Egg
Want to be healthier but don’t know where to start? Eat an egg! Eggs have around 6 grams of protein each and are the best food to eat if you need a dose of choline, an amazing nutrient that supports brain health. Whether you want them scrambled or poached – whichever way you do it, eggs contain amazing health benefits all around!
Walnuts
If you are craving a snack but don’t want to give in to a bar of chocolate, reach for a handful of walnuts. They are full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats! Eating them has loads of benefits like lowering cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Not only this, but they contain massive amounts of fiber and protein, helping to improve gut health and weight management.
Dandelion greens
Dandelion greens aren’t spoken about half as much as they should. When someone is looking to get healthier, they automatically look for kale or spinach, but these are the way to go. They are amazing at breaking down fat and easing digestion, which is great for those wanting to lose weight. Additionally, it aids the liver and makes sure no potentially damaging chemicals reach it.
Prunes
Prunes are never spoken about, even though they are one of the healthiest foods out there. They contain nutrients that aid bone health, like boron and potassium, and it was found that eating 4-6 prunes each day will stabilize blood sugar levels and maintain the structure of your bones.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous veggie that is extremely healthy to eat. Like brussels sprouts and cabbage, broccoli holds mass amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which aid the digestive system. They’re also high in fiber, meaning they can give you more energy and help with bone health. Why don’t you make a delicious stir-fry and add these in for a delicious health boost!
Pumpkin seeds
Still craving a snack? Pumpkin seeds are the next best thing! Pumpkin seeds support your digestion by having amazing sources of fiber and magnesium. The magnesium not only helps with digestion, but also for reducing stress and supporting your mood. Therefore, eating this food may make you feel happier and more motivated to continue eating healthy and developing a healthier lifestyle.
Yogurt
If you buy the correct type of yogurt, it can be one of the healthiest foods going. However, you need to make sure you aren’t buying yogurts that contain a lot of sugar. As long as you avoid this, it can enhance your immune health through the amount of probiotics it contains. It’s also a good source of calcium and vitamin D which both are good for boosting bone health.
True tea
True tea is the opposite to herbal tea. Rather than chamomile or peppermint, ‘true’ tea is green tea or black tea. Recommended for everyday consumption, true tea contains a rare compound called flavan-3-ols. This supports heart health which isn’t seen in many food or drink, so drinking true tea is the way to go for a healthy diet… and it’s super enjoyable!
Oatmeal
Want a healthy breakfast? Oatmeal is the best option. It’s extremely versatile, you can pair it with whatever you want – sweet or savory. It allows for a bowl full of nutrients like fiber, magnesium, copper, and vitamin B! Oats are especially good for lowering your cholesterol, managing blood sugars and keeping you full after eating due to its density. Therefore, it’s perfect for those wanting to aid their digestion.
Olive oil
When you’re cooking, you may want to prioritize using olive oil. It’s full of antioxidants that in turn reduce the risk of chronic disease, help manage your blood pressure and improve the function of the brain. Olive oil has been concluded as one of the healthiest cooking oils out there, due to it improving heart health and reducing the risk of certain diseases.
Spinach
Popeye was spot-on, spinach is a powerhouse of potassium, vitamins C and B6, iron, and magnesium. It helps that it’s sold in huge quantities at cheap prices and is about as easy to prepare as a vegetable can be. Wash and serve as a salad, or fry with garlic and oil for a less densely nutritious, but overall still nutritionally whole side.
Coffee
While it’s likely most coffee drinkers consume far too much, the health benefits of a simple cup of black coffee a day are well-established. Like many tropically grown crops, the rich soil and lush conditions mean the beans are packed with minerals and nutrients, like vitamins B2 and B3. It’s also high in antioxidants!
Salmon
Salmon are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These are the good kinds of fats that your body needs to regulate things like cholesterol and blood pressure. They’ve also been shown to help lower the risk of strokes, and aid in controlling things like arthritis and eczema. Salmon also contains some vitamin D.
Blueberries
Foods are very rarely blue and, as a general rule, the chemicals that make fruit brighter and bolder colours are good for you! Don’t apply this knowledge in a foraging situation, but on the store shelves, blueberries are an excellent fruit to reach for. They’re full of antioxidants and though they have natural sugars, have been shown to potentially help manage overall blood sugar.
Beans
They may very often come in cans, but canning is just a preservation method. Food does lose a little nutritional value in the process, since canning requires heat but beans are still bursting with essential fibers, proteins, carbs, and iron. They’re seeds! They have everything plants need to live right inside them. Eat more beans.
Beets
The good old-fashioned beet has stuck around through the centuries thanks to it’s massive nutritional payload. The betanin that gives the root vegetable its signature dark red color is a powerful antioxidant, and it’s high magnesium help keep bones strong and the heart healthy.
Banana
We all know you should be eating five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, what’s important is the variety contained within those five. Bananas are widely available and excellent sources of potassium, an electrically charged mineral that does wonders to keep the heart and nerves strong and active.
