Superfoods That Are Worthy of the Title
A lot of people have wrong expectations when it comes to consuming superfoods, as they think that they’re going to protect their bodies from chronic diseases and health problems. Superfoods aren’t the elixir of life and aren’t almighty. What makes them stand out, though, is the fact that they give you the best nutritional benefits, but minimal calories. However, there’s no superfood that offers all the nutrients we need to keep our bodies healthy, so it’s really important to combine them and incorporate them into your diet.
Made in Japan
The Japanese have the lowest rates of obesity, the highest number of centenarians, and the lowest risk of age-related diseases. You probably wonder what kind of air they breathe. Or maybe there’s something in the food they eat? That’s right. The traditional Japanese diet is low in calories and high in nutrients. They reap all the benefits of a healthy diet, but you can do that as well. The key parts of the Japanese diet are beans, fermented foods (miso and natto), and land and sea vegetables. Wakame seaweed is especially interesting as it adds a range of vitamins and minerals to your diet, and it also benefits your overall health. It lowers cholesterol levels, decreases blood pressure, enhances weight loss, and reduces blood sugar.
A cup of tea a day goes a long way in keeping you healthy
If you’re a fan of tea, you should definitely drink green tea more often. It reduces the formation of free radicals in our bodies, it has a lot of compounds that improve brain functions, health, it boosts the metabolic rate so it can help you lose weight and so much more. It’s a really healthy drink everyone should consume more. There were some studies published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology and Scientia Ricerca which suggested that white tea and green tea reduce stress levels, but the effect of white tea was greater. They are easy to prepare, they are tasty, and they have, among others, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties.
Pollen
Did you know that pollen was used in medicines that are over 2000 years old and that it has a lot of health benefits? Let’s take a quick look at the benefits of pine pollen powder, so you can consider adding it to your diet from now on. It’s rich in protein, fatty acids, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. It delays replicative senescence in human cells, which means it’s good as an anti-aging component. Additionally, it has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The pollen of the Scots pine is rich in testosterone, so it can boost your testosterone levels.
Smoothies for breakfast
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gets your metabolism running, which helps you burn calories, gives you the energy for the day, and improves your concentration. Why don’t you make it even better and healthier by mixing in some superfoods? If you don’t like getting up early to make your breakfast, you can always make smoothies. Here are a few foods you can mix in almost any smoothie.
Berries are packed with anti-oxidants, they improve blood sugar and insulin response and they are high in fiber and nutrients. They are one of the healthiest foods on Earth.
Greek yogurt has almost double the protein amount than the regular one. It boosts your metabolism, aids muscle growth, and strengthens your bones.
Flaxseeds or chia seeds are good sources of fiber and omega-3 fats. They help reduce cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
Seafood rich in omega-3
A healthy diet should consist of at least two portions of fish a week. Fish is a good source of lean protein, iron, calcium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acid, and so on. Salmon is one of the healthiest foods in the world and it’s such a great all-arounder, packed with a lot of nutrients. Eating sardines and mackerel can help you reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia. You can find a lot of vitamin D in oily fish, which helps your body absorb calcium and keep your bones and teeth healthy. Whitefish can help you avoid weight gain as well as reduce red meat consumption, which is associated with the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep your body healthy, as most of the regular foods are packed with nutrients, but in slightly smaller doses. Keep your diet colorful and diverse and you’ll be consuming superfoods without even being conscious of that.
