Do you keep hearing about superfoods everywhere you turn? Does it feel as if there is a constantly revolving list of foods you must eat? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Though there are some foods that win out over others, nutritionally speaking, it can be a lot to take in. Not only that, but when this list of superfoods tends to change often you might not know what to believe.
There are some foods that are constants on the list — foods that earn the title of “super” for a variety of reasons. The more you know, the more you can make these a priority in your diet each and every day. Though some foods may come and go, there are some foods that have earned their place on the list. These foods are superior in their nutritional content. They give you something that can help to improve your health. They are the best of the best because they can help you to somehow be better. These are the foods that should remain in your diet and in your life for years to come.
You Have to Change the Way You Look At Superfoods
You might have to change the way you think about foods, first and foremost. The right foods should be fuel for your body. You should be eating to live and not living to eat — and that’s an important distinction you need to make. You don’t want to fear food or have an unhealthy relationship with it either. You need to view food as the essential fuel you need for better health. The right foods give you energy and numerous health benefits as well.
So, when you take that one step further and consider superfoods, they serve a very specific purpose. Yes, they give you the fuel you need, but they give you so much more. They can help you to enjoy better health in the here and now. These foods can also help you to work towards preventative care and improved health in the future. These foods may help to prevent disease and may boost your immune system, so you not only get a great source of fuel, but you can also help to protect your health in a significant way.
Consider the relationship you should have with food and what it should do for your health. Think through what can happen if you are focusing on foods that can contribute to better health. Once you understand this important relationship, you can appreciate what superfoods can offer.
The foods on this list have very specific reasons as to why they are so good for you. They can help you to be your best and they can change the way you take care of yourself. This is how you nourish yourself from the inside out, and these are the foods to help you to do just that. You are what you eat—and these foods offer amazing benefits and power!
1. Beans
You probably know that beans are good for you, but you may not know exactly why that is. Beans offer you so much in one small but powerful package. The good news is that there is a wide variety of different types of beans, so there’s sure to be something that everyone likes. If you add beans to any dish they immediately bump up the nutritional content as they contribute a great flavor and earthiness.
There’s a reason that vegetarians tend to eat a lot of beans. They offer a texture and composition similar to meat, and therefore they make for a nice substitute. What makes beans so amazing though is what they contain within them. They are loaded with fiber of course, but they also have a healthy serving of protein, so you are getting all of the benefits of fiber, but you are also getting a lot of great protein too.
They are low in calories and fat, but they are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They can easily fit into nearly any dish, and they are a great substitute for meat. Dishes such as fajitas, salads, or hearty soups can be made even healthier when you add in beans. You won’t miss meat, but you will feel satisfied due to the high concentrated amounts of protein and fiber.
So, beans help with weight loss, but they can also help with gastrointestinal issues as well. They can keep you regular and resolve many digestive issues that you may be having. They can also help to protect your heart and therefore prevent things like heart disease. That means that within the wide array of different types of beans, you get a major boost towards your health and a satisfying delicious substitute for meat.
2. Blueberries
Yes, all berries are good for you and you should include them all in your diet! Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are not only delicious but offer great health benefits. The very best of the best though happens to be blueberries — they rank high on the overall list of superfoods, as a matter of fact. They are one of those foods that offer you so much that they should be a main staple in your diet moving forward.
Let’s break it down so you can see why blueberries rank so high in their superfood status. Blueberries are loaded with important nutrients such as fiber, folate, potassium, and are a surprisingly high source of Vitamin C. That means that these berries may be small but they have so much of the nutrients that you need each and every day. Their true power comes from these nutrients, but it goes one step further as well.
Blueberries are also an excellent source of antioxidants. These are another type of nutrient with some real power where fighting disease is concerned. Antioxidants go after any toxins or potentially dangerous cells or chemicals that may be within the body. This is important for fighting off free radicals in the body — these are what can lead to cancer. So, when you think of the true power in blueberries it is their antioxidants which can help prevent cancer and other diseases in the future.
Tip: If you want to get a dose of this superfood, why not try making a batch of healthy blueberry muffins?
3. Eggs
For some reason eggs got a bad reputation through the years. They were grouped into foods that could contribute to high cholesterol. While this could be possible, you’d have to eat a ridiculously high amount of eggs to risk that possibility. Not only that, but in recent years it has been found that the health benefits of eggs far outweigh any potential risk of high cholesterol or any other health issue.
