What you eat matters, not only for your body, but for your overall health, too. Taking care of your body starts by fueling it with the right foods. But did you know that some foods are better than others? These are called superfoods! These are food options that are rich in necessary nutrients, vitamins, minerals and everything else your body needs to be healthy. Superfoods are food items that are mainly plant-based, but there are a few dairy and fish items that make the list. These items are nutritionally dense and are very beneficial for your overall health.
Superfoods have tons of nutrients your body needs for optimal health, such as vitamins and antioxidants, which have a vast array of benefits. But superfoods also have healthy fats, fiber, phytochemicals and many more. Eating more foods that are jam-packed with nutrients as superfoods are is a good idea if you want to be healthy. But despite what you think, there’s no special food group that categorizes “superfoods,” so you might not even know what sort of foods you should be eating more of. In fact, many people aren’t even aware of what superfoods are! To help you on your quest to eating healtier and eating more superfoods, here’s a useful list on what superfoods to eat!
Blueberries are very healthy berries and are considered a superfood because they contain lots of vitamins, phytochemicals (chemicals that are found in plants and give them colors and smells) and soluble fiber. Eating more blueberries can reduce the chances of developing certain heart conditions. Even other berries like cranberries and strawberries have similar nutrients, also making them beneficial to add to your diet!
You probably already know how healthy kale is and for good reason – it’s considered a superfood. The majority of dark, leafy greens are considered very healthy additions to your diet, but kale is loaded with nutrients like vitamins A, C and K, in addition to calcium, fiber and plenty of other minerals. Other dark leafy greens you should eat more of include spinach, collards, and even broccoli.
Beans make the superfoods list because they are a great source of low-fat protein, in addition to insoluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and make you feel fuller for longer. There are also trace minerals like manganese in them, as well as many beneficial vitamins.
Similar to leafy greens, sweet potatoes are great sources of vitamin A, fiber and so much more. Plus, they are naturally sweet and don’t need you to pile on unhealthy butter you’d normally add to potatoes. Add them to a mean with lean protein and you’ve got a super healthy lunch or dinner!
Nuts make great snacks and rightfully so since they are on the superfoods list. They have a lot of minerals and healthy fats that your body needs to function properly. Although they are really healthy, they are high in calories, so you should only eat a handful of nuts at a time. Try to eat no more than 100 calories of them in one sitting.
Considered a fatty fish, salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower the chances of developing heart disease and having a stroke. Eating fish is also a lean protein, which makes is great for not only trying to be healthy, but also lose weight.
Eating more superfoods can improve your health in a number of ways given all the nutrients they contain. Studies have shown that foods on this list can aid your body in a number of functions and decrease your chances of developing certain diseases.
A Clinical Microbiologist by profession, Sundus is an avid reader, full time people person, always looking to make the most of life, the 'healthy' way.
Dr. Sundus Shafat Ahmad MBBS (DU), MD (RGUHS)
