Introduction
Trying to eat healthy can be a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be! Check out this list of the 60 healthiest foods around and feel confident in your choices.
Dark chocolate
In addition to its antioxidant benefits, dark chocolate is also good for your heart. It has been shown that eating a few squares of dark chocolate each day can reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol. Dark chocolate contains flavonols—antioxidants that help keep your arteries healthy and clear.
It’s not just good for your body; it’s good for your mood too! Studies have shown that eating dark chocolate may improve cognition in older adults by increasing blood flow to certain areas of the brain involved with memory and thinking skills.
But wait, there’s more: Dark chocolate is also beneficial for your skin! The antioxidants in cocoa are known to fight free radicals which cause premature aging and sun damage on the skin.
Oats
Oats are a great source of nutrients and fiber. Oats contain soluble fibers that help lower cholesterol, which makes them heart-healthy. They also contain soluble fiber that helps support digestive health, and insoluble fiber that aids in weight loss.
Oats are a good source of protein and vitamins as well as minerals such as selenium and magnesium, both important for heart health. Some research also suggests that eating oats can help prevent diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels after meals or snacks containing carbohydrates or sugary foods.
Bananas
Bananas are a great source of potassium and are known to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. They’re also good for your digestion, as well as bone health—just one banana contains close to 10% of the daily recommended value for magnesium, which plays an important role in helping the body absorb calcium. Bananas are also a good source of vitamin B6, which may help fight depression and other mood disorders.
Wild salmon
- Wild salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce inflammation and lower triglycerides in the blood.
- Its protein content is also higher than other types of fish.
- Salmon has only 1 gram of saturated fat per 100 grams, making it a good choice for people who are trying to reduce their intake of saturated fats. This fat also contains heart-healthy nutrients such as vitamin D and selenium, which may help prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke and cancer.
- Lastly, wild salmon provides high amounts of vitamins A, B6, B12 and niacin (vitamin B3). It’s also rich in minerals like potassium that can contribute to healthy bones and muscles
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A, beta-carotene and antioxidants. They’re also a good source of fiber, potassium and iron. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin C. Try adding sweet potato fries to your next meal!
Garlic
Garlic is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, manganese, and selenium. Garlic has also been shown to prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. The antioxidants in garlic can help lower cholesterol levels by preventing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) as well as reducing blood pressure.
If you want to try something different with your meals that’s both healthy and tasty, consider adding garlic to them!
Broccoli
Broccoli is the king of the superfoods. With a wide variety of health benefits, broccoli has long been known as one of the healthiest foods around. It’s rich in vitamins A and C, K, fiber and antioxidants. Broccoli also contains calcium and iron which are essential nutrients for your body’s function.
Broccoli is an excellent source of lutein and zeaxanthin—two phytochemicals that help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Two servings per week may help lower your risk for AMD by 35%.
Red wine
Red wine is good for your heart, and it may have some benefits for your brain as well. The antioxidants found in red wine protect against heart disease and reduce inflammation. It’s also been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by increasing blood flow to the brain. And while you should drink in moderation, you can still reap those rewards if you have one glass of red wine per day or 4 ounces of red wine vinegar.
Chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans
Chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans are the most well-rounded superfoods on the list. They’re high in fibre, low in fat (at only 1g per 100g serving), high in protein (16g per 100g serving), and their low calorie count means they won’t derail your weight loss goals. In addition to being a valuable source of fibre and protein, chickpeas also contain an antioxidant called saponin that may help prevent cancer by blocking the growth of tumours. Black beans are also rich in folate (a B vitamin) while kidney beans are a good source of iron—both nutrients you need more of if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
The great thing about these awesome legumes is that they come in so many different varieties: red lentils; pinto beans; black turtle beans; white navy beans; split peas; butterbeans—you get the picture! When deciding which ones to buy for your next batch of hummus or chilli con carne make sure that none contain added salt as this can lead to bloating and other digestive issues if consumed too much over time
Eggs
Eggs are a superfood that can help keep you healthy from head to toe. For example, eggs are an excellent source of choline, a vitamin-like nutrient that’s been shown to help with brain function and memory. They’re also good for your heart health. The yolk contains folate and other B vitamins, which may lower homocysteine levels (a protein linked to cardiovascular disease).
Besides being packed with nutrients, eggs have other benefits too: they can make your hair look shinier and stronger; they can improve nail quality; they’ll give your muscles more strength; they’ll even protect your bones!
Avocados
Avocados are a good source of monounsaturated fat, which is important for heart health. They’re also full of phytochemicals that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties in the body. Vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting and helps keep your bones healthy. Folate helps your body make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Potassium promotes normal muscle and nerve function, regulates fluid balance, and keeps blood pressure levels normal by balancing out sodium levels in the body.
Vitamin C plays an important role in immune function as well as collagen production (collagen is what helps keep our skin firm). Vitamin B6 helps maintain nerve tissue health while vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that protects cells from damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules found naturally in the environment).
Asparagus
Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, which helps blood clot properly. It also contains folate and potassium—both important nutrients that help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Asparagus is high in fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins (including niacin), and minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc.
Brazil nuts and walnuts
These nuts are high in selenium, a trace mineral that plays an essential role in regulating thyroid function and removing heavy metals from the body. They’re also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium, which supports the immune system. Walnuts contain manganese, which is important for making sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone.
The health benefits don’t stop there: Brazil nuts are also high in antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin that protect your eyes from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts; even better, they have a unique combination of amino acids that support neurotransmitter function.
Strawberries and blueberries
Strawberries and blueberries are some of the most nutrient-dense and antioxidant-rich fruits around. They’re also low in calories, making them a good choice if you want to lose weight.
Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, folate, manganese and potassium. Blueberries are even more packed with antioxidants than strawberries—they have about three times as many anthocyanins (the flavonoids that give them their deep color) than strawberries do—but they do have slightly fewer vitamins and minerals overall. Plus both berries have just 14 grams of sugar per cup!
Be confident about your healthy choices by choosing from our list of 60 healthiest foods.
If you’re looking to make a change in your diet, our list of the 60 healthiest foods can be a great way to get started. Why? Because it’ll give you a good idea of where you should be shopping and what foods are going to give you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to nutritional value. Plus, most people have never heard of some of these foods before—which means that there’s probably something on this list that will totally surprise and delight you!
In addition, since we’ve arranged our list alphabetically by type (fruit, grain, legumes/nuts/seeds) and then ranked them according to their relative healthiness (i.e., nutrient density), it’ll be easy for any beginner interested in eating better but who also has limited time or experience cooking at home to pick up one ingredient from each group every week until they’ve built up their pantry with healthy staples they can use over again throughout the week instead of buying pre-packaged meals from fast food restaurants all day long.
For example: if someone wants spaghetti tonight but doesn’t want all those extra calories inside their belly after dinner tomorrow morning during their lunch break at work because they know there’s going
Conclusion
Now that you know the healthiest foods out there, it’s time to start making smart choices! Don’t stress about what foods are good or bad; just focus on eating lots of variety and getting plenty of exercise. These tips will help keep you healthy for years to come.