7 Easy Healthy Foods for Your Heart Healthy Diet Plan
There is hardly a domain of your health that is not impacted by what you consume on a daily basis. Even in terms of your physical fitness, you would be amazed to know the kind of impact that your routine diet can have on the toning and shaping of your body. You can work out all you want at the gym and would still fail to realize the ultimate goal as long as you won’t integrate a suitable diet plan as well. This is specifically true for people who are looking forward to having those gorgeous six-pack abs. You know what they say, abs are not made in the gym, they are made in the kitchen.
The next time you are in the mall, take a moment and look around yourself. Better still, count the number of people who appear lean and physically fit versus the people who are actually obese or are at the verge of it. It’s unfortunate, but we can bet that you would be counting a lot more in the latter category as compared to the former. Talk about a wide range of health concerns including obesity, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, etc. all of them can directly or indirectly be linked with a poor diet.
In hopes of protecting you against the devastating impacts of a poor diet in short as well as the long term, we have taken the liberty of highlighting the top 7 foods that you should be consuming on a daily basis. It’s time for you to fix your diet, improve your health, and enjoy the best in terms of the overall quality of life.
1. Eggs
Remember the days of childhood when your Mom used to make sure that an egg is an essential part of your breakfast every morning? Then you grew up, moved out, thought you knew better, and that was probably the last time you had an egg for breakfast. It’s silly that people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on protein supplements and yet wouldn’t realize a better and remarkably more cost-effective alternative of eating an egg on a daily basis. If you are looking for high-quality protein, it just doesn’t get any better than an egg. But that’s not all, the antioxidants available in the yolk specifically zeaxanthin and lutein have been shown with research to have a protective effect on your eyes. Are you worried about the macular degeneration that is likely to make an appearance with your growing age and push you into blindness? Then you are in luck because an egg a day keeps such a worry away. Oh, and by the way, consuming an egg is also a great way of protecting your skin against the UV damage.
2. Broccoli
Yes, you can make the faces all you want, but you can’t deny the health benefits that this green powerhouse has to offer. How would you like to give a natural boost to the in-built mechanism for detoxification of your body? Thanks to sulforaphane being a noteworthy nutrient of Broccoli, it can serve the aforementioned purpose to the extent of improving your chances against the likes of cancer. What’s more, is that Broccoli is enriched with folate and multiple vitamins including A, C, and K. All of such nutrients take the responsibility of ensuring optimum bone health for you that translates directly into better physical health. Much like the egg, Broccoli contains a wide range of antioxidants as well which are beneficial for your eyes, your skin, and significantly reduce the risk of infection. Wouldn’t you say that a combination of such health benefits makes eating broccoli worth it even if you don’t like the taste or look of it?
3. Spinach
Who doesn’t know “Popeye The Sailor Man”? Do you remember what did he drive all of his strength from? Yes, it was spinach. As a rule of thumb, it should be kept in mind that the leafy green foods always have a myriad of health benefits to offer. And there is hardly any other food that can compete with spinach in this category. Are you looking for vitamins A, C, and K? Spinach has got you covered. Is it the iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that you want your food to deliver? Yes, spinach has got your back. Even if you are looking for the fiber to keep your digestive system working optimally, spinach would still be your go-to food. A number of studies have linked the consumption of spinach with health benefits including a greater immunity against cancers, minimizing the risk of diabetes, keeping the brain protected against the notorious effects of growing age, and supporting you in your weight loss goals.
4. Nuts
Finally, something that you already love eating, at least when the winter is coming. One of the major problems with our diets in this time and age is the consumption of the saturated fats which leads straight to obesity. A lot of us find a solution in cutting down fats altogether. But did you know that a particular type of fat is actually necessary for optimizing your heart health? Such fats are called the polyunsaturated fats that Nuts are filled with, along with magnesium. Thanks to antioxidants such as resveratrol and ellagic acid, you would no longer have to worry about excessive inflammation or a consequent higher likelihood of developing cancer. With regular consumption of nuts, you can also kiss the worry of developing diabetes due to insulin resistance a goodbye as well. Lastly, with soluble fiber and beneficial gut bacteria, Nuts will surely help in keeping your digestive system healthy.
5. Yogurt
If you are consuming a cup of yogurt on a daily basis, it is helping you hit at least 50% of your calcium requirement every day. A few of the other important nutrients concealed in yogurt include potassium, riboflavin, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin B12. All of which together can help you protect yourself against cardiovascular disorders, macular degeneration, bone weakness, and even common mental disorders. Yogurt is also a fantastic source of protein especially if you are consuming the plain yogurt. The issue with flavored yogurt is the added sugar that serves to only increase the calories with no health value whatsoever. Last but not least, yogurt is known to be the best source of probiotics or the good bacteria which play their role in optimizing the digestive functioning.
6. Sweet Potato
If you have been into weight loss, it is likely that you were told how potatoes are counteractive for such a goal. Let’s put an end to this myth because sweet potatoes are actually enriched with alpha and beta carotene. Once metabolized, these nutrients are transformed into vitamin A which plays its role in strengthening the immune system, protecting the eyes, and making the bones stronger. Much like a lot of other foods on our list, sweet potatoes also contain antioxidants that kill the free radicals before they get a chance to promote any disease. The recommended dosage for sweet potatoes is approximately half a cup on a daily basis or otherwise consuming one sweet potato of medium size. Manganese, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C are among the other important nutrients which are fed to the body via the consumption of sweet potatoes.
7. Green Tea
Let’s finish our list of foods that you should be consuming every day with another one that you would love having on a regular basis. Green Tea has been an area of extensive research for the scientists who have now concluded that regular consumption of tea, regardless of its variety can play an appreciable role in promoting your dental health, minimizing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, keeping you protected against a few types of cancers as well as diabetes, and promote bone strength. All of it has been linked to one single nutrient that green tea has a lot of; the antioxidants known as the flavonoids. In order to get the best out of your habit of consuming tea in terms of the health benefits, it is recommended to opt for a freshly brewed one.
Finale Notes
So, here is our list of the top seven foods that you must consume on a regular basis. We have also highlighted the nutrients and consequent benefits so that you can take it for granted that the list is substantially supported with research and evidence.
Take a look and see how many of these foods have already made a cut into your daily diet plan. The rest of them that aren’t a part of your routine diet are now to be included for sure, owing to the benefits that they have to offer. The best part is that the health benefits associated with these foods are not the silent type that you wouldn’t even notice. Try including these foods in your diet and it’ll only be a matter of time that you’ll literally be able to witness the impacts on your health. So, are you ready to transform your routine diet for the sake of your long term health?