Chicken breast
It’s a meal prep staple for a reason. As a white, lean, high-protein option, you can’t really get better than the humble chicken breast. It’s preferable to white meat as a healthy meat option because it lacks a lot of phosphates and doesn’t typically come as a processed product. They’re also incredibly quick and simple to prepare.
Macadamia nut
Most nuts, or seeds that pretend to be nuts, or vice versa, are good for you. Like beans, they’re compact parcels of life-creating minerals and vitamins, and the macadamia nut has a few stand out ingredients. They’re higher in monounsaturated fats, the healthy ones, and omega-6 than other nuts.
Cucumber
While often overall calorie count is given a lot more a lot more importance than it’s worth, cucumbers are an excellent choice if you are looking to consume less. They’re mostly water, as you would have gathered from the taste, and low in both carbs and calories while offering a little vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting.
Garlic
Garlic was seemingly designed to be eaten daily, otherwise, nature wouldn’t have made it go in literally every meal. It is much healthier raw, however, as most of the amazing sulfur compounds are only present for a while after it’s chopped and crushed. From there it enters the digestive tracks and has benefits all over the body.
Oysters
Though molluscs have mostly negative connotations, their tiny shells protect some of the ocean’s most nutrient-dense treasures. You get protein, vitamins D and C, phosphorus, as well as zinc, iron, and copper. Few foods offer a more well-rounded palette of positive benefits, make sure they’re cooked thoroughly to get rid of any contamination.
Brown rice
While white rice is certainly the more commonly consumed and is already an excellent source of carbs, fiber, and slow-release energy, brown rice is still much better for you. Its high vitamin B1 content helps your body metabolize sugars into energy much more efficiently, which helps the higher fiber keep you going for hours.
Cheese
Though it is high in fat, cheese is a popular meat replacement for vegetarians due to it’s high protein content and versatility. Depending on the kind of cheese, you could also be getting a lot of good pro-biotic nutrition, which helps regulate gut health and the body’s hunger response. One slice contains about as much protein as a full glass of milk.
Potatoes
A core ingredient across the world, potatoes have helped sustain populations through terrible conditions. The hearty nightshade is a great source of potassium and vitamin C, and their skin is packed with fiber if you choose to leave them on, which you undeniably should. Their high water content helps fill you up without many calories.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is closer to the taste and mineral content of the natural cocoa bean than its milkier contemporaries. It also retains a lot of those beneficial compounds like flavonoids, which are powerful anti-oxidants. You shouldn’t use this as an excuse to eat an entire bar in one sitting, it still has a lot of sugar and fats but, in moderation, it’s a great addition.
Peanuts
Let’s be clear here, there are two very distinct uses for peanuts. Peanut butter is well known as a protein and calorie-dense addition to most foods when you’re looking to bulk up. Peanuts themselves have been shown to actually aid in weight loss, so no matter what you’re aiming for peanuts have your back. By the way, they’re legumes.
Asparagus
In terms of a calorie-to-nutritional-benefit ratio, asparagus is one of the strongest contenders. 90 grams of asparagus contains just 20 calories but over half your daily vitamin K intake. You’ll also get a good deal of fiber as well as vitamins A and C. Cooking them is as simple as boiling and serving, though you can get a little fancier if you want.
Lamb
If you have a hankering for red meat, lamb could potentially be one of your better options. It’s not popular enough to be transformed and sold as ultra-processed foods, so whenever you can get lamb it’s usually in season. It’s also high in omega-3 fatty acids, the same kinds found in seafood, due to their majority grass-fed diet.
Oranges
White blood cells are essential fighters in our body’s ongoing war against disease. One of the best things to help the production of white blood cell counts is vitamin C, and an orange gives you 100% of your daily recommended intake. Vitamin C can also help keep your eyes, heart, and stomach strong and healthy.
Bell peppers
Delicious raw or cooked, bell peppers have a water content of about 93%. This makes them low-calorie and also explains why they shrink down so much when you fry them. They’re one of the highest sources of vitamin C available, as well as offering B6, B9, and a bunch of potassium to create a well-rounded daily addition to your diet.
Avocado
Informally known as the only reason millennials have no money – avocado really is as good as most people say it is. While they are relatively high in calories, most of that comes from the abundance of healthy monounsaturated fats and high fiber content. They contain more potassium than bananas and can even be used for skincare, due to their hydrating vitamin E content.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are absolutely fascinating, encompassing an entire third kingdom of life, not quite flora and not quite fauna. The bits we eat are the spore-bearing fruit of the fungus, wiring its way through whatever log or clump of sawdust it grows from. These bodies are full of folate, potassium, and fiber – adding wonderful texture and flavor to many dishes.
