole egg to 2 additional whites. This is just about the perfect protein serving according to the dietician I met with last summer. One whole large egg is approximately 70 calories, 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein. At approximately $4.00 a dozen for organic eggs, you are still talking about less than $.34 per egg - making eggs a low cost, healthy protein source.
These are my top picks of healthy foods, what are yours?
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