In the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, diet is key. It's common knowledge that foods that are natural and rich in nutrients are much better for the body than highly processed and sugary foods. If you are seeking to round out a healthy diet, then the foods discussed can make for worthwhile and tasty add-ons to your meals.
Variety is Good
The basics of healthy eating are common knowledge. Vegetables and other natural, nutrient-rich foods are essential for a healthy diet. Protein-rich foods such as meats and natural sources of protein are healthy as well. Additionally, avoiding processed foods rich in sugar and simple carbohydrates is, of course, conducive to good health as well. Creating a healthy diet for yourself can take a bit of work, especially at first. If you're striving to eat healthy, variety is always going to be to your benefit. Fortunately, there is indeed a variety of healthy foods that you can eat. The following foods are all plant-derived and easily accessible. Some of them can also be found in supplement form as well if you prefer to get their benefits in a quicker way. They are all rich in nutrients, and can provide a range of health benefits.Worthwhile Superfoods
- Bee pollen is natural pollen harvested from bees. Bee pollen is worthwhile for its nutrient content alone, which includes calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C, D, E and others. Other compounds in bee pollen including quercetin and various flavonoids also help prevent typical types of cell damage. You can find bee pollen in its natural, extracted form, but it's also available as an oral supplement.
- Chia seeds, which come from the Salvia hispanica plant native to South America, are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fats. They're also rich in fiber, and contain multiple nutrients. This combination of healthy substances makes chia seeds helpful in combatting inflammation, which is linked to many bodily ills; they're also helpful for digestion.
- Coconut oil is a natural source of fat that has potential health benefits. Coconut oil contains a variety of fatty acids that can contribute to healthy cognitive functioning, metabolism functioning, and the health of skin and teeth. It contains lauric acid, which can be processed quicker by the liver than other forms of fat. This makes it potentially helpful for weight loss (when consumed as part of a healthy diet).
- Bilberry extract is a rich source of antioxidants. It contains various types of antioxidants which are historically touted for their ability to help treat various eye diseases including macular degeneration and glaucoma. Its antioxidant properties are thought to help reduce inflammation, and support collagen which is an important part of all your body's joints. You can find bilberry in an extract or juice, and in oral supplement form.
- Cayenne, or Capsicum annuum, is a hot pepper containing capsaicin. Capsaicin is responsible for the spiciness of cayenne peppers, but that's not all. Capsaicin also provides notable health benefits; It can help reduce high blood pressure, encourage healthy enzyme release during digestion, and boost metabolic functioning. If you aren't fond of the spicy-hot taste of cayenne peppers, you can take it as an oral supplement.
- Celery seeds are a lesser-known but worthwhile source of nutrients. One tablespoon of celery seeds contains 27 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for manganese, 17 percent of the RDI for iron, 12 percent RDI for calcium, and other nutrients as well. Celery seeds can make for a nutritious, very low calorie addition to your diet, as one tablespoon contains only 25 calories.