Making the right food choices can bring about good health. The top foods to include in your diet have several vitamins and minerals and are low in calories, notes Mayo Clinic. Adding highly nutritious foods to your daily meals and snacks can help improve your health as well as prevent a variety of different diseases and illnesses.
Apples
Apples are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Mayo Clinic reports that apples also contain a substance called pectin, which may decrease your blood cholesterol levels. Fresh apples also contain a healthy dose of vitamin C, which may help protect you from free-radical damage so you are able to fight off disease and illness.
Broccoli
Jonny Bowden, author of "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth," notes that broccoli is one of the top foods because it may prevent a wide range of different cancers. The nutrients in broccoli may fight free-radical damage so your body is able to prevent cancer by removing them from your body before they cause a problem. Broccoli also contains vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
Avocados
Avocados are high in fat, but are considered a top food for nutrition because the fat is unsaturated fat, which helps protect the health of your heart, notes Bowden. The fats in avocados may work to lower your cholesterol. Avocados also contain potassium, a nutrient necessary for a healthy heart. Avocados are also a good source of vitamin A and fiber.
Blueberries
Blueberries may help prevent a variety of diseases, notes Mayo Clinic. Blueberries contain antioxidants that can help ward off germs and viruses that may lead to illness. Blueberries also contain a good dose of fiber as well as vitamin C. Blueberries may also lower cholesterol and improve your memory, adds Bowden.
Beans
Beans are a low-calorie food packed with fiber and several different nutrients. Mayo Clinic notes that red beans are among the most nutritious beans because they supply iron, potassium and phosphorus. Beans may lower your risk of heart disease and also contain a good amount of energy-producing protein.
Salmon
Salmon is a notable source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may promote heart health. Mayo Clinic reports that these fatty acids may prevent your blood from clotting so you are less likely to experience a heart attack. Salmon may also prevent a stroke.
Spinach
Spinach contains several different vitamins and minerals that help promote good health, notes Bowden. Mayo Clinic adds that spinach has the power to boost your immune system so that you are able to ward off illness. Spinach may also protect you from eye problems, heart disease and cancer.
Red Bell Peppers
Red bell peppers are among the top vegetable sources of vitamin C, a nutrient necessary to prevent illness and keep your muscles strong and healthy. Bowden recommends red bell peppers as one of the top foods because they also contain antioxidants and a good dose of fiber.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber, which may help reduce your blood cholesterol levels, reports Bowden. Adding a bowl of oatmeal to your daily diet will also boost your intake of fiber. Mayo Clinic adds that adding a sprinkle of wheat germ to your oatmeal will increase your consumption of magnesium and zinc.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is considered one of the most nutritious oils because it is low in saturated fat and high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Extra-virgin olive oil also contains antioxidants that may prevent illness, says Bowden. Cooking with this oil will help you reap these benefits.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Nutrition and Healthy Eating
- "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth"; Jonny Bowden; 2007
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