Eating a healthy and balanced diet can lead to substantial short and long-term benefits for you and your body. Adding nutritious foods to your diet can potentially protect you from several illnesses and contribute positively to your mental health, too. For instance, the intake of healthy foods can reduce the risk of developing cancer and also prevent Type 2 diabetes. Hence to why you would want to make some good choices.
While knowledge about what to eat was a challenge in the past, luckily, awareness regarding the advantages healthy foods can offer is increasing, and such foods are becoming more widely available.
Here are six healthy foods that you should include in your diet:
Shrimp
While shrimp are mainly made of water and protein, they contain other minerals and vitamins, including copper, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, and manganese. Since shrimp are full of nutrients and low in calories and carbs, shrimp are an excellent choice if you’re looking to lose some weight.
Apart from that, shrimp also contain antioxidants that protect your cells against harm. It has the antioxidant astaxanthin, which reduces sun damage and prevents wrinkles.
The best way to consume shrimp is to take some wild-caught shrimp and grill, boil, steam, saute, and broil it. Be careful not to add any heavy sauces or deep fry the shrimp that risks losing all the nutritional benefits it offers.
Honeycomb
Honeycomb can be described as the product that honeybees make to store pollen and honey. The entire honeycomb, including the raw honey and its waxy cells, can be consumed. Honeycomb contains antioxidants and carbohydrates, the former of which reduces inflammation, protects your body against various diseases such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease, and promotes general wellbeing.
Honeycomb mostly consists of raw honey, which is full of minerals, proteins, and vitamins. Additionally, since the honey is not processed, it includes enzymes such as glucose oxidase, which gives honey its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.
There are many kinds of honeycomb you could include in your diet. Amazonian honeycomb, in particular, is worth considering, because it has a floral and herbaceous taste with notes of citrus. Every comb is unique and will provide an entirely different experience.
Walnut
A nutritious powerhouse, walnuts are full of minerals, vitamins, healthy fat, and fiber that lead to a wide range of benefits for your health. An excellent source of omega-3 acids, walnuts help decrease LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or bad cholesterol, and increase HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or good cholesterol, in your body.
In addition to this, walnuts also contain antioxidants more than any other nut. In fact, they contain almost twice as many antioxidant polyphenols as almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and macadamias.
Antioxidants decrease your chances of developing heart disease and help prevent the harm caused by oxidation.
Barley
Barley is a whole grain that provides minerals, fiber, and vitamins. A diet full of whole grains may potentially help reduce the risk of diabetes, specific types of cancer, obesity, heart disease, and other various chronic health issues. Barley contains folate, potassium, vitamin B-6, and iron, which, when taken in combination with the food’s lack of cholesterol, helps support cardiovascular functions.
Additionally, due to its high fiber content, barley may help reduce your urge to eat by promoting a feeling of fullness, which tends to lead to weight loss over a period of time.
Moreover, barley has a high magnesium content which is a crucial mineral that contributes to insulin production and determines how your body uses sugar. These properties reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by lowering your overall blood sugar level.
Oranges
When your immune system needs a jumpstart, look no further than oranges. A highly nutritious and low-calorie citrus fruit that’s packed with vitamin C, oranges could potentially reduce your chance of developing issues and also promote clear and robust skin, too.
Orange’s antioxidant properties help prevent the formation of free radicals that lead to cancer. Additionally, oranges contain potassium and fiber, both of which help promote heart health. One cup of orange juice can provide 14 percent of a person’s daily potassium requirement. Potassium has positive effects on blood pressure, and people with high potassium content in their bodies have a lower probability of developing a stroke and other cardiovascular issues.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes come in a range of colors and sizes and are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants that preserve your body from free radicals. These free radicals can be described as unstable molecules that can lead to inflammation and damage your DNA. These free radicals are associated with chronic medical conditions, such as aging, cancer, and heart disease. Apart from these benefits, sweet potatoes also contain soluble and insoluble fiber, which, because your body can’t digest it, results in numerous benefits for your gut.
Lastly, sweet potatoes contain anthocyanins and beta-carotene, which are antioxidants that improve eye health and prevent the loss of vision.
Conclusion
There are plenty of foods that you can include in your diet that can potentially improve your health in the long-run. A balanced diet is essential to a long and healthy life and keeping your guilty pleasure foods in moderation and including foods that your body will appreciate is the key to long-term health.
What other healthy foods should one possibly include in their diet? Let us know in the comments below!