Being healthy is important because if you are healthy, you can do your work more efficiently, and can also stay happy in your day-to-day life. For being healthy, not only you need to do physical exercises but also need to eat healthily. This article brings to you certain food items that are beneficial for your health.
1.Spinach
Spinach is important for your health because it provides you with energy without adding too many calories to the food. It is rich in nutrients and also easily available in the market. Spinach, in the form of salads, is very rich in different nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Folate. One cup of raw, thick, and fresh spinach has 2813 IU of Vitamin A, 145 mcg of Vitamin K and 58.2mcg of Folate.
2.Goji Berries
Goji Berries in the dried form is beneficial for the health. It gives energy to the body and provides your body with antioxidants. The main benefits that goji berries have are that it helps you to fight stress, provide nutrients that we lose out in daily food items and helps your body in fighting fatigue. One cup of dried goji berries gives you 170% of Vitamin A, 20% of Vitamin C and 4g of Protein.
3.Salmon
Salmon has a high content of omega 3s which is required for the proper functioning of your heart and circulatory system. It is also rich in protein which gives support to the muscle tissues and helps in increasing your strength. It also increases your memory power and decreases your chances of having degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. It also helps in improving your skin quality and health. Wild Alaskan salmon is more beneficial than the regular smoked one, and each 100g of wild Alaskan salmon gives 9% of Vitamin A, 13% of Vitamin B1, 20g of Protein, and 42% of Niacin.
4.Avocado
Eating one or two Avocados per week is beneficial for your health. It is one of the fruits which have high-fat content, but this fat is not bad for your health. This fat helps in reducing the extra fat in your body. The carotenoid in the fruit improves eye health and stabilizes your blood sugar level by not allowing it to fluctuate much. The nutritional value in it is also very high- each 100g of fresh Avocado has 10g of monounsaturated fat, 16% of Vitamin B6, and 22% of Folate.
5.Quinoa
Quinoa is a grain which acts as a substitute for wheat. So, if you are not a lover of wheat, you can have Quinoa. It has high contents of protein but does not have the normal contents of cholesterol and fat that the animal sources contain carbohydrates which the body needs not convert to fats, and have low-fat content. So if you have planned a weight-loss diet, you can have this. One cup of Quinoa has 1.9g of fat, 10% of Folate and 4.4g of Protein.
6.Broccoli
Steamed broccoli has a high nutritional level. The fibre in it helps indigestion. It also has high contents of Calcium, Vitamin C which helps your body in fighting diseases, Vitamin K which keeps your bone healthy. It is also good for the eyes and heart and helps in fighting cancer. Each 100g of raw broccoli provides 150% of Vitamin C, 10% of Vitamin B6 and 2.6g of Fiber.
7.Almonds
Raw almonds are beneficial but overeating is also recommended. They help improve your muscles, prevent heart attacks, cut excess cholesterol from the body, improve brain function and strengthen your bones and teeth. They are also a source of fat which is not harmful for the body. Each 100g of raw almonds provides you with 20% of iron, 21g of protein and 59% of Vitamin B2.
8.Beets
Beets, especially beetroot, are very good for health. It has certain things not found in any other fruit or vegetable. The boron in the beets provides you energy, nourishes your brain and helps in keeping your blood pressure low. The high content of vitamins and minerals add to the nutrients in your body without adding extra fat or calories. One cup of beets provides you 27% of Folate, 6% of Magnesium, and 8% of Vitamin C.
9.Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes are a rich source of vitamins and fibre, which is beneficial to the digestive system of the body. They help in preventing heart attacks, make your skin look young, help you feel relaxed, keep your immune system healthy, give more energy and contain certain antioxidants which are helpful for the body. Each 100g of sweet potato has 38.4% of Vitamin A, 33% of Vitamin C, and 2g of Protein.
10.Tomatoes
Tomatoes have many benefits. The lycopene in it helps in preventing cancer, and the high content of vitamins and minerals help in avoiding heart diseases when eaten on a regular basis. Each 100g of tomatoes give 17% of Vitamin A, 23% of Vitamin C, and 5% of Vitamin B6.
11.Kale
Kale is like spinach but not the same. It has more nutritional values than spinach. It has high contents of fiber, Vitamin K, and iron. It does not contain fat. It also has high contents of antioxidants and helps to keep up the alkaline state of the body. Each 100g of fresh and raw kale consists of double the amount of Vitamin A than required daily, twice the quantity of Vitamin C than the daily need and 4.3g of Protein.
12.Raspberries
Raspberries are a good source of antioxidants, and contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals. They are low-fat, high-fibre fruits which help you in losing weight. They are also rich in antioxidants. If you have arthritis, you should consume more raspberries because that will reduce the inflammation in your muscles and cure arthritis. Each 100g of raspberries has 44% of Vitamin C, 2% of Calcium, and 4% of Iron.
13.Black Beans
Black Beans are important because they contain a high amount of antioxidants. They are also rich in carbohydrates and help in stabilizing blood sugar levels. They also reduce body fat and contain fiber which improves the digestive system of the body. Each 100g of black beans has 6% of Calcium, 8.2g of Protein and 0.3g of Fat.
14.Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. It is a rich source of antioxidants which is good for the heart and lungs, and makes you feel more relaxed. It also provides you energy. 100g of Cantaloupe has 61% of Vitamin C, 68% of Vitamin A, 34 Calories and 0.2g of Fat.
15.Artichokes
Artichokes help in solving digestive problems because of its high fibre content. It is also rich in Vitamin C. Every 100g of Artichoke gives you 20% of Vitamin C, 3.3g of Protein and 5.4g of Fibre.
16.Watermelon
It has lycopene which helps in fighting heart disease and cancer. It also has vitamins and is almost fat-free, so you can consume it without thinking about adding calories, but too much of watermelon is also not good because of the high sugar content which is harmful for people having or prone to having diabetes. Every 100g of watermelon has 11% of Vitamin A, 14% Vitamin C and 0.1g Fat.
17.Grapefruit
Being a citrus fruit, it is rich in Vitamin C and carotenoid, both of which are beneficial for your health. It also helps in preventing cancer and other degenerative diseases. Every 100g of grapefruit has 23% of Vitamin A, 52% of Vitamin C and 1.6g of Fibre.
18.Asparagus
Steamed Asparagus is a detoxifying vegetable and has a diuretic diet which helps the body in getting rid of excess water and toxins. The vitamins and minerals have anti-ageing benefits. It has antioxidants and helps in regulating the functions of the brain. 100g of asparagus has 20% Vitamin A, 2.4g Protein and 2g Fiber.
19.Kelp
This is a kind of seaweed which has high quantities of calcium (more than milk even). It is also rich in vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients. Each cup of kelp has 396 mcg of Folate, 145 mcg of Vitamin K and 513 mg of Sodium.
20.Cabbage
The best way to have cabbage such that you get full nutrition from it is by making soup. It has a large amount of fibre, helps in controlling high cholesterol and preventing cancer due to the high content of glucosinolates. One cup soup of cabbage has 61% of Vitamin C, 11% of Folate, and 1.3g of Protein.
