by Healthy Latina in the City
If I told you I found a super medicine that could help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of disease and just make you feel better….would you take it? Well I found it…it is called Superfoods. And guess what! You can get it at your local grocery store, restaurants and farmers markets.
Ever hear the term superfood and wonder what it is? Superfoods are often times referred to as foods that are rich in healthy nutritional elements. For example, foods that help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, help burn fat and even make you feel better overall! A diet that includes a substantial amount of superfoods (and less processed foods) will help you maintain a healthy weight, potentially help you lose weight, fight disease, and hopefully allow you to live a long healthy life.
When thinking about meals we make at home, we want those meals to have minimal ingredients, meaning we want to try to eat as natural as possible. Conversely, we do not want to consume tons of processed foods, for example, chips, crackers, cookies or frozen entrees. Superfoods are just that; they are wholesome foods that are packed with lots of vitamins and beneficial nutrients that fight and prevent disease. If you look at the ingredients of superfoods, there are none (i.e. ingredients found in a strawberry is strawberry)…it just is what it is, unlike if you look at the ingredients in a cracker, there are many ingredients that go into making crackers.
Superfoods are nutrient filled natural foods that contain many elements that your body needs to stay healthy such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other necessities. Superfoods do not have any artificial additives; they are simply wholesome, natural foods.
I have researched many superfoods from many different sources. Here is my list of superfoods that are yummy and easy to find. Remember we want to always try to eat foods in their most natural forms. However, you will see that there are foods on this list that if they are cooked together, they can be very tasty while also healthy.
| AlmondsApplesApricotsAsparagusAvocados
Bananas Beets Bell peppers Black beans Black olives Blackberries Blueberries Broccoli Brown rice Brussels sprouts Cabbage Canola oil Cantaloupe Carrots Cashews Cauliflower Cherries Corn Cranberries Cucumbers Dark chocolate Egg whites Eggs Figs Fish |
Garbanzo beansGarlicGrapefruitGrapesGreen beans
Green tea Honeydew melon Hummus Jasmine rice Kidney beans Kiwifruit Lean Pork Lemons Limes Miso Soup Natural Peanut butter Nectarines Plain Oatmeal Olive oil Onions Oranges Papaya Peaches Plain Dry roasted Peanuts Pears Peas Pineapple Pinto beans Plums Portobello Mushrooms |
PotatoesPrunesPumpkin seedsQuinoaRaisins
Raspberries Romaine lettuce Salmon canned or fresh Seafood Skinless Chicken Soybeans Spinach Strawberries Sunflower seeds (Plain) Sweet potatoes Tahini Tofu Tomatoes Turkey Breast Tuna canned or fresh Veggie burgers Walnuts Watermelon Whole grain breads Whole grain cereal Whole Grain pasta Whole grain wheat breads Wild Rice Yams Zucchini |
If you ever have any health conditions or feel ill, do not attempt to treat yourself with food. Always consult your doctor before making any major changes to your diet or health care routine.
To read more about superfoods please see links below:
- http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=307
- www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs
- www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/eat-healthy-america-52-superfoods-25519
Healthy Latina in the City is a contributing writer with a personal passion for nutrition and healthy living. While she is not a nutritionist, doctor, or personal trainer she wants to take you on her journey to live a healthy lifestyle and share tips that have worked for her to incorporate good health and nutrition into your life.