When it comes to packing in some serious nutrition, there are foods that are just too darn good for you that you just shouldn't compromise not putting them into your body on a regular basis. The benefits these foods give you are just too high. There are so many ways to squeeze them in, too, so there's absolutely no excuse not to reap the benefits! So let's get into my list...
1) Berries
Berries contain polyphenols...a high dosage which have health protecting qualities. The polyphenols in some berries even reduce your body's absorbtion of certain starches and fats after you consume them. Berries also contain flavanoids called anthocyanins. These flavanoids help reduce and prevent fat cell inflammation and lower blood sugar. And to top that off, berries contain fiber. So combine all these super health qualities together and you've got a sweet treat that helps you maintain low blood sugar, lose weight, and keep you regular.
2) Eggs
Eggs are almost a perfect food. They have nearly all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs! The only thing eggs are lacking is vitamin C. This almost perfect food is a seriously good protein and protein is great for your metabolic rate. How? It takes longer for your body to process proteins than it does carbs/fats. This means your appetite holds off longer keeping you out of the kitchecn before you should be consuming your next meal 2-3 hours later. Keep your concumption of the yolks down, though. A couple yolks a week is enough.
3) Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that is extremely low in calories and high in fiber. It helps fight carcinogens and cancer, helps prevent heart disease, corrects hormone metabolism, repairs diabetic damage, defends your blood vessels, and helps your body burn up to 30% more fat. My absolute favorite way to eat this super veggie is by roasting it! But be careful...the more you cook your broccoli, or any veggie for that matter, the more you deplete the nutritional value of them.
4) Oatmeal
Now I'm not talking about the packaged, flavored stuff! I'm talking about old fashioned oats. Boring? Not at all! You can flavor it up yourself for a much healthier, non-processed version. Oatmeal is a serious super-food. Oatmeal has both phytochemicals and antioxidants that fight heart disease and cancer. The prebiotics in whole grains are fermented in the stomach and help strengthen the colon cells. When the colon cells are strong your body can much more easily detox all the crud floating around in our environment that is getting into our bodies. And because oatmeal is high in fiber it helps us feel fuller longer.
5) Walnuts or Almonds
I hear of so many people who are really concerned about the high calories and fat content of nuts that they don't want to waste their daily calorie consumption on them. If you happen to be one of these people, keep in mind that the fat and calories in nuts is the good kind...and the benefits of these little guys heavily out-weigh your concerns for eating them! Nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, L-arginine, and magnesium. All of these things help keep inflammation in the body down. Reach for raw unsalted varieties, though.
6) Salmon
Salmon is one of the best sources of amino acids and L-arginine. Amino acids and L-arginine are essential to build lean muscle! The more lean muscle you have, the more calories and fat your body burns during activity as well as rest!! There's also some amazing benefits L-arginine gives your body you might not know about. L-arginine helps your body produce nitric oxide which helps expand the walls of your blood vessels increasing blood flow and improving cardiovascular health. L-arginine also encourages the production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
7) Wheat Germ
Wheat germ contains a serious amount of vitamins and minerals including riboflaven, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin A, B1, B3, and E. Vitamins B1 and B3 help your body maintain energy and healthy muscles, hair, and nails while vitamin A helps strengthen the immune system and prevent blood clots. Athletes add wheat germ to their diets to help them build muscle as well as improve their cardiovascular health. It's really easy to add wheat germ to your diet! I sprinkle 2 tbsp on my oatmeal every morning with some flax meal, but you can easily add it to a smoothie or sprinkle it on top or cook it into your dinners.
8) Water
Okay, so I know that water isn't exactly a food, but I'm going to count it as one because of its importance. Water services the body in innumerable ways. Water is the main participant in digestion. It helps transport all the nutrition we put in our mouths all over the body...to our tissues, through our blood, to our organs, and helps carry toxins out of our bodies. The fluids that help protect our organs are primarily composed of water. Water also helps our bodies matain its proper temperature so we don't get too hot or too cold. So get your 2-3 liters in everyday!
9) Tomatoes
Tomatoes are super-healthy and taste really good! Tomatoes have vitamin C, but also contain acids (citric, malic, and oxalic) that rev up your metabolism and cause more water to be flushed through your kidneys. This flushing of water filters out fatty deposits you don't want hanging around in your body, which you then "eliminate." Tomatoes also contain a lot of lycopene. Besides fighting cancer, lycopene also turns up the volume of your metabolic rate by up to one third.
10) Garlic and Onions
Okay, so I know garlic and onions have a bad reputation for your breath, but they have a good reputation for your health! These foods help stimulate the production of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps your body fight free radicals. Garlic and onions also help lower LDL and raise HDL. Garlic and onions contain oils that help cleanse your body. The oils cause muscle contractions that help loosen, break down, and wash out fat from your body and boost your metabolism.
So go ahead and squeeze these foods in whenever you can and your body will thank you for it!
I've had a few questions lately asking me what it is that I eat. So what I'm going to do is tell you EXACTLY what I'm eating everyday right now. I'm telling you, it's kind of boring (well, depending your perspective...I find it super yummy!). To be honest, though, the more "boring" you eat the better your results! Feel free to follow along with this plan and enjoy!!