We eat foods to maintain our health, boost our energy levels, and for comfort. Certain foods will be enjoyable to eat when we have either a sweet or savoury tooth, as it is known. The majority of people will have a sweet tooth and so like chocolate and cakes. Anything high in sugar is not a healthy thing to eat too much of. But then, diet is all about achieving a balance. That is a balance of the things that we eat in terms of how healthy or enjoyable they are to eat as well as achieving a balance with exercise to burn the calories off.
In our thoughts here we shall think about the foods that benefit us so that we can make wiser choices with our diet than we perhaps have been previously.
Healthy Foods versus Foods to Avoid
It is widely known that we should eat plenty of greens for a healthy diet. They are not necessarily food that many of us enjoy eating but essential for the body to receive the recommended daily amounts of nutrients. The healthiest Leafy greens include cabbage, kale, spinach, and watercress, among others. As the latter suggests it contains a high content of water. This is good for hydration apart from the other nutrients it provides.
Taking Kale as an example, it is considered to be one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables. This is because it contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that our body systems can benefit from. Kale contains high levels of the vitamins K, A, and C, as well as the antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene. Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting and the healing of wounds. Vitamin A is good for vision, the function of vital organs, and the immune system. We all need that to be functioning correctly at the moment. Vitamin C is, of course, good for bones and teeth. So, what are antioxidants? Well, these are compounds that as well as being produced in the body will be found in certain foods such as kale. They help defend your cells from damage that is caused by free radicals, the name for potentially harmful molecules. The best way to eat kale is raw, so making it part of a mixed salad would be the way to make it more exciting to eat.
Foods to avoid will include those that contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, or sugar. So, avoid frying your foods. In terms of salt, salty crisps and salted nuts are to be avoided, as is cured, smoked, or salted canned meat due to having a high sodium content. Make chocolate a treat or occasional comfort food to enjoy.
Food to Boost Brain Power and Combat Illness
Foods that are considered good for the brain include green, leafy vegetables that we should already be eating because of what we talked about above. Also fatty fish, berries, and walnuts. The latter means that vegan diets will not exclude brain-boosting foods. Drinks that help boost our thinking are tea and coffee.
Fatty fish will help because it contains omega-3 fatty acids. These build brain and nerve cells as well as aid learning and memory. Also, they slow down age-related mental decline, helping to ward off or delay conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
It is recommended that you should eat fish twice a week. This is not so bad if you eat fish and chips at the weekend, anyway. However, beware of chips as foods that are high in the kinds of fat known to increase blood pressure. A tenth of their fat content will be saturated fat. This should make chips more a treat than a regular addition to your diet. Perhaps just have the fish and save fish and chips as a combination for when you are on holiday.
Foods to Help with Exercising and Building Muscle Strength
Eggs are great for muscle building because they contain a high quantity of protein. Salmon, a fatty fish that is also good for boosting brain power, is also an excellent choice when it comes to muscle building. So is tuna.
Other foods to turn to for muscle building include chicken breasts, lean beef, shrimps, and soybeans.
Eating the foods mentioned should be combined with regular exercise and muscle-building activities, whether these are performed outdoors or perhaps inside a home gym.
In conclusion, the foods that keep us healthy are the ones that contain vitamins and antioxidants, boost brain development, and strengthen our muscles.