I think it’s safe to say that the average person’s diet sucks. Whether you’re binge burger eating or riding the latest dieting fad, chances are your diet lacks some vital components. Here are a few foods you should consider adding into the mix.
1) Salmon– It’s no secret that salmon holds the title of healthiest meat. The reason? Omega-3 fatty acids. With heart disease topping cause-of-death charts, Omega-3 fatty acids offer a way to lower your chances of heart-related problems. Salmon contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than most other fish choices.
Some people fear mercury poisoning when it comes to eating fish, but don’t let it stop you from eating salmon. Like everything else, moderation is the key. So whether you throw it on the grill or pop it in the oven, make sure your personal menu places salmon near the top of the protein section.
2) Broccoli– One of the most versatile vegetables, broccoli provides a healthy side dish for almost any meal you can imagine. Place it on a baked potato, throw it in a stir-fry, or use it in soup. However you choose to prepare it, this fiber-rich vegetable will help you get to the bathroom on a regular basis. The indole-3-carbinol it contains, along with other antioxidants, helps promote proper hormonal balance and might even ward off cancer. The benefits are endless and you can find it all year- broccoli never goes out of season.
3) Eggs– Did you know that 6 grams of protein hide out in each egg? One egg also contains 5 grams of fat, but the kind of fat your body wants. Often people avoid eating eggs because they assume egg consumption will send their cholesterol levels through the roof. Fortunately, that’s not necessarily true. Controlled consumption will keep your cholesterol levels in check, allowing you to reap egg benefits.
4) Quinoa– Qui-what? Maybe you haven’t heard of it before, but Quinoa (pronounced “kee-noh-uh” or “keen-wah”) is currently gaining momentum as a fad super-food for hipsters everywhere. Don’t let the hype turn you away, this seed is the real deal. Quinoa supplies your body with protein rich in all 9 amino acids. Boasting 5 grams of fiber per serving and a wide array of vitamins, Quinoa reportedly fights cancer, heart disease, and migraine headaches.
5) Oatmeal– No, I’m not talking about the instant oatmeal with swirls of syrupy goop that you used to eat as a little kid. I’m talking about real oatmeal with all its whole grain goodness. Whole grains mean soluble fiber to keep your colon clean and clear. Offering a gram of soluble fiber and a mere 150 calories per half-cup serving, oatmeal matches perfectly with berries or chopped up bananas mixed in, allowing you to get your fruit needs for the day.
6) Celery– Before I delve into the benefits of celery consumption, let’s bust the myth- Celery is not a “negative calorie” food. There’s no such thing and I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around why this debunked myth still exists. That said, you might wonder how celery still made this list. While celery doesn’t give you negative calories, it provides relatively few- about 6 calories per average-sized stick. And those aren’t empty calories either. Celery contains double-digit vitamins such as C, A, E, K, and Zinc. It also contains phthalides and polyacetylenes, known cancer fighting agents.
Of course this list of invaluable foods isn’t all-inclusive. What foods would you add?
