Many of us live with the false conception that eating healthy is expensive and hard to achieve. While it is true that healthy foods can be more expensive, especially if you are looking to get organic foods, you don’t have to spend a small fortune in order to eat healthily. There are several foods that should exist in your diet and food list all the time, due to the fact that they are rich in nutrients and highly affordable. What foods are we talking about? Just take a look below at some of the foods you should eat as often as possible if you want to give your body portions of valuable nutrients all the time.
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Spinach
While spinach won’t make you grow muscles overnight, as Popeye the Sailor promoted, it is a leafy green that should be on your menu because of its many other benefits. For example, is among the few leafy greens that are a source of omega-3 fatty acid and folate, two important nutrients that keep heart attacks and strokes at bay. Folate is also great for enhancing blood flow throughout the body, which will prevent health issues that usually come with old age, due to the slowing down of blood flow. Spinach can be enjoyed cooked and fresh as well, in salads. So, if you want to enjoy the benefits of this amazing leafy green, have 1 cup of fresh spinach or 1 cup and a half of cooked spinach on a daily basis.
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Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the most popular and available vegetables out there. It is incredibly versatile when it comes to the ways you can enjoy it, being delicious fresh and cooked at the same time. The bright red color of tomatoes actually shows just how important they are for our health. Lycopene, a phytochemical and powerful antioxidant, is the one responsible for the color of tomatoes. It is also the one that color carrots, watermelons, and other red fruits, although cherries and strawberries are not included on this list, in spite of their red color. Getting back to our tomatoes, eating them in any form you like will give your body the precious lycopene, which can prevent the appearance of numerous cancer forms and significantly minimizes the risks of developing a coronary artery disease. And all you have to do for this is to enjoy a glass of tomato juice or approximately 8 cherry tomatoes every day, to get the 22 mg of lycopene you need for an outstanding health.
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Yogurt
Yogurt has been around ever since mankind managed to domesticate animals like cows, goats, and sheep. While modern yogurt is made in controlled conditions and with the help of specific bacterial cultures, back in the days, milk fermented naturally and spontaneously, if left in an area with warm temperatures. This is still done today especially by those people that have access to raw milk, as it contains good bacteria useful for the fermentation process. Whether we are talking about spontaneous or controlled fermentation, this process creates foods that are incredibly healthy for us. Yogurt is so healthy because it contains a high number of good bacteria, which dwell in our digestive system and not just improve our digestion but also strengthen our immune system. The great part about yogurt is that it is lactose-free, as lactose is transformed by bacteria during the fermentation process so that it can be easily digested by those with lactose intolerance, and it is rich in calcium and proteins, both of them extremely valuable for our body.
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Vinegar
While many may not regard it as food, vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, brings many benefits for your health. If you are wondering what apple cider vinegar has to offer for your health, you should know that there are quite a few important aspects that concern your health provided by this cheap and highly accessible fermented food. First of all, apple cider vinegar adjust the pH of our body, switching it to alkaline, which we all know that it is the pH we need to stay healthy and fight off any illness. It kills a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, including the notorious E.Coli, which means that we will be more resilient to infections and diseases. It is also worth mentioning that it is a great aid for weight loss, helps digestion and nutrient absorption, and boosts our energy and immunity. So, either enjoying a tablespoon or apple cider vinegar in your salads or drinking it in a glass of water, it is a great thing you can do for your health every single day.
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Carrots
Packed with carotenoids, carrots are highly available all year round and make not just a great and healthy snack, but are a great addition to a wide range of recipes as well. Carotenoids are compounds that make carrots, and other orange foods, orange, but they are also known for their properties of preventing cancer and inflammatory disease. A half of cup of carrots per day is all you need to get the benefits of this superfood. So next time you want something to nibble on, go for a portion of crunchy carrots.
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Black beans
It is well-known the fact that beans, not just black beans, are a great food to have, as they are rich in fibers and proteins. But, beans are also a great source of anthocyanins, an antioxidant that protects your brain, improving its function and keeping it from developing illnesses triggered by old age. A half of cup of black beans or other beans is all that you need for a healthy diet. Also, the best part about beans is that you can eat them in very many ways and combinations. You can add them to salads, chili, pasta, or you can puree them for a tasty dip or spread. So it is really up to you how to enjoy this super-food that should not be disregarded whatsoever.
