We all learn the ABCs in elementary school but we never really learn the ones we need for a healthy life. We should all learn these indispensable ABCs for feeding our bodies in a balanced nutritional way that will lead us to improve our overall health and well-being. These simple foods listed below will help keep maintain your weight, reduce inflammation in the body, protect your cardiovascular health, strengthen your bones and boost your immunity system. Read more to find out what these foods can potentially do for your body.
Apples and Avocados
The old adage is true: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” There are plenty of varities to choose from. Some examples include: Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Cripps Pink and in varying shades of green, red and yellow. They are rich in soluble fiber, and antioxidants and can even help you breathe easier, as research indicates. Specifically, they can help protect the lungs against the oxidative damage associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Avocados are 75% fat but it is healthy fat. In fact, the fat in avocados comes from beneficial mono- and polyunsaturated fats, making the fruit a heart-healthy choice. According to the Nutrition Journal, avocado consumers had better diets, lower body weights and smaller waistlines as compared with those who did not eat any avocados. A serving of avocados (one-fifth of a medium-size fruit) also contains water and dietary fiber and provides nearly 20 different vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, which are known to help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.
Beets
Beet are root vegetables that are full of health properties. Beets’ deep purple color comes from betanins, which have antioxidant properties. Beets contain nitrates which help to increase nitric oxide levels in the blood. Nitric oxide widens blood vessels to deliver more oxygen to working muscles which may help pump performance in those looking to increase muscle mass. Beetroot supplementation have shown performance-enhancing effects among runners, swimmers and other endurance athletes. Not only are beets healthy, beetroot juice can also benefit the body. A single cup of cooked beets (you can also eat them raw) is only 75 calories and provides about 3.5 grams of fiber.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea (others include broccoli, kale, arugula and Brussels sprouts), all which are known to help reduce the risk of several types of cancer. The National Cancer Institute indicates that glucosinates in these veggies have been shown to help reduce the risk of several types of cancer in animal studies and human clinical trials. Specifically to cauliflowers, they are full of folate and vitamin C and they also contain several compounds that have been shown to help reduce inflammation, protect DNA and inhibit cancerous tumor growth. A cup of cauliflowers has 27 calories which is great if you’re trying to lose weight. So, fill up on these little white trees.
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