Eggs are an excellent breakfast choice due to being filling and nutritious. You can enjoy them any time of day but they make for an excellent way to jump start your day. Yes they are loaded with protein, and that’s part of their appeal. You can have a couple of eggs and get a great healthy serving of protein. This will give you energy, but it will also leave you feeling quite satisfied as well.
Eggs are also loaded with plenty of vitamins and minerals as well. They are high in Vitamins B6 and B12, Vitamin D, zinc, and iron. So it’s time to forget about the unfair warnings about eggs because their risk of raising cholesterol levels is no longer an issue. Think of how much nutrients you are taking in when you eat a couple of eggs.
You can make them a bunch of different ways and take them with you anywhere such as when they are hard boiled. They are versatile, they are convenient, they are an excellent source of protein, and they are loaded with important nutrients. Therefore eggs are truly the definition of a superfood and can give you more than you realize with every serving.
4. Broccoli
Yes vegetables are all good for you in different ways. Each vegetable offers their own unique health benefits and so they all rank high in their nutritional content. There is a rule of thumb, though, to help you in understanding what make the best of the best in terms of vegetables. The darker and more vibrant the coloring of the vegetable or fruit, the more nutrients contained within. This is precisely why broccoli is on the list of superfoods and why it will likely always be there.
When you look at broccoli compared to other vegetables, it definitely has that dark rich vibrant green to it. That means that contained within this superfood you will find a high concentration of vitamins and minerals. As a matter of fact, you will find high concentrations of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, folate, Vitamin E, fiber, and potassium. That’s a lot of great health benefits offered up in one vegetable, which is why broccoli is a no-brainer in your diet.
The good news doesn’t stop there, though, because along with all of these important vitamins and minerals, you will also find antioxidants. Just as with blueberries, the concentration of antioxidants within broccoli is high. This means that it may contribute to better health now, but also well into the future. With every serving you are helping to boost your health now, but you are also helping to protect it in the future. That dark color means that you are getting a healthy serving of antioxidants, and this will help you to be healthier for years to come.
5. Avocado
Yes, it’s a superfood that doesn’t usually come as a surprise. This is a food that has surely been on the list for years, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Avocadoes are delicious, and yes they are high in fat. The good news though is that it’s the good type of fat—and yes that is a real thing! That good fat can help you in so many wonderful ways. Therefore when you eat avocado on a regular basis, you are taking in good fat and contributing to your health in numerous ways.
So, what is it that comprises that good fat anyhow? It’s the essential Omega 3 fatty acids that make up good fat — and avocado is loaded with them. Sure, you can get them in supplement form, but eating just a half of an avocado can give you a good amount too. You do want to be careful not to overdo it so that you end up with too much fat, for that can give you more than you need in the way of calories. If you eat a half of an avocado as a serving though, you are taking in some good fats that can help you tremendously.
In the short term, these good fats can help with weight loss, to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and may help to prevent heart disease in the long term. That means that you get to enjoy something really delicious white contributing to better health. As if the good fat content isn’t enough, avocado is also very high in fiber and potassium. So it’s an all around great food that can give you what you need now in the short term and also contribute to longer term health as well.
It’s hard to believe that something that tastes like a treat can actually present so many health benefits, but it’s true! Try using avocado as an alternative for everything from meat to chocolate in your recipes. You will bump up the nutrients, get a nice smooth and creamy texture, and enjoy one of your favorite foods in a wonderful way.
Summary: What Should You Do Now?
You know that the right foods can work for you, but now you can see just how. These are superfoods for a reason and you need to start making them a priority in your diet. These foods can help you to enjoy better health in the here and now. They can also work to protect your health in the long term as well. There are many reasons that these foods are called superfoods — and eating them regularly can truly help you to be your best.
Action Steps: Tips for Include and Eat More Superfoods
- Evaluate your diet and what areas you may need to improve upon.
- Consider what health problems you have or you worry about in the future.
- Think through how you can include these superfoods in your diet.
- Slowly start introducing them and make them main staples in your eating plan.
Superfoods are where it’s at, nutritionally speaking. They can help you to be your best and give you the power to good health. Though you may not be eating some of these, you can find creative ways to include them in your favorite dishes. Recognize what whole foods can really offer to your life and there is truly no limit to how you can make superfoods work as an active part of your balanced nutrition and eating plan moving forward.