With so many processed chemicals added to our food these days, it’s hard to know what’s truly healthy and what isn’t. Doing your research on the types of food your body is digesting is important for your well-being. There are plenty of healthy foods to eat regularly.
Not all food is good for helping your body function properly (and keep those pounds off). There are certain everyday foods that can ensure your body does exactly what it should: keeping your metabolism running, digesting properly and avoiding unwanted belly bloat.
The CGS Team has put a list of foods together that you should definitely begin eating regularly.
Broccoli
As children, we despised eating broccoli. We would either pretend to go to sleep at the dinner table to avoid eating the leafy green, or sneakily trash them when our parents weren’t looking.
We didn’t know how important the green veggie actually was for us. Broccoli is rich in fiber and carries phytonutrients.
Phytonutrients are compounds that help reduce the risk of several serious diseases. Those diseases include heart, diabetes, and even some cancers. Incorporating broccoli into your regular diet provides healthy benefits.
Apples
In a real sense, eating an apple a day can keep the doctor away. Apples are a great source of antioxidants which fight against free radicals. Free radicals are damaging substances generated in the body that cause undesirable changes.
Apples are delicious and can be eaten any time of day, anywhere. Whether you want to enjoy an apple alone or pair it with your favorite snack, include apples in your diet on a consistent basis.
Almonds and Other Nuts
You see different variations of trail mix everywhere you go. Trail mix is made up of mostly nuts and raisins that are great for snacking on throughout the day. Almonds, specifically, are rich in nutrients, including magnesium, vitamin E, iron, calcium, fiber, and riboflavin.
You can make your own trail mix or buy them at your favorite grocery store. Almonds include a lot of fiber, more than any other tree nut! While we’re partial to almonds, there are a lot of nut varieties that offer great health benefits.
Oatmeal
If you’re trying to eat something to stay full longer, oatmeal is the route to go. Oatmeal is actual meal made from rolled or ground oats. Interest in oatmeal has increased considerably over the last 20 years because of its health benefits.
A lot of people consume oatmeal when trying to get in shape. It sticks to your belly and makes you less hungry throughout the day. Oats are rich in complex carbohydrates, as well as water-soluble fiber, which slow digestion down and stabilize levels of blood-glucose.
Oatmeal is rich in B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. Coarse or steel-cut oats contain more fiber than instant varieties, as well as less sugar.
Blueberries
Eat fruit regularly, but kniw that blueberries take the cake! Regular blueberry consumption can reduce the risk of hypertension by 10 percent.
This effect is due to the blueberry’s bioactive compounds, anthocyanins. Similar to apples, blueberries are rich in antioxidants. This fruit is ideal to have on the go, whether you prefer them in a zip-lock baggie or mixed in a smoothie.
Kale
Kale once was underrated but is taking the mainstream by storm. You’ll hear more and more people order kale salads over the regular lettuce salad. Kale has a great deal of nutrients that are great for our body’s well-being.
Vitamin C is a primary nutrient that gives kale its healthy vibe. Kale can be cooked or steamed like cabbage, spinach, or asparagus. It can also be consumed in smoothies or juiced for a revitalizing nutrient kick.
Avocados
If you aren’t a fan of the yummy green avocado, you should be. Avocado extracts are currently being studied in the laboratory to see whether they might be useful for treating diabetes or hypertension.
Avocados are rich in healthy fats, as well as B vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin E and have very high fiber content. Eat them in a salad or by itself, avocados are yummy in every form! Some studies have even found avocados were able to stop oral cancer cells, and even destroy some of the pre-cancerous cells.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a healthier version of russet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, beta-carotene (vitamin A), potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6. You can eat this just as you would regular potatoes.
You can bake them, fry them, or eat them mashed. The sweet potato ranked number one, when vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein, and complex carbohydrates were considered.
Chicken
Chicken is cheap and can be prepared in more ways than you think. Chicken is considered a great source of protein and can be a nice change from fish. Chicken can be consumed much more freely than other red meats such as beef, which can have a more damaging long-term impact on overall health.
Free-range chicken provides an excellent source of protein, which is key when trying to lose weight and/or gain muscle. It’s also important to remove the skin, as this part of the chicken contains high levels of fat.
Whether you enjoy it mixed in a salad, or serving it as the main dish, chicken should be one source of protein to consistently incorporate in your diet.
Fish
Fish is a great way to get your vitamins A and D. Their lean fillets contain up to 30 percent oil, specifically, omega-3 fatty acids. Great types of fish to include in your diet are salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, and anchovies.
Fish is form of protein that can be vital to keeping you healthy and living longer, when compared to consuming a lot of red meat. Some fish consumption is known to provide benefits for the heart, as well as the nervous system. It’s very low in carbohydrates and high in protein, which makes for a great main dish.
Related: 6 Ways to Eat Healthy at Work
Healthy foods can be just as tasty as the unhealthy foods, but they come with many more benefits! Healthy foods help provide our bodies with energy and works to keep our bodies functioning as they should. If you haven’t tried these healthy foods, we highly recommend you do!
What types of food do you eat regularly? Do you eat them because they taste good or because they are good for you? Share some of your favorite healthy dishes by leaving a comment below!
1 thought on “10 Healthy Foods to Eat Regularly”
I recently started snacking on cashews and they are tasty and filling! I need to be better about incorporating fish and kale into my daily eating.