While even fatty, greasy foods have their place in a healthy, well-balanced diet, eating primarily nutritious fare will have the biggest impact on your waistline and your overall health. A well-planned, well-balanced diet has the potential to lessen and even eliminate symptoms associated with heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health problems. While you don't have to eat a perfect diet all the time, getting plenty of highly nutritious foods will help you reach your weight and health goals much faster than hitting the cookie jar or the drive-thru window.
Dark, Leafy Greens
Dark, leafy greens, such as collards and kale, contain big nutrition with few calories. A half cup of cooked collard greens has over 150 percent of your daily vitamin A, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Greens also contain calcium, vitamin C, iron, folic acid, potassium and and even a little bit of protein. In addition to their high nutritional value, greens contain water and fiber, which helps keep your digestive system functioning properly. A high-fiber diet also helps control your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Cold Water Fish
Cold water fish provide protein without the high levels of saturated fat found in meat. Aside from protein content, cold water fish also contain healthy fats called omega-3 fatty acids. These fats play an important role in brain development. They also reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Eat less than 12 ounces of fish per week to avoid consuming too much mercury.
Berries
Berries are one of those foods that are part nutrition, part medicine. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and the like contain high doses of disease-fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients. These plant components fight damage from toxins and may reduce your risk of certain cancers. Berries are also high in fiber and rich in vitamin C, zinc, riboflavin, potassium, calcium and amino acids.
Whole Grains
People's bodies are designed to subsist on whole grains, and they've been eating them for thousands of years, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Whole grains differ from processed grains in that they still have the fibrous bran layer attached to the grain. This bran is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Regularly choosing whole grains over processed grains helps improve digestive health, reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes, decreases heart disease risk and even decreases your risk of developing certain cancers. Look for "100 percent whole grain" on food labels.
References
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vegetable of the Month: Cooking Greens
- Colorado State University Extension; Health Benefits and Safe Handling of Salad Greens; M. Brunning, et al; June 2007
- Universit of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- The Cleveland Clinic: The Power of Fish
- Oregon State University Department of Food and Science Technology: Berry Helath Benefits Network: Fact Sheets
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Health Gains from Whole Grains
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