It seems like there is always a new exotic ‘super food’ popping up in health stores each season which claims to be even more life-changing then the last (think Seaweed, goji berries, bee pollen, hemp seed and acai berries).
Simply put, ‘super foods’ are the multi-taskers of the food world; brimming with various disease fighting nutrients, low in calories and packing a punch for their weight in terms of goodness. At SMART Training we are advocates of ‘super foods’ but we don’t believe you should have to spend a fortune in your local health store buying produce you have no idea how to actually use.
There are plenty of traditional every day ‘super foods’, crammed full of antioxidants that are probably sitting at the back of your fridge or in your cupboards right now. We have put together a list of traditional cost-effective super foods which you should aim to include in your diet each week to move towards a healthier lifestyle. These every day foods will give you an instant health upgrade.
Omega 3 Eggs
Okay, so we said we’d shelve protein, but let’s just get these delicious little life-savers out of the way first.
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Justin Harrison and Paddy Wallace examine an egg brought in to an Ulster training session in 2008. Darren Kidd
Darren Kidd
A recent study published in The International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found that an egg-based meal helps people feel fuller for longer when compared to meals containing a similar amount of calories. Therefore egg-based meals are not only low in fat but can keep you from giving in to those bothersome cravings. Eggs are also an excellent source of 11 different vitamins and minerals including vitamin A (important for vision) and folate.
Green Vegetables
Spinach and broccoli are some of the most nutritious and accessible foods available to us. Broccoli has gained super food-status because of its exceptionally high levels of vitamin C and folate (which has been linked with reducing the risk of heart diseases, certain cancers and stroke).
Shutterstock
Shutterstock
Meanwhile Popeye’s favourite tinnie is packed with Antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and vitamins that promote bone health and vision. Steamed broccoli with toasted almonds or sesame oil, lime juice and lime zest makes a wonderful accompaniment to any summer meal.
Whole Oats
The lowly oat is high in fibre and a great source of natural energy. Whole oats are also helpful in lowering cholesterol.
Berries
Berries are a fantastic source of fibre which can help to aid weight loss. Raspberries boast the most at eight grams of fiber per cup, while the same quantity of blueberries have half the fibre, they are brimming with vitamin C and essential minerals and have been even linked with aiding memory.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock
Add some berries to your morning oats along with some Greek yogurt and you will be prepared for the day. A bowl of frozen berries can be a perfect option for dessert to curb that sweet craving.
Avocado
Once the victim of tales about it being ‘high fat’, avocados are actually teeming with healthy fats and are too often overlooked. The myriad of healthy fats and nutrients found in this creamy super food include oleic acid, folate, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats which can help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain disease. Add an Avocado to a fruit smoothie to add a creamy texture or have it as a side with a breakfast omelette instead of toast.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock
This is not an exhausted list as there are plenty of other affordable accessible super foods, however alternating any and all of these super foods into your diet in the place of other processed high sugar, high fat foods will lead to a health upgrade.
5 everyday super foods you should work into your diet this weekend
Jonny Bruton is an Irish hockey international and owner of Smart Training Dublin.
LAST WEEK, WE brought you the first habit you should get into for a better chance of sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Today; seeing as many of you commenting on the article were eager for a move away from proteins, we’ve shelved that step for another week and instead we bring you Super Foods.
It seems like there is always a new exotic ‘super food’ popping up in health stores each season which claims to be even more life-changing then the last (think Seaweed, goji berries, bee pollen, hemp seed and acai berries).
Simply put, ‘super foods’ are the multi-taskers of the food world; brimming with various disease fighting nutrients, low in calories and packing a punch for their weight in terms of goodness. At SMART Training we are advocates of ‘super foods’ but we don’t believe you should have to spend a fortune in your local health store buying produce you have no idea how to actually use.
There are plenty of traditional every day ‘super foods’, crammed full of antioxidants that are probably sitting at the back of your fridge or in your cupboards right now. We have put together a list of traditional cost-effective super foods which you should aim to include in your diet each week to move towards a healthier lifestyle. These every day foods will give you an instant health upgrade.
Omega 3 Eggs
Okay, so we said we’d shelve protein, but let’s just get these delicious little life-savers out of the way first.
A recent study published in The International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found that an egg-based meal helps people feel fuller for longer when compared to meals containing a similar amount of calories. Therefore egg-based meals are not only low in fat but can keep you from giving in to those bothersome cravings. Eggs are also an excellent source of 11 different vitamins and minerals including vitamin A (important for vision) and folate.
Green Vegetables
Spinach and broccoli are some of the most nutritious and accessible foods available to us. Broccoli has gained super food-status because of its exceptionally high levels of vitamin C and folate (which has been linked with reducing the risk of heart diseases, certain cancers and stroke).
Meanwhile Popeye’s favourite tinnie is packed with Antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and vitamins that promote bone health and vision. Steamed broccoli with toasted almonds or sesame oil, lime juice and lime zest makes a wonderful accompaniment to any summer meal.
Whole Oats
The lowly oat is high in fibre and a great source of natural energy. Whole oats are also helpful in lowering cholesterol.
Berries
Berries are a fantastic source of fibre which can help to aid weight loss. Raspberries boast the most at eight grams of fiber per cup, while the same quantity of blueberries have half the fibre, they are brimming with vitamin C and essential minerals and have been even linked with aiding memory.
Add some berries to your morning oats along with some Greek yogurt and you will be prepared for the day. A bowl of frozen berries can be a perfect option for dessert to curb that sweet craving.
Avocado
Once the victim of tales about it being ‘high fat’, avocados are actually teeming with healthy fats and are too often overlooked. The myriad of healthy fats and nutrients found in this creamy super food include oleic acid, folate, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats which can help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain disease. Add an Avocado to a fruit smoothie to add a creamy texture or have it as a side with a breakfast omelette instead of toast.
This is not an exhausted list as there are plenty of other affordable accessible super foods, however alternating any and all of these super foods into your diet in the place of other processed high sugar, high fat foods will lead to a health upgrade.
For more information about the good habits around a healthy lifestyle go to SmartTrainingDublin.com, find them on Facebook here, or on Twitter@SmartTraining14.
Losing weight isn’t about crash dieting, it’s about good habits — so eat regularly
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