Kiwi
Kiwi fruits are fiddly to eat but well worth the effort of fetching a teaspoon. You’ll get a healthy dose of vitamins C, E and K. That vitamin E is great for the skin and is thought to, in sufficient qualities, slow down the effects of aging. The current effects of daily consumption on fiberskin are still being tested, but the rest of its benefits are verifiably real.
Kale
Kale is found in abundance across health-food meals and smoothies, and that’s because it really is a super ingredient. Its subtle flavor makes it an easy additive to a lot of different recipes, and it brings a huge boost of vitamins A, B6, C, K, fiber, and manganese. All of this makes kale an easy daily addition to your diet.
Barley
Barley is an often overlooked grain in favor of trendier options. It can be prepared in a similar way to quinoa and couscous, simply boil in stock or seasoned water, and you have a high protein, and super high fiber side dish for basically anything from fish, to steak, to a warm salad.
Sardines
While the common serving option is a required taste, sardines are an excellent umami booster for everything from sauces to meatballs. As a raw ingredient, think salad topping or pizza topping if you’re really stretching for healthy options, they provide tons of calcium, omega-3, protein, and vitamin D.
Strawberries
It’s hard to believe something so delicious and sweet can be good for you but rest assured those natural sugars rank low on the glycaemic index. That means they won’t spike your blood sugar! They also provide the benefit of fiber from their skins, as well as plenty of antioxidants and slow-release carbs.
Tofu
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the benefits of tofu. It is a valuable source of non-meat protein, but it also has essential amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. The plant based chemical flavonoids found in tofu help regulate cellular activity and fight off free radicals in the environment.
Liver
Though we have grown to become much more detached from the food we eat, the liver is still on the popular end of the unpopular cuts. Due to its function in the body, it’s hard to get as many concentrated nutrients and vitamins anywhere else on the animal. It’s high in retinol, in particular, a vitamin A derivative known for its anti-aging properties.
Lemons
The exact number varies, but around nine in ten people don’t get their five portions of fruit a day! This is almost certainly because of their economic circumstances, most people love fresh fruit – it’s just prohibitively expensive. We also tend to focus our veggies on dinner when we should spread them out, and lemon slips so easily into meals while packing plenty of vitamins.
Apricots
This nourishing, hydrating fruit has been linked to possible increases in eye, gut, liver, and skin health. This is due to it’s high concentration of minerals like iron and iron, as well as its high antioxidant and vitamin count. They’re also widely available and easy to incorporate into your diet, though dried ones pack more sugar.
Kelp
Kelp has been used for culinary purposes for centuries, it’s even where most monosodium-glutamate derives from. It contains absolutely heaps of iodine, one of the most important minerals for thyroid production and regulation. Almost one third of people are iodine deficient, and 1g of kelp is supercharged with thousands of times what you need daily. Your body doesn’t absorb it all, don’t worry.
Mackerel
Seafood and shellfish are one of the best sources of vitamin B12 on the planet. B12 is a vitamin called cobalamin, which contains the metal cobalt. Our bodies can’t produce B12 naturally, but it’s required for every single cell in your body to function. Mackerel is acknowledged as the cream of the fish-farm with its exceedingly high cobalamin contents.
Bok choi
This Chinese cabbage is much longer and thinner than the kinds grown across the West, but is even better than most brassica for your health. They’re high in dietary fiber and vitamin K, which is going to help your eyes and bones stay strong. They’re also a natural source of calcium, so they’re an excellent addition for those who don’t consume dairy.
Popcorn
Providing they’re not covered in butter, salt, caramel, pretzels, sprinkles, syrup… basically anything that brings you joy, popcorn is fantastic for you. In terms of fiber, one cup gives you about a gram’s worth of soluble, gut-aiding good stuff. They’re also low in calories relative to other snack foods, and keep you full for longer.
Hummus
This delicious Middle-Eastern dip is available on basically every store shelf at this point. As with any fat/oil based product, most commercial versions will be made with cheaper, hydrogenated oils that are bad for you. Homemade hummus, however, is incredible for you. Chickpea, garlic, lemon, and oil of both nut and olive. Every ingredient is a health staple.
Poached eggs
Eggs are something people tend to eat every day anyway, and have already made an appearance here for their general health benefits. When it comes to their preparation, if you want the absolute most from your eggs, poached may be the healthiest option. Obviously, it contains no added fats like butter, but the lower heat and convection cooking means the cholesterol doesn’t oxidize.
Pickles
The greatest discovery in the history of the nutritional sciences was when they found out pickles are good for you. Lacto-fermentation is very easy to do with a little research, you just need clean water, salt, and time to check nothing has started living in there with them. The probiotic benefits of fermented foods form part of the bases of gut science.
Hemp Seeds
There are tons of different seeds that have been thought of as “superfoods” throughout the years, but hemp have a little extra goodness packed in there. Not only do they contain all nine essential amino acids, but one tablespoon also has about three grams of protein and they can be added to a ton of sweet and savory meals for a little gains boost.