By Dani Mills
Healthy eating and being physically fit go together, but there aren’t any miriclefoodstuffs that cause you to be one hundred percent healthy by just eating that single food. You always need to eat a variety of foods, taking something from each group in order to get the most benefit. It is also important not to overeat so you need to keep a watch on potion sizes. Make your mealtimes pleasant and relaxed occasions and your healthy foods will work effectively with your emotions to give you a healthy body and mind.
Berries
You may like all types of berries or just one or two favorites, but you can never go wrong by adding a few fresh berries as a quick energy snack or frozen berries made into a luscious smoothie in place of calorie laden desserts. Berries are high in vitamin C across the board, but some are high in antioxidants as well. Choose ripe blueberries for vitamin C and heaps of antioxidants for the health of your circulatory system. Gogi berries are less well-known but are wonderfully rich in many of the nutrients your body needs to be nutritionally and physically fit. For the berries with the highest antioxidant levels take a look at at Acai berries and Maqui berries.
Citrus
Citrus fruits are another very valuable source of vitamin C. It is best to eat these when fully ripe and as near as possible to the time they were picked from the tree. This will give you the highest possible nutritional benefit. As well as being a fast, ready to go snack, citrus fruits can be eaten at all times. Try a grapefruit for breakfast. If you find grapefruit a little bitter, try sprinkling with a little brown sugar or honey. One of my favourites is swedges of orange with coconut in a light honey dressing. This makes a delicious dessert. You don’t need to go to a lot of trouble to get your citrus, try a squirt of lime on a sald instead of a calorific dressing. Lovely!
Vegetables
The variety of vegetables is amazing. For people who are vegetarian or vegan, choosing vegetables to be part of a nutritionally sound diet is a way of life. Your vegetable group provides many of the minerals required in a good diet. For example, you may realize that potassium is necessary for healthy nutrition. Many people claim the benefits of potassium found in a single banana. But did you know, you can also get adequate potassium in your diet by eating a stalk of broccoli? Try a salad of fresh young spinach topped with pine nuts and stirred with lightly cooked penne. Feta cheese and a light vinaigrette dressing to create the perfect light luncheon meal.
Whole Grains
Like many other of the best foods, choosing only one type of whole grain for your meals doesn’t provide all the variety you need to be nutritionally sound. Often, mixing two or more whole grains together will give you complete proteins. For example, brown rice and wheat kernels with a spicy seasoning are a popular dish in many countries.
Fish
Unless you are a vegetarian you should try to include fish in your diet at least once a week. One of the most nutritious fish choices is salmon. This is rich in Omega 3 oils which help with the function of the brain. You can use salmon for anything from a quick and easy lunch to a fabulous, fancy feast for a dinner party. It is just so versatile and is delicious hot or cold. If you are trying to lose weight, limit smoked salmon as this can be high in caloreis. Instead choose steamed, baked or grilled for a tasty, low calorie meal.
Legumes
Sometimes known as pods, legumes are the type of fruit which has a single dry seed. Types of legumes include peanuts, dreid beans, soybeans and peas. Legumes are are a nutritional addition to any diet.
Nuts and seeds
Nature has packed a lot of goodness into small packages. Nearly everyone has heard of Brazil nuts and pecans which are fantastic nutritional foods, but did you realize that flax seeds are brain food–containing important non-meat sources of the Omega-3 oil. You don’t have to to eat many nuts to get their benefits. Just have a few a day and you’ll get the nutrients without too many calories.|Nuts really are a superfood in the way of nutrition as are seeds. They have an great source of non meat Omega 3 oil. Although they tend to be high in calories it is important to be aware that you don’t need to eat many to get the benefits, a small handfull is sufficient and not too high in calories.|Nuts and seeds are a super healthy choice for good nutrition. Whether or not you eat meat, nuts and seeds will provide a great source of Omega 3 oils. If you are trying to lose weight and are worried about your calorie intake, it is important to know that you only need eat a very small amount of nuts and seeds to get the nutritional benefit. Just a small handfull per day is enough
Lean proteins
Unless you are on a high protein diet where you are reducing carbs, you don’t need to have a great deal of protein. About 3oz per day is plenty.Do not go below this though as protein, which is found in eggs, cheese milk, nut and beans is essential. The main thing is to keep your protein as lean as possible. If you eat meat, trim off all the visible fat.
Tea
Depending on the type of tea you like, you can get an energy gain from a cup of green tea, such as Tava Tea, or the calming effect of chamomile tea. Get going with mint teas or begin your day with Earl Grey Breakfast Tea. Herbal teas are soothing, tasty and good for you. Non herbal teas will help you to stay alert when you need help to function.
Olive oil
Extra Virgin Olive oil is probably the healthiest oil you can use to keep a healthy kind of fat in your diet. You can use it on your salad, combine it with a small amount of vinegar to create your own, or fry other foods in the hot oil. Just make ensure that the temperature is not too hot so that the oil is broken down.|Even if you are following a weight loss plan it is vital to include healthy fats in your diet. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is by far the best type of oil that you could pick. Again it is something that needs to be used in moderation, in terms of overall calorie intake, but the same as with nuts, you don’t need a great deal to get the benefits. If you are using oil to cook with, take care not to heat it too high as a high temperature can cause it to break down.|It is essential to include fat in your diet, even when trying to lose pounds. A little goes a long way in terms of getting the benefits. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the best choice to give you a healthy fat. Do take care if you are cooking with it though as very high temperatures can cause it to break down.
Include a choice from each of these top ten food groups and you will be well on track to a super healthy diet.
Dani Mills is the author of http://www.weightlossanddietpills.co.uk where she writes reviews on the best weight loss products as well at tips and articles on losing weight. Dani would love to hear your weight loss story, take a look at her site and let Dani know about your weight loss.