5 Superfoods To Add To Your Diet For Optimal Health
Eating well has been a priority for me ever since I started my fitness journey. I grew up in a fairly healthy household; my mom always made well-balanced meals for us kids, but I was always a snacker, and I have a major sweet tooth, so throughout my teen years, I indulged a lot.
In 2017 I decided to start being more serious about my health. I watched countless YouTube videos on how to track macros, what to eat, how to exercise, and everything in between. I learned a lot about food and even launched a healthy food blog with hundreds of recipes utilizing wholesome ingredients.
Food is one of my biggest passions; I love to cook, eat, try new things, and most importantly — I love to learn about the health benefits of certain foods.
Here are 5 superfoods that I incorporate into my diet almost every single day that have some major health benefits.
Avocados
Avocados are full of healthy and incredibly beneficial fats that can help you feel full and satiated. When you consume fat, your brain will receive a single to turn off your appetite, and on top of that, eating fat slows down the breakdown of carbohydrates, which can help keep sugar levels in the blood stabilize.
Fat is essential for every single cell in your body. Eating healthy fats will support your skin health, enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, as well as other nutrients.
Avocados are also a great source of vitamins K, E, C, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, and potassium.
How to eat:
Avocado toast: I have avocados almost every day for breakfast. I’ll make avocado toast with a sunny-side up egg and some micro greens on top.
Guacamole: One of my all-time favorite ways to eat avocados is guac, I have a great guacamole recipe on my food blog, but in general, it’s a super simple dish to make yourself.
Smoothie: You can either use fresh avocado or even freeze it and toss it into your smoothie; it provides a delicious and creamy texture.
Avocado mousse: A simple and delicious dessert that you can make with some cocoa powder.
Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include,
arugula
bok choy
broccoli
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
kale
radish
turnips
These vegetables are low-calorie and incredibly rich in folate, Vitamins C, E, and K, and fiber. Fiber is an important nutrient to incorporate into your diet, and it helps keep you fuller longer.
Cruciferous vegetables are also good sources of phytonutrients, which are plant-based compounds that can help lower inflammation.
These veggies also provide a variety of other beneficial compounds, including carotenoids for healthy eyesight, folate to help protect your DNA, vitamin K for healthy bones, and vitamin C for a high functioning immune system.
How to eat:
Salad: Toss an arugula salad together with some olive oil, balsamic, mozzarella, and you have yourself a healthy and delicious side salad.
Broccoli: This is the perfect meal prep veggie; if you like to cook your meals ahead of time, simply steam or roast some broccoli, toss in some salt, pepper and you’ve got yourself a perfect and healthy veggie dish; I even add roasted Brussel sprouts for extra veggies.
Rice: Cauliflower and broccoli rice are both great alternatives to actual rice if you need to amp up your veggie intake. Alternatively, you can also add cauliflower or broccoli rice to your regular rice for more volume.
Smoothies: I add kale to all of my smoothies; it’s a ritual.
Nuts
Nuts are antioxidant powerhouses.
They’re full of antioxidants, and one study found that walnuts have a greater capacity to fight free radicals than fish. Research even shows that the antioxidants in walnuts and almonds can protect the delicate fats in your cells from being damaged by oxidation.
Additionally, nuts have strong anti-inflammatory properties.
How to eat:
Nuts can be enjoyed whole, as nut butter, or chopped up on food. They’re healthiest raw or toasted.
Toast: I love having a slice of Ezekiel bread or sourdough, a good and thick layer of almond butter, and some sliced banana as a snack.
Banana bread: You can make some of the best and moist banana bread using nut butter like almond butter. Also, you can add walnuts for extra crunch.
Veggies/Salads: Anytime I make green beans, I always roast pine nuts. It gives it the best flavor and additional health benefits! You can also add any nuts of your choice to salads. Pistachios are a delicious option.
Capers
Capers are rich in flavonoid compounds, including rutin and quercetin. Both of these compounds are incredible sources of antioxidants.
Also, capers contain minerals like iron, calcium, and copper.
How to eat:
Pasta: Capers are the perfect powerful flavor ingredient for a good pasta dish; not only is it healthy, but it’s also delicious.
Bagels: I’m reminiscing on New York right now, bagels are one of my favorite things in the entire world, and if you have a bagel with smoked salmon, capers are an absolute must. Also, don’t forget the red onion and cucumber.
Salad: Toss in a spoonful of capers into your salad for an antioxidant boost. I also like to add capers to my tuna when I make a tuna sandwich.
Berries
Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries have the highest concentrated amount of flavonoids. In general, the majority of berries are loaded to the brim with antioxidants. And, if you didn’t know, antioxidants help prevent illness, improve your skin and hair, and lead to overall healthier life.
Pretty much all berries consist of about 85% water. The rest is mostly fiber, and fiber is an integral part of a healthy diet. It helps you stay regular and maintain your weight and is essential for regular and healthy bowel movements.
How to eat:
Smoothies: The easiest way to get them in is a delicious smoothie or smoothie bowl! I make acai bowls regularly, and I always top with fresh berries.
Pancakes/Waffles: You can sneak in a good amount of berries into your pancakes or waffles, and of course, top with additional berries.
Snack: The perfect snack in between meals.
Toast: I mentioned Ezekiel bread with almond butter above; I also add strawberry slices when I’m out of bananas. It’s delicious.
Final thoughts:
Eating a nutritious diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle.
It doesn’t have to be complicated; if you’re someone who struggles to eat healthy, start by taking baby steps. Ease your way into it.
For instance, I mentioned that I have a major sweet tooth, and when I started my fitness journey, I thought I had to cut out a lot of unhealthy habits (like cookies for breakfast), but I couldn’t be more wrong. Instead of eliminating all of my favorite foods, I simply modified them and made everything more healthy.
I swapped regular flour for oats and made oatmeal cookies to have every now and then for breakfast. Instead of using a low-quality peanut butter with additives, I swapped it out for a more healthy nut butter with zero additives.
Instead of always having chocolate bars for dessert, I started dabbling in healthy dark chocolate treats and started making my own.
Healthy doesn’t have to be restrictive or complicated. Do what works best for you and your lifestyle.
