Being healthy is not a choice, but a necessity. We all want to look and feel good. And the first step to that is good health. Your body is like a plant, and the food you eat is its nourishment. Good nourishment would ensure a healthy plant, and the same is true about your health.
We’ve all read about the different kinds of food one should, or shouldn’t eat. And it is a well-established fact, that incorporating superfoods in your diet is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Superfoods are enriched with all sorts of nutrients that your body needs. Here are 5 of the best superfoods that you should include in your everyday diet.
1) Blueberries
Given the advantages of fruits that we are all aware of, it is no surprise we have blueberries on this list. While other fruits may provide you with an advantage each, blueberries are known for the wide range of health effects that they have on our body. It is one of the best antioxidants. Just this property alone allows it to be helpful in multiple cases. It also has a preventing role in heart diseases and dementia.
Incorporating blueberries in your diet is extremely easy. Half a cup of these berries a day would be just perfect for you. You could add them in your morning cereal, or just eat them raw. They taste great either way. And to make it healthier, you could put them in your smoothie, and add in other supplements like spirulina. No matter which way you choose, you’ll be opting for a lot of health benefits.
2) Oats
We all know about the high fiber content in oats. These soluble fibers not only allow you to develop better bowel habits but also play a role in maintaining better health. Oats are known to lower blood pressure as well as cholesterol. Furthermore, they slow down the digestion process for sugar, helping you control sugar levels too.
Now we all know that oats are healthy. But we also know they may taste bland to some. But that doesn’t have to be the case. While making oats, you can spice it up, by adding spices and other flavor makers. You could make it suit your taste. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you could make it with honey or dark chocolate chips. If not, you can add nut butter or spices for that extra zing.
3) Flaxseeds
The seeds of flax have recently gained a great amount of popularity. These seeds have proven to be of great benefit, mostly due to all its healthy components. They are rich in phytoestrogens and omega 3 fatty acids. While the former helps women due to their estrogen-like properties, the latter is known to be beneficial for all. From improved digestion to better weight control, flaxseeds provide you with a number of benefits.
According to a recent study, flaxseeds are also capable of fighting colorectal cancer, due to high fiber content. Flaxseeds are not only easily available, but can also be incorporated into your diet with equal ease. You can grind these seeds, and then to whatever food you eat. Since they do not have a very strong taste, you will be able to enjoy the taste of your food, with the benefits of flax seeds.
4) Chocolate
This one might surprise a few of us. A lot of people may consider chocolate to be a part of the junk food category, not a superfood. But that’s not true. Chocolate, when taken in the right amount and the right form, can be really beneficial. The key is to ensure that you are not consuming high amounts of sugar, in the name of chocolate.
Chocolate is known to contain monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. The fats that it contains are known to have a healthy effect on your heart, while the antioxidants serve to boost your brain functionality. The good mood that chocolate is well known for putting us in, is due to the natural chemicals it contains that stimulates feelings of happiness in the brain.
Chocolate is one of those foods that no one would mind in their diet. Adding it to your daily diet wouldn’t be troublesome at all. It is more advisable to use dark chocolate since it contains lesser amount of sugar, which may be harmful. Add it to your milk for a cup of hot chocolate, chop it up and add to your cereal or just eat it right out of the packet. It will still be nutritious, as long as you control the proportions.
5) Yogurt
It might sound weird to some, but yogurt contains live bacteria in it. This property is what gives it the name of being a “probiotic”. It may seem harmful, but it isn’t. In fact, these bacteria are beneficial for you. They go down into your gut and slow down the growth of harmful bacteria that is already there. This helps you fight a number of medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and gastric ulcers.
Yogurt also works to maintain the pH levels in your body. This buffering action allows prevention of conditions that are caused by pH changes such vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections. These infections are extremely common, and can be easily avoided with sufficient yogurt in your diet.
Think that’s where the benefits of yogurt end? Wrong. It still has more for you. It is also a great source of calcium and protein. This helps it to strengthen your bones. And above all, it tastes great! You could take it for breakfast, with some fruits, or just eat it plain. Add it to a smoothie or utilize it in different recipes. There are numerous ways to include it in your diet. But remember, plain yogurt is always better than sweetened.
Conclusion
There are a lot of superfoods out there that have been proven to have a healthy impact on your body. These foods not only provide you with calorific value but also nutrients that make you healthier. From boosting immunity to enhancing brain function, there is nothing these superfoods aren’t capable of. While this article talks about five of the best superfoods, there are a lot more of them out there that can provide you with great benefits. It is upon you to choose the ones that provide the benefits that you are looking for. There are sufficient ways of incorporating them in your diet, on a daily basis, without getting too boring. Just a little creativity will allow you great health.
