9 of the healthiest foods!

When it comes to healthy eating it’s important to nourish your body with a balanced and varied diet. This way, you’re able to ingest as many macro and micronutrients to satisfy all the nutritional needs for your body to work at its maximum capacity.

There are certain foods that should be eaten frequently because of their high nutrient content. We should try to include foods considered to be on the top of the healthy list in our daily diet. In fact, many of them are foods that you probably include in your diet anyways, making it even easier to make them a staple in your diet!

Garlic

For those who come from Mediterranean origins know that garlic is a staple in this type of cuisine. Turns out that it also happens to be one of the healthiest foods! It’s very rich on a nutritional basis and has many healing properties. It not only adds a delicious taste to food, but it also is very effective at preventing many illnesses and ailments. It reduces blood pressure, improves blood circulation, digestion, reduces inflammation, eliminates harmful bacteria from the GIT and is also a natural antibiotic and diuretic. Next time you’re cooking up a storm, add some garlic into your meal!

Walnuts

Walnuts are the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids within the nut family. Fatty acids are important for brain and cardiovascular health. Our brain is 60% fat; therefore, it’s important to include healthy fats in our diet to nourish it. In fact, a diet lacking fatty acids is linked to depression. Take some with you to work as a healthy mid-morning/afternoon snack! It’ll help you work better too!

Kale

Kale is one of those foods that out of nowhere become super popular and everyone is talking about it. The fact that it’s becoming so trendy and a must eat for a healthy diet, doesn’t mean that it’s just a fad. The truth is that this leafy green is everything that everyone is talking about. In fact, it’s considered to be one of the world’s healthiest foods! It has a rich source of lutein, a pigment pertaining to the carotenoid family that improves eye health. It decreases cholesterol and is good for cardiovascular health. It is a rich source of vitamin K, A, C, E and B and also contains many minerals such as manganese, copper, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. It’s a very complete food that can be eaten in salads, smoothies, baked in the oven, steamed or soups.

Beans

Beans are a rich source of antioxidants, protein, calcium, fibre, iron, and magnesium amongst many other nutrients. They’re an important staple in a vegetarian diet as they provide a rich source of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a balanced diet.

Beetroot

They say that the brighter the fruit or veg, the healthier it is! In this case, beetroot must be at the top of the list because of its vibrant colour! It’s very rich in folate, an important B vitamin responsible for tissue growth and cell function. It also contains iron, manganese, potassium and vitamin C. You can add it to juices, salads or even boil it!

Avocado

Who hasn’t seen the overload of avocado toast pictures on social media? Without a doubt, avocado has become such a hit! If only all trends were as healthy as this one! It’s rich in monounsaturated fats-important for brain and cardiovascular health, as well as the skin, hair and nails. It is a good source of folate and vitamin B6, in charge of producing antibodies and haemoglobin, maintaining neurological function and balancing blood sugar levels.

Cacao

We’ve already boasted about all the benefits cacao has but it’s worth mentioning them again! This superfood contains 20 times the amount of antioxidants that blueberries has. It also helps regulate hormones, combat fatigue, boost energy, improve blood circulation and cardiovascular health, amongst many other benefits! Try this delicious Protein Chocolate Smoothie!

Spinach

Spinach, like kale, is one of the healthiest foods. It’s rich in vitamin A and K, folate, iron, calcium, and protein amongst many others. The best way to benefit from all its nutrients is by eating it raw. Add it to your smoothies!

Lemon

Lemons are a vitamin C bomb and have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. They strengthen the immune system, preventing you from getting sick. Vitamin C is an important vitamin for radiant and glowing skin. It’s very beneficial to drink lukewarm lemon water in the morning to optimise digestion, detox the organism and hydrate the body.

Without a doubt, there are many more foods that could be added to this list, but these are the ones that stand out for being very nutritious. They’re very easy to add to your daily diet and most probably, many of you already are having them regularly. Now that you know all the benefits they have, you’ve got more of a reason to make them a staple in your diet! The more variety, the better!