Ten Power Foods To Give You Better Health
Is there a secret to a healthy and long life? It starts in the food we eat. As you well know, some foods are healthier than others. Choosing what food you eat can determine your life expectancy and so too is the quality of your life.
There are power packed foods which can give you vitality, energy and great health. Here are ten of them:
1. Oatmeal – This food can lower your blood cholesterol as well as keep your blood sugar constant. It is growing in popularity as such. It does not matter how you prepare it, it can provide you with fiber that your body needs and keep hunger at bay.
2. Beans – Beans can give you gas so for precautions, you can soak it first before cooking. Lentils, chickpeas, kidney and navy beans are all high in protein. This kind of protein are very low on carbohydrates, fat and calories. The fiber it contains can promote a healthy digestive system.
3. Allium foods – Onions, garlic, shallots and leeks belong to this class of foods. Allium veggies help can minimize cancer risk and other ailments. They can lower blood pressure and thin the blood preventing blood clots. As you may have already known, garlic can lower cholesterol levels. Eating these kind of food can increase your health levels.
4. Fruits – Fruits are filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A. Antioxidants fight damage against free radicals in the body and reduce the risk of cancer. Berries such as blueberries, acai, and grapes have the highest amount of antioxidants. But choose an array of fruits in a wide variety of colors for optimum benefit. The antioxidants in fruit boost the immune system to fight the effects of aging in the body.
5. Flax seed – Like salmon it contains omega-3 fatty acids. These seeds also contain omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. You get a lot of power to fight high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes with this seed. Ground flax seed can be added to fruit smoothies, sprinkled in yogurt, eaten with cereal or added to pancake mix to name a few.
6. Salmon – Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids minimizes the risk of heart disease and other conditions like atherosclerosis. Wild salmon is a fatty fish but it contains friendly fats that has been proven to improve health in children and adults. Salmon is rich in protein which is of great use after a workout session to build muscle tissue.
7. Nuts and seeds – Walnuts, brazil nuts, peanuts, almonds and pistachios are high in the good kind of fats. They can help lower cholesterol and can be eaten right from the shell without preservatives and additives.
8. Peppers – Peppers come in different colors. They contain fat soluble antioxidants (beta-carotene) as well as water soluble antioxidants like vitamin C. Its taste can range from mild sweet to very hot. Capsaicin is a substance that can be found in all pepper varieties. Notable properties of capsaicin are: anti-inflammatory, lower the risk of cancer, lower the risk of heart disease, and a pain reliever.
9. Yogurt – Choose the fat free variety. It contains vitamin B, protein and calcium. Yogurt is a good alternative to ingest calcium if you do not drink milk. It can promote a healthy digestive system because of the live friendly bacteria it contains.
10. Acai Berry – This berry is getting popular because of its high antioxidant content. Acai berry drinks, juices and supplements can be found in most health food stores.
Having a healthier body starts with eating the right foods. These super foods provide you with the ingredients for a healthier body and better you.