We all know that eating clean is directly responsible for our great health. And you follow this blog because you want to lose weight and get fit (or stay this way) for the rest of your life. Which begs the question, “how many of these do you eat?”.
I know what you’re thinking. “How many of ‘what’?”; and “What are ‘these’?”. Or maybe just “What the heck are you talking about?”.
Don’t worry, we’re going to unpack the answer to this obscure but important question as we continue to clean up our nutrition in this 3rd week of Pillar #4.
We will identify foods that pack a powerful nutritional punch, with the goal to help you start eating more of them.
Okay, so what are they?
They’re known as superfoods.
And we should all be eating more of them, because superfoods are typically nutrient-dense and low calorie. They are foods that contain high levels of essential vitamins and minerals.
And it’s much better to get your vitamins directly from your food than from taking supplements.
Did you know that superfoods are high in fiber?
Fiber helps to lower blood cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing your risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Superfoods are also usually rich sources of antioxidants, which means they protect our bodies from the free-radicals that cause aging and cell damage.
And finally, fruits and vegetables contain natural chemicals called phytonutrients (aka phytochemicals), which help to keep our bodies working properly and prevent disease.
It’s often been said that you should “eat a rainbow”. Which basically means to eat a variety of fruits and veggies every day consisting of different colors.
There are plenty of documented “superfoods”. And many lists to promote the best of the best…
So instead providing another “Top 50” list, I have included some of my favorite superfoods, listed in no particular order of importance.
- Broccoli (and other leafy greens like kale, spinach, asparagus, and Brussel sprouts)
- Cauliflower (and other light colored veggies like bok choy, onions, and garlic)
- Berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
- Nuts (including walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachio)
- Seeds (including pumpkin, sunflower, chia, and flax)
- Fish (especially those high in Omega 3 fatty acids like salmon and sardines)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh fruit (including apples, bananas, avocados, kiwi, cantaloupe, watermelon…)
- Whole Grains (oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat, and farro)
- Beans (including lentils, black, white, and kidney)
- Wine 😉 (in moderation of course)
My hope is that this list gets you started, then helps you remember to include more superfoods in your daily nutrition and meal plans.
As I’ve said over and over, I am not into diets. Especially as they’re typically marketed and portrayed for losing weight.
Why?
Because they are usually restrictive and prey on our emotions or weaknesses.
They’re short-term, quick-fix attempts that rarely teach us anything about nutrition, or how to get to the root of the weight-gain problem.
So they don’t work over a long period of time.
Which is why they fail most of the time.
This is not only unhelpful, it’s unhealthy. And for these reasons, traditional diets should be avoided. The same goes for the all-too-popular low-carb and low-fat diets.
Whether we’re trying to lose or maintain our healthy weight, we all need something that is sustainable, for a lifetime.
Healthy habits we can practice every day.
Not some foreign program with a finish line that doesn’t teach us anything about nutrition.
One that promotes eating to live; not living to eat starve.
Everyone also NEEDS to eat ALL 3 macronutrients to survive, and should aim for 50% carbs, 30% lean protein, and 20% healthy fats. With every meal. Which is why my mantra is…
Eating clean will keep you lean!
Here are a few articles I found to be informative and helpful.
- http://www.consumerreports.org/food/brain-foods/
- http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/fats.html
- https://www.verywell.com/phytonutrients-phytochemicals-2242002
- http://www.consumerreports.org/diet-nutrition/new-year-s-health-eating1/
- http://www.naturalnews.com/042474_amazing_superfoods_nutritious_diet_healthy_lifestyle.html
So, back to my original question. How many of these do you eat?
And remember to make it as colorful as possible.
The takeaway here is to make superfoods part of your daily nutrition plan.
The more the better. Let’s try to add a few this week as part of our new eating clean habit.
Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.
Now it’s time for YOU to take action…
What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.
Click here to subscribe. You’ll receive an email with a link to each new post. And if you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them.