Five of the Foods that are Healthiest for You

You may have started a new diet regimen to include eating only healthy foods to lose, maintain weight, or if you’re among the select few, gain weight. Whatever the case may be, proper nutrition including these five foods should be at the top of your list to start you off on the right path

What foods are among the healthiest you can eat to help you achieve your goal?

Here is a list of five foods that you should definitely include in your diet to help you remain healthy and fit.

• Broccoli

Although this amazing vegetable may not be a favorite of everyone, including a former President, broccoli is packed with a host of potent benefits that can help you stay healthy.

As an important source of vitamin C, broccoli is also a powerful antioxidant that can help to boost the body’s immune system to help fight off flu, viruses, and other illnesses that can invade the body. This potassium rich vegetable can help regulate blood pressure, which is important for many individuals suffering from high blood pressure.

Broccoli is also known for its cancer fighting agents such as indole-3-carbinol that studies have found can help hinder the growth of certain cancers.

• Salmon and other Fish

Fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids can help you maintain a healthy heart. Foods rich in omega-3’s can help lower blood pressure which is one of the risk factors for developing heart disease. Heart disease is still the number one cause of death among men and women.

Along with heart health, fish can also help you to maintain proper brain function, by giving you a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. More recent studies have even linked fish consumption with lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which affects millions of people.

• Greek Yogurt

This healthy dairy product provides a good source of essential protein that is necessary for proper bone and muscle growth. Along with protein, Greek yogurt is rich with probiotic, essential healthy bacteria which can boost your immunity and improve your intestinal health, helping to reduce bouts of diarrhea, and other inflammatory bowel diseases.

Greek yogurt contains no fat and cholesterol which makes it a great food choice to help with weight loss.

• Spinach

This dark green leafy vegetable is packed with vitamin K necessary for blood clotting. Vitamin K also helps to build strong bones.

Spinach is also rich in beta-carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant that helps to fight heart disease and certain cancers.

If you’re concerned you’re not getting enough iron, spinach is a good source to add this mineral to your diet.

• Nuts

Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts are a great superfood packed with numerous healthy benefits and one of the five most important foods to include in your daily diet.

Since nuts contain unsaturated fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, they are good for your heart, by helping to lower the LDL, bad cholesterol levels in the blood. High LDL cholesterol is one of the major risk factors contributing to heart disease. The plant sterols in nuts can help to lower cholesterol as well.

Nuts also contain L-arginine that can help improve the artery walls which can help prevent blood clots from developing.

This superfood is also a source of vitamin E that can help reduce plaque formation in the arteries that can lead to coronary artery disease.

A diet that consists of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, nuts, whole grains, cereals, and low-fat dairy products are all necessary to maintain a healthy body.