Do you know what types of food should we eat to stay healthy? FBDG (Food-based dietary guidelines) helps us to make our choice about health and nutrition. Especially with age, eating becomes dull rather than a fun part. So it is essential to consider which elements of foods are important for a quality diet. Here I have a list of 7 Amazing Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet Immediately that will make your day.
1. Green vegetables
Green vegetables like spinach and kale are vitamin-rich and very beneficial for health. Spinach contains iron, potassium, and magnesium which help carry oxygen to the lungs, fight chronic fatigue, and regulate your blood sugar levels. Due to the high calcium content, kale promotes bone growth. It helps strengthen your immune system and boost your eyes’ health due to the large amount of vitamin A.
Kale also contains tons of vitamin K that help you in blood clotting. They are great for making the salad. You can use kale to make massaged salad and add other ingredients as per your choice. Vegetables are essential for a balanced diet. They help recover from certain health conditions and illnesses like poor eyesight, mineral deficiencies, poor immunity, constipation, and certain heart diseases.
Vegetables are full of macro and micronutrients that are necessary for your body’s functioning. When it comes to losing weight, veggies are very low in calories compared to other food so they automatically become a preferred option for people trying to lose weight. You might utilize them uncooked in the form of salads, smoothies, and juices to take full advantage of their nutrients.
2. Lean Beef
Beef is well known for its protein share and is considered “brain” food. Ensure that you always prefer grass-fed beef as it is full of nutrients, fatty acids, and B complexes. Beef contains choline that promotes memory and immune system health. Better try beef minestrone or a lean burger instead of steak.
The meat of mammals contains more significant amounts of iron than chicken and fish and is categorized as red meat. Meat is usually served as roast, ribs, or steaks; beef is also chopped or diced. Hamburgers contain patties of ground beef. Processed beef includes corned beef, beef jerky, and sausages. Fresh beef contains essential vitamins and zinc, and dietitians recommend moderate amounts of beef in the diet.
Nutritional Facts
Beef is essential for a healthy diet as it contains essential vitamins and minerals. We get high-quality protein from beef, which helps maintain muscle mass, improve exercise performance, and prevent anemia.
Beef primarily contains proteins and varying amounts of fats. Here is the nutritional composition of 100 gram broiled ground meat with 10% fat content.
- Calories-217
- Water-61%
- Protein-26.1 grams
- Carbs-0 grams
- Sugar-0 grams
- Fiber-0 grams
- Fat-11.8 grams
Other compounds are bioactive substances and antioxidants, which may affect our health. Some principal components are creatine, taurine, glutathione, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and cholesterol.
3. Fruits
Fruits are essential for overall health and wellness as they keep the body fit and prevent diseases. They have various shapes and sizes, and each has different benefits for health. Incorporate an adequate amount of fruits into your daily diet to stay healthy.
Fruits are rich in crucial vitamins, antioxidants, and dietary fibers. These components significantly help in heart health, digestion, maintaining body weight, and skin health. They also improve health by lowering the risk of inflammation, heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes.
Fruits contain antioxidants like flavonoids and vitamin C, especially citrus fruits like lemon. These antioxidants mop up free radicals as free radicals damage body cells by causing mutations and leading to cancer. Vitamin C is good for skin care. USDA’s MyPlate encourages to include fruits and vegetables in nearly equal ratio to that of meals.
Benefits of Fruits
- Reduce the risk of chronic diseases
- Improve cardiovascular health
- Lower the risk of neural tube defects
- Protect against cell damage
Fruits are essential for obtaining folic acid, potassium, and antioxidants like polyphenols. Blueberries, cranberries, and citrus also contain phytochemicals for added health benefits. Fruits are naturally low in calories, sodium, and fat. None have cholesterol.
Here is an awesome video with Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet:
4. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt contains half the sugar and sodium in regular plain non-fat yogurt. If you are a vegetarian, it is the best food for you as it is rich in calcium and is a good source of protein for you. It is also a good option for dry mouth. It helps to wet pallets and maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t favor plain yogurt, try some barries and fruit nectar to make an organic mix packed with antioxidants.
Sodium Content
The high salt content can lead to heart diseases and increased blood pressure. That’s why consumers opt for foods that contain less sodium. Greek yogurt contains 50% less sodium, and protein content is double. A typical amount of about 6 ounces contain 15 to 20 grams of protein than regular yogurt’s 9 grams. It equals 2-3 ounces of lean meat, making it a good option for vegetarians.
