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If we could eat pizza, chips, ice cream, and cake 24/7 we probably would, but there’s no doubt we wouldn’t be very healthy or live a very long life.
Though eating “healthy foods” isn’t always fun, or our first choice, we all understand that in order to live long and healthy lives we need to put nutritious foods into our bodies.
While it’s important to have a balanced diet, researchers have found specific foods — known as “superfoods” — that are packed with nutrients and should be incorporated into almost every diet.
From improving blood pressure to reducing the risk of certain cancers, scroll down to see the superfoods that could improve your health.
Berries, whether they’re blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries, are high in fiber and antioxidants.
Add them to your yogurt or oatmeal in the morning or eat them after dinner as a little dessert.
Fish is a great source of protein and usually packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which work to prevent heart disease.
Incorporate salmon, tuna, or another fish of your choosing into your diet a few times a week.
Cruciferous vegetables are a great source of fiber and are jam-packed with great vitamins.
These vegetables include everything from broccoli and Brussels sprouts to cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, and turnips.
An easy way to get these vegetables into your diet is to make a big salad or stirfry.
Legume is really just a fancy word for beans, so it includes kidney beans, black beans, red, beans, garbanzo beans, and even peas.
Legumes have a lot of fiber, so they keep you full for longer, and they also reduce the risk of heart disease. Eat these on salads or even in soups.
Nuts are a great source of protein no matter what, but they’re especially important to eat if you are a vegetarian or have a hard time getting enough protein into your diet.
They also help to reduce the risk of heart disease, which is a major plus.
Throw some walnuts, almonds, or pecans into your oatmeal in the morning, or keep a bag of your favorite nuts in your car to eat when you’re on the go and need a quick snack.
Olive oil also has monosaturated fatty acids, which help to reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as a good source of vitamin E.
Use it to cook vegetables on a stovetop or even drizzle it over salads as a dressing.
