5 Healthy Foods You Should Eat Every Day

A lot of us think of eating food as either a task that we need to check off from our to-do lists in order to survive or something we do just to make ourselves feel better. Yes, these are valid reasons for consuming food, but often if we have either of these mentalities about food, we can miss out on a lot of nutrients that are essential for our body.

When we talk about healthy food, our mind goes to those boring salads and soups, but the best way to approach food is to think of it as self-care by combining the pleasure and nutrition factors together.

In this article, we are going to discuss some food items you should eat every day and some ideas on how you can include them in your diet.

1. Flaxseeds

Ground flaxseeds, to be specific. Flaxseeds are amazing to get that daily dose of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), a type of omega-3 fatty acids essential for our body.

Research has shown that consuming ground flaxseeds on a daily basis can have a positive impact on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. They are also high in fibre and can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Eating 1-2 tablespoons per day is enough to get the benefits.

How to eat: Put them in smoothies and salads, or you can add them to your favourite granola recipe.

2. Garlic

Garlic is that one ingredient that most of us eat almost every day but do you know that it can be extremely beneficial to our bodies. It is a great antioxidant and has been shown to prevent oxidative damage to our DNA.

Another research showed how multi-beneficial garlic can be. It can increase the HDL cholesterol level in our bodies and can prevent inflammation, and improve the gut microbial profile. It can protect us from free radicals, thus reducing the chances of cancer.

How to eat: Dice and put it in curries or stir-fries. You can eat pickled garlic or eat it raw if you prefer it that way. The possibilities are endless.

3. Ginger

Gingerol, the most bioactive compound in ginger, is the compound that gives ginger most of its beneficial properties.

Ginger has been used in our household for centuries. It is anti-inflammatory and has loads of antioxidants that protect us from free radicals. Studies have shown that ginger can be a harmless way of curing nausea and pregnancy-related morning sickness.

One study also concluded that active ingredients in ginger like gingerol, shogaol, and paradol are beneficial for preventing cancer.

How to eat: Chop and put them in curries or your morning smoothies. Have ginger tea or put it in masala chai.

4. Dark Leafy Greens

You saw this one coming, no?

Every health or fitness guru screams about why you should include more leafy greens in your diet because they are packed with vitamins and minerals.

They are a rich source of minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. They also provide vitamins like K, E, C and some B vitamins.

A study showed that eating just one serving every day may help in slowing down the cognitive decline with ageing.

They are probably the easiest foods to include in your diet because you can use a ton of them, and they will wilt down to nothing.

How to eat: Add them to your omelette. Blend them in smoothies. Make spinach soups or just chop them and add them to your side salads.

5. Bell Peppers

Bell Peppers are an amazing source of Vitamin C and beta-carotene.

Vitamin C can increase the production of antibodies and white blood cells that helps our immune system to react against substances that our body recognizes as foreign like bacteria, viruses and other pathogens and helps to fight against them.

Do you know that bell peppers have even higher Vitamin C content than most citrus fruits like oranges? To get the most benefit, make sure to eat them raw because Vitamin C is heat sensitive.

Beta-carotene is responsible for converting Vitamin A in our bodies and is essential for regenerating our cells and tissues. Vitamin A is necessary for eye health and vision. It is also important for skin health and the immune system.

Only one pepper is enough to have your RDI for Vitamin C and A. You don’t want to eat too much Vitamin A because it can be harmful to bodies.

How to eat: Make a red bell pepper pasta sauce. Stir fry them with other veggies. Eat them raw in salads or with hummus.

Now that you know all the benefits of these foods, there is no excuse to not include them in your diet.

Do understand these foods alone are not going to be enough to maintain good health. Make sure to eat a balanced diet, hydrate enough, move your body regularly and maintain a stress less life.

Happy eating! x