Healthy December: A to Z of Superfoods To Eat Yourself Younger

As we all know, healthy eating is the basis for a healthy organism. In this day and age, most food is processed, though. That’s why it’s important to educate yourself on the superfoods you can include in your diet to be truly healthy. It’s not enough just knowing what those foods are. You also need to be aware of some nutritional tips on how to hold a proper diet. Combining the tips with the superfoods is the recipe for a healthy body and mind. You’ll feel more energetic, happier, and will be well-nourished. In other words, that’s the true path to eating yourself younger.

Words: Stella Ryne

Image: alan KO on Unsplash

Image: alan KO on Unsplash

1. Go Nuts for Nuts

Image: Alisha Hieb on Unsplash

Image: Alisha Hieb on Unsplash

Hazelnuts, almonds, and cashews, along with other nuts are full of vitamins. Not only that, but they contain lots of fibre, protein, and minerals (including magnesium). That’s why they should be part of your daily diet plan. They make for great snacks as they’re the ideal texture for nonchalant chewing while relaxing. Be careful though, even though you should embrace everything nuts have to offer, you shouldn’t overdo it. It’s enough to eat a handful of one type of nut per day to meet your body’s needs. Overeating won’t have any benefits, and can actually be harmful in some cases.

2. Seasoning as a Way of Life

Image: Adam Jaime on Unsplash

Seasoning is a crucial part of any meal. So for example, to cut down the salts in your diet, add lemon. You’ll get some vitamins along with a great meal, too. Also, remember that parsley is your friend. It’s full of vitamins A and C and will cleanse you from the inside completely. Aside from that, it’s also a natural diuretic. In fact, some say it’s even the most powerful foods on earth. That being said, adding too many spices can prove to be very bad and unhealthy. People don’t really think about what they add to the meal as long as it makes it taste nice. There are ways to have a delicious meal with healthy seasoning, though.

3. Meal Prepping to Win the Game

Image: Brooke Lark on Unsplash

One of the most difficult things to do is stick to your new diet. After a while, you go back to your old habits and feel like you’ve lost. The key to winning the game is meal prepping. When you prepare your meals a week in advance, you have no excuse not to eat healthy. Do your shopping in advance too, so you have everything at home right when you need it. Don’t forget to add fish to your shopping list. Not only is it low fat, but it’s rich in Omega 3 oils. They’re responsible for protecting your DNA and reducing risks of inflammation. Aside from that, they lower blood pressure and protect the arteries. You should eat fish once or twice a week for the best results.

4. Smoothie Your Way to Strength

For those who work out, it’s important to come up with a good dieting plan. Exercise doesn’t mean much if you don’t have good eating habits to back it up. Strengthening your body happens during mealtimes, too, not just at the gym. The best way to give your muscles fuel is by adding protein to your diet. Creating a post-workout (or just a yummy morning!) smoothie is a great way to achieve that. Whatever smoothie combo you opt for, don’t forget to add milk or cottage cheese for your dose of protein and flavour. If you’re vegan, it’s a good idea to use vegan protein powder as a substitute. Be sure to include other superfoods, such as broccoli, to your smoothies though, as the supplement shouldn’t be your only source of protein.

5. Say Hello to Healthy Snacking

Image: Brooke Lark on Unsplash

People usually think you should only have three meals a day and leave out the snacks if you want to live a healthy life. In reality, we need those three main meals plus two snacks per day. They key is to eat small portions filled with nutritious food. Healthy snacking should be your new objective. Two hours after breakfast, you should eat some fruits or veggies. For instances, red fruit such as raspberries and strawberries is delicious but also full of antioxidants. You’ll be lowering your chances of heart disease and some forms of cancer just by indulging in a healthy snack. If you can’t give up sweets in the afternoon, try dark chocolate. It actually slows down ageing and cell damage, while still qualifying as a sugary delight.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a few key tips you need to be aware of for the best results. They’ll help you reach your goal quicker, but more importantly, they’ll rejuvenate your body and cleanse it from all the toxins. In turn, that’ll boost your metabolism and make you invincible. So get shopping for those superfoods and don’t forget about the tips to keep your body in great shape even during the festive season.