If you want to be healthier, one of the best – and easiest – things to do is change your diet for the better. When you eat more healthily, both your physical and mental health will improve, you’ll have more energy, you’ll lose excess weight, and you’ll feel amazing.
The problem is that sometimes it can be difficult to know what foods are best to eat. We know in a general sense what’s healthy and what isn’t, but there is more to know than this. There are superfoods, for example, that can work wonders when it comes to boosting your health and making you the best you can be.
These superfoods have become more and more popular in recent years as we’ve started to realize what they can do, but you still might not be quite sure what that is exactly or even what these foods actually are. To find out more, keep reading for a useful guide on superfoods and how they can boost your health.
Antioxidant-Rich Food
Antioxidants are a crucial part of a healthy diet because they fight against something called ‘oxidative stress’, which essentially damages cells and causes a variety of nasty health issues. When you eat more antioxidant-rich food in your diet, you can help your body fight back against this problem, keeping you healthier. It’s a great way to give your body a protective barrier against oxidative stress; plus, the foods that are packed with antioxidants are generally good for you in other ways as well, so it’s well worth enjoying them as much as possible.
Berries like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are great examples of antioxidant-rich ingredients you can use in your food (or you could even eat them just by themselves) as they are packed not just with antioxidants but also with plenty of vitamins and minerals too. Another good example is dark leafy greens like spinach and kale, these contain folate and iron as well as antioxidants.
Microgreens
Microgreens might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but they’re really just the young versions of leafy greens and herbs, and they’re a fantastic way to enjoy superfoods with almost every meal. Even though they’re only small, they are packed full of great, healthy things that are good for us, including antioxidants as we discussed above.
Interestingly, the reason these foods are so good in particular is that studies have shown they have more concentrated amounts of vitamins and minerals compared to the larger versions, so you have to eat less to get the same amount, and eating more will boost your levels even more. Because they are only small, these microgreens can easily be sprinkled over almost any dish, adding flavor and health benefits. Add them to salads, soups, sandwiches, stir-fries, and so much more to completely change your diet for the better.
Plant-Based Foods
Did you know that plant-based diets can provide more than enough protein for a human to live happily and healthily? Although many people think that protein only or mainly comes from meat, vegetables and other plant-based ingredients can also contain high levels of protein, so it’s worth investigating the best ones and to start adding them to your diet. Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are perfect examples of the kind of plant-based food you should be eating more of if you want to boost your health, and they are extremely versatile, so they can be used in lots of different dishes.
Even better, plant-based proteins have the advantage of being lower in saturated fat compared to animal-based proteins, which is healthier. On top of that, they are better for the environment. If you find it hard to include plant-based food in your diet for any reason, it’s a good idea to add supplements to your day to boost your vitamin levels and to help you stay healthy. If you use a Swanson Vitamins promo code, you can save money and improve your health at the same time.
Fermented Foods
‘Fermented foods’ is not a tempting description, but the food is tasty, and it’s good for you too. In fact, these foods have been part of human beings’ diets for centuries, and they are becoming popular once again now that people are aware that they are one of the superfoods. What’s great about fermentation is that it can make fairly ordinary food taste much better by improving its texture as well as the flavor; plus, it gives it a long shelf life, so you’ll be wasting less, which is better for the environment.
Fermented foods contain a lot of good bacteria and enzymes, so they’re a fantastic addition to your normal diet. Sauerkraut is a good example – this is fermented cabbage, and it’s packed full of probiotics which help digestion and improve gut health in general. Kimchi, which is a Korean dish made from fermented vegetables, is another great example that is similar to sauerkraut. Or why not try yogurt or kefir which come from fermented milk and provides probiotics, calcium, and protein?
