We all try to eat healthy food at times but it is a massive pain in the arse to do it perfectly all the time. Luckily there are some foods that are way better than others when it comes to nourishing you, giving you energy and making your body feel good about itself. Super foods. So rather than try to eat healthy every single day of the week just start lashing some of these into your meals and wait for the natural food benefits to start kicking in. The best way to do it is to just grab a shit load of these ingredients in the supermarket and just throw them into or alongside whatever it is you are eating. When you are bouncing down the street in the morning full of energy, you can thank us!!!
1. Garlic
Many people shy away from it because of what it might do to their breath. The truth is, it has been used for hundreds of years for its health and medicinal qualities. It has been proven to reduce the amount of common colds and sick days people take so instead of being skimpy with it double down and use two cloves when cooking next. Hopefully if you are single, you and your date will both be eating the same dish!
2. Grass Fed Beef
There has been a whole bunch of rubbish written about red meat being bad for you recently. If you live in a country with beef as good as ours and if it is grass fed, then beef as part of a balanced diet is a good thing. You don’t want to be eating a burger for lunch and a steak for dinner every night, but beef contains large amounts of Vitamin B12, B3 (Niacin), B6, Iron, Zinc, Selenium and tons of other stuff that
the body badly needs.
3. Watermelon
One of the items on the list that is a pleasure to eat rather than being a bit of a chore. Watermelon is super important as a high-lycopene food. Lycopene is a carotenoid phytonutrient that’s especially important for not only our cardiovascular health but also our bones as well. Throw it into a tasty, refreshing juice and reap the benefits!
4. Kale
One of the most popular vegetables in the world right now and on almost every menu in New York restaurants. The truth is that it has always been around but just came back into fashion recently. It is low in calories, super high in protein and has zero fat making it the perfect veggie to just lash into a soup, salad, stew or sauce towards the end.
5. Green Tea
The list of health benefits for green tea is as long as your arm. It can help with weight loss, diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay and blood pressure. Switch out your sparkling drink or alcohol for a cup of green tea with lunch or dinner every evening and it will be the best thing you ever did.
6. Ginger
Just like garlic many people think that ginger is just an ingredient used to add flavour but it is in fact one of the best super foods out there. It has anti-inflammatory properties which make it useful for pain relief in the case of a sore tummy for example. It can also help asthma sufferers as well as showing promising signs in the treatment of cancer. You can throw a bit into a soup, season meat with it, add a kick to a stir fry or even lash loads of it into a smoothie.
7. Sweet Potatoes
Why bother with carrots when half of a sweet potato delivers more than 400% of your daily dose of vitamin A, which protects your vision and your immune system. We love them wedged as a side to our dinner.
8. Brussels Sprouts
Even though people seem to have a love hate relationship with them, brussel sprouts have more glucosinolates (the stuff that helps tackle cancer and detoxify our bodies) than any other vegetable.
9. Coconut Oil
The latest trend that has been sweeping the world when it comes to cooking is using this fat which is not as bad for you as others cooking oils. Although it is made up of 90% saturated fats, recent studies have found them to be harmless hence it coming back into fashion. The big gain is that it increases your energy levels hence you burn off more fat. Don’t worry about everything you cook tasting of coconut either as you’d barely taste any difference.
10. Avocados
Give us a ripe avocado and some crusty bread any day of the week. Tastes like one of those things that shouldn’t be good for you but actually is. Providing you eat them in moderation they contain the good types of fat and will help everything from your skin right through to balancing your cholesterol.
11. Edamame beans
These will be hard to find (unless you shop in the local Asian market) but most sushi and many Asian restaurants have them. Add them on as a starter when eating out and get your hit of goodness for the day. One cup has 20% of the recommended daily intake of all nutrients except vitamin D. You’ll also gain 20% to 40% of your daily intake of protein, fibre, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, thiamin, folate and vitamin K. ‘Winner winner, chicken dinner’ as they say!
12. Walnuts
The main reason that we included these is because you can eat them with cheese and they come on desserts like carrots cakes and the likes so we could prove that you can be healthy even when eating dessert! So not only can they reduce the risk of breast cancer but they are also packed with Omega 3 fatty acids and they contain a bunch of antioxidants that will help the heart. Go grab a handful before your meal or throw some on top of your porridge, yoghurt, salad or even a sandwich.
13. Leeks
How many times have you been passing them in the aisle only to wonder what the hell you would do with them? Well the best bet is a nice soup or throwing them into a stir fry in the same way you would an onion. You won’t regret it as they are packed full of vitamin B.
14. Asparagus
Asparagus is a very good source of fibre, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K. The best thing about it is that because they are so soft and tender the are perfect for lashing into everything from soups, stews, stir fries or even just chopped and lightly fried into a salad.
15. Salmon
You’ll often hear it described as “food for the brain” which is true because super high in Omega 3 which is a good type of fat that the body needs. In fact 60% of the brain is made up of this type of fat so lashing as much salmon (smoked or regular) into you is going to make you super smart and healthier at the same time. Whats not to love?
16. Blueberries
When people are asked to name a superfood the humble blueberry is the one that often tops the list and with good reason. The have the highest antioxidants of all fresh fruits, and although you probably don’t want to think about it they also help maintain a healthy urinary tract. The list goes on and on so when it comes to eating them they are best whizzed up into a smoothie, eaten straight out of the packet or even thrown into a salad.
17. Spinach
One of the healthiest greens around which is why your parents and grandparents were probably so keen to stuff it down your throat when you were younger. Super rich in antioxidants, a good source of Vitamins A, B2, C and K and also contains magnesium, folate, calcium and potassium. An all round good guy! Throw it into anything hot just before serving, as a simple little side salad or even blend it up in a smoothie for extra texture.
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