Healthy diet - Super foods in your everyday diet

Healthy diet for every day

Everyone is in search of that perfect diet - one that is nutritious, healthy and does not allow you to put on those extra pounds. The whole world is slowly catching on and changing to a healthy diet. The awareness that we have today about the foods that we eat has made us more cautious in our choice of the foods. Hopefully the fast foods are on their way out just as fast as they came in. Most of us are shifting to healthy foods because of some health problem that we might be facing, but it is time to introduce our children to a healthy diet from a young age so that they live a healthy life right from the word go.

List of super health foods for everyday

Here is a list of ten healthy foods that you can include in your everyday diet. The foods that are mentioned here are not just healthy foods but super foods.

Yogurt for health

Yogurt is a fermented dairy product made by adding good bacteria to milk. Low fat yogurt, preferably unflavoured and unsweetened, should be consumed on a regular basis. Yogurt is rich in iodine, calcium, phosphorus, protein, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, etc. Studies have proved that consumption of yogurt increases immunity. It also lowers your LDL Cholesterol ( bad cholesterol) and raises your HDL Cholesterol. This is a food that can be served to babies, invalids and the elderly with ease. Yogurt can be a healthy dessert. Just add a few chopped nuts and berries with a teaspoon of honey and you have a yummy dessert. Chop a small bowl of fresh fruits; add yogurt and a handful of granola and you have a delicious breakfast. Steam a bowl of diced carrots, French beans, potatoes and add a bowl of yogurt to it and some freshly ground, salt, herbs and then you have a wholesome salad for your lunch. Yogurt is one of the healthiest super foods that you can easily include into your diet.

Fresh fruits and berries your everyday super food

You can have your pick of berries and brightly coloured fruits as a part of your breakfast, as a mid-meal snack or as dessert. Berries are power-packed with anti oxidants and are high in fibre and water content, making you feel full and satisfied. Dark coloured berries are the way to go. They are packed with vitamins, mineral and phyto- nutrients. They increase your immunity and protect you from many diseases. They should from part of your ever meal. Have a fruit before or at least an hour after your meal.

Green super food as part of your healthy diet

Green leafy vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, Fenugreek leaves, brussel sprouts, lettuce, etc. should have a prominent place in your everyday menu. Yep, Popeye was right about spinach. Leafy vegetables help in weight management, as they are low in calories, high in dietary fibre, rich in Folic acid, Vitamin C and minerals. They lower the risk of cardio-vascular diseases and their magnesium content control the increase of sugar levels in your blood. The carotenoids found in them are excellent for your eyes and they also help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Quercetin, a bio-flavenoid, found in green leafy vegetables, has anti-cancer properties. Include these green super foods in your salads and in other dishes.

Nuts and seed the tasty, healthy food component of your diet

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of protein, fibre and Vitamin E. Choosing nuts that have a significant amount of omega fatty acids would make your everyday food not only tastier but also richer and healthier. Include nuts like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chiah seeds or flax seeds. Walnuts are the only nuts that have a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids and are rich in anti oxidants. Almonds are also full of calcium and magnesium, which helps strengthen and your bones and teeth. Flax seeds are rich in fibre and in omega fatty acids. Add these super foods as topping on your desserts or food and you have a healthy meal.

Eat fish and eat your way to health

Regular consumption of fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids is an excellent way to health. Salmon is not only super tasty but also contains a great amount of omega fatty acids and is excellent for your heart. Other fish like tuna, mackerel, trout, sardines, herring or halibut are all equally good. Eating fish from the wild and not those that have been farmed could help you avoid mercury intake. Fish is rich in protein, is light on your digestive system and great for your health. So make sure you have fish for at least one meal a day.

Oats and whole grains - super food for healthy diet

Oats has always been considered a great breakfast food. A single bowl of oats provides carbohydrates, Vitamin B, fibre and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and selenium. Oats is an excellent source of fibre and has been proved effective in lowering blood cholesterol and cardio-vascular diseases. People with diabetes are often advised to switch over to oats because of its high-fibre content. The selenium and Vitamin E present in oats enhances your immunity. Intake of oats helps in weight reduction because of the high amount of soluble fibre present in it. Any flour that you may consume - wheat, barley, rye-you will do well to use the whole grain flour. The minerals and vitamins are retained fully and so is the high fiber content, making the flour healthy and wholesome.

Allium vegetables

Garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, shallots etc. have glutathione, a cancer fighting anti oxidant. These vegetables also help lower your LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol and increase your HDL cholesterol. They also have great antibiotic and antifungal properties. The high sulphur compounds that are present in allium vegetables prevent cancer, coronary heart disease, type-2 diabetes, hypertension and gastro-intestinal diseases, obesity, etc.

Eggs - your cheap and healthy super food.

The American Heart Association recommends an egg a day. Eggs are rich in protein, iron, Vitamin B and folate. Eggs have had bad press because of the cholesterol in the egg, but remember that egg whites have absolutely no cholesterol. Not only are they easy to cook, but they are also healthy, cheap and delicious. Eggs are great for your eyes because of their carotenoid content. They also have all the nine essential amino acids. In addition, eggs are the only foods that contain naturally occurring Vitamin D. So make sure to include an egg in your everyday diet.

Make legumes and pulses your easy way to health

Legumes and pulses such as beans are high in protein, calcium, potassium and iron. They are a very cheap source of protein and should make up a good part of any meal. Some pulses can be sprouted and eaten raw, but most legumes have to be cooked. Soaking up pulses overnight in water and cooking them would be much cheaper and healthier than using canned foods. They are also high in fibre. The legumes have a low glycemic index and are healthier because they do not allow the glucose levels in your blood to rise quickly. Canned beans are high in sodium and can destroy or negate some of the health benefits of these foods. Legumes are considered incomplete protein because they do not contain all the essential amino acids that we need in our diet. So combining your pulses with brown rice or corn or nuts or seeds could help you have a complete protein meal.

Dark chocolate

Yes, its true - dark chocolate should be a part of your everyday menu. The flavenoids, which act as anti-oxidants in dark chocolate, protect the body from ageing caused by free radicals. These flavenoids help reduce blood pressure and prevent cardio-vascular diseases. They also lower your LDL cholesterol levels. Chocolates are known for their pleasure producing quality. This is because of the serotonin in dark chocolate. Remember, we are talking only about dark chocolate, so stick to dark chocolate, which has 65% or higher cocoa content. Pure dark chocolate is all you need.

These are some of the commonest, most inexpensive yet healthy super foods that you can include in your everyday menu to live a healthy and rich life. Healthy eating could mean a full and rich life, so why not adopt a healthy diet today?