Versatility
Greek yogurt looks the same as plain yogurt and can substitute sour cream and mayonnaise. Creamy texture and rich taste make it versatile and can be used alone or enhance existing dishes like salad, pasta, and various dips.
Easy on the stomach
Although not lactose-free, Greek yogurt contains fewer amounts of sugar, making it easier to digest. It is an excellent supplement to dairy products if you can tolerate small amounts of sugar.
Fewer Carbohydrates
If you are counting on carbs or have diabetes, then don’t worry. Greek yogurt contains 9 grams of it compared to 15-17grams in commercial yogurt. Pay attention to added sugar and read the label to check carbs.
5. Eggs
From providing vitamin D for healthy bones and immune systems to kick-starting muscle growth, eggs help live a happy and enjoyable life. Eggs contain high protein content and a considerable amount of B12, which helps increase energy. Not only that, but they also contain an adequate amount of moisture to add to those with dry mouths.
You can eat one egg daily and supplements with egg white for cholesterol problems. It becomes fun after the domestication of hens for laying eggs as people enjoy and nourish themselves with eggs. Egg white and yolks are rich in essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Egg white mainly consists of protein, while yolk contains fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D, E, and fatty acids.
Due to their versatile nature and their particular chemical makeup, it is a key to many baking reactions. Primarily, hen eggs fulfill market demand, but more gourmet choices might include duck, goose, and quail.
Nutritional Composition of Eggs
One medium boiled chicken egg consists of
- Calories-84
- Protein-8.3 gram
- Fat-5.7 gram
- Folate-18 mcg
- Vitamin D-1.89 mcg
When it comes to reducing stress and managing anxiety, eggs are good to go with providing vitamin B2, B12, choline, iron, and tryptophan. These all help reduce stress, cope with anxiety, and improve your sleep. Eggs also boost nutrient intake for healthy aging.
6. Dry fruits
Dry fruits are called superfoods because they supply abundant nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and protein. Also, they can help you by providing you with:
- Some unique benefits like relief from some ailment or disease.
- Reducing blood pressure.
- Controlling sugar and cholesterol levels, and much more.
They are believed to prevent aging and sharpen the intellect. Your diet must include many dry fruits with unique tastes and characteristic benefits. First on the list are Almonds with zero cholesterol and are rich in antioxidants. They protect against heart and many other diseases.
The second is cashews rich in vitamin E and B6 with ample protein, potassium, monounsaturated fat, and fiber.
Walnuts occupy the third position on our list loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, fibers, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Raisins, pistachios, and dates will come next. Most dry fruits are a good source of essential vitamins, proteins, minerals, and fiber. They taste delicious and are a good substitute for snacks.
The mineral content of dry fruits mainly consists of Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin A-C-E-K-B6, and Zinc. So the adequate consumption of dry fruits helps to enhance energy and stamina. They promote overall health and reduce the risk of anemia, heart diseases, and high cholesterol.
7. Fish
Fatty fish like salmon contain a high amount of Omega 3s. Omega 3s forms an essential element of the diet. It helps decrease the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, enhance heart health and improve bone density. It also prevents the risk of memory loss due to dementia and Alzheimer’s. Grilled salmon is easy to make and can go well with various salads and grains.
Aging brings complications, but we should not let it puta a damper on the way we eat. Eating a well-balanced diet consisting of essential minerals and vitamins from natural and organic sources promotes energy and longevity. “Eating enough quantity of fish, which are high in healthy omega-three fatty acids, and smaller portions of red meat help to reduce your risk of diseases like stroke, heart disease, and cancer.” – Bob Canter, professor of surgery at UC Davis Division of Surgical Oncology.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Our body cannot produce Omega-three fatty acids; they help keep our mind and body healthy. Omega-3 fatty acids are in every fish but are especially high in fatty fish. Some suitable fish types are salmon, trout, sardines, herring, canned mackerel, light tuna, and oysters.
The American Heart Association advises eating fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet. Some suitable fish types are salmon, trout, sardines, herring, canned mackerel, light tuna, and oysters.
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Final Words
We often find praise for “superfoods” in the media-foods so high in nutritional value that they are believed to be dietary superheroes. Nutritionists reject the term “superfoods” as a buzzword that can influence people to place too high expectations on a limited range of foods when, in reality, a balanced diet and healthful lifestyle require more effort than eating your five-a-day. Keep checking what you eat and include the above-listed food in your eating schedule.
