10 Healthy Foods You Must Add To Your Diet

Looking To Try New Stuff? Here Are 10 Healthy Foods For Ya!

We have a fun challenge for you! Work on incorporating more healthy foods regularly. Whether a super-food, or just out of your comfort-zone food, this list covers the bases on all kinds of nutrients!

1.       Tempeh:

Made from fermented soybeans, you’ll find many delicious tempeh recipes in the 131 Method. Some benefits of tempeh include:

• Source of probiotics to promote gut health
• Great source of plant-based protein
• Supports bone density (1)
• Fermented and less processed than most other soy products

Check out this recipe for Grilled Avocado with BBQ Tempeh!

2.       Bone Broth:

Made by simmering animal bones in order to extract compounds like collagen, gelatin, glutamine, magnesium, and many other nutrients. Bone broth can:

• Improve gut health by decreasing intestinal permeability
• Decrease inflammation
• Provide amino acids for joint health
• Promote healthy skin with collagen
• Provide a source of calcium for those who don’t consume dairy (2)

3.       Hemp Seeds (or hearts):

Hemp makes our top 10 healthy foods to try list because they’re low carb, high protein jewels! These seeds have a mild, nutty flavor that can be added to almost anything like salads, smoothies, and oatmeal. They are also a great source of healthy fat and protein for vegans. They are comprised of soluble and insoluble fiber. Hemp seeds:

• Support digestion
• Provide anti-inflammatory omega 3’s
• Include all essential amino acids, making them a complete protein (3)
• Perfect protein source for vegans
• Keto-friendly

The 131 Method online program has recipes for desserts and an amazing tabbouleh!

4.       Chia Seeds:

Tiny black seeds loaded with nutrients. They are high in fiber, protein, Omega 3’s, calcium, magnesium, and many other vitamins and minerals. Almost all the carbs in chia seeds are fiber. When soaked in water, they expand and create a gel that makes a great pudding! Also, more nutrition is absorbed from chia seeds when consumed ground (4). So try grinding them first, or add to smoothies. Additionally, chia seeds:

• Increase satiety due to fiber
• Provide anti-inflammatory omega 3’s
• Aid in blood pressure reduction (5)
• Helps digestion

Check out our Matcha Chia recipe.

5.       Matcha:

A concentrated, finely ground form of green tea containing an antioxidant called EGCG which provides awesome health benefits such as:

• Reduces risk for cancer development (6)
• Boosts exercise performance (7)
• Supports healthy cholesterol levels (8)
• Immune system support
• Purifying the blood and eliminating molds in the body
• Rejuvenating and energizing the body
• Detoxifying the liver
• Cleaning the intestines
• Ability to normalize blood pressure
• Potential to combat anemia

6.       MCT Oil:

“Medium Chain Triglycerides” are a type of fatty acid that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. MCT’s are quickly sent to the liver which can supply a quick energy source. MCT oil has many health benefits such as:

• Increased satiety (9)
• Increased energy (10)
• Reduces appetite (10)
• Enhanced ketones

7.      Spaghetti Squash:

Used as a noodle substitute in cooking, it contains a quarter of the calories and carbs in traditional pasta. So, you get more veggies and fewer carbs! We love it in place of pasta in Italian and Asian dishes. But use it in place of processed carbs in pretty much any recipe. It’s also high in fiber and vitamins A, C, and B.

7.       Avocado Oil:

We all know avocados are extremely nutrient-dense. So, it makes sense that we should be using avocado oil as well. Avocado oil has a high smoke point which makes it one of the best oils for cooking. It’s also a monounsaturated fat, so the health benefits abound!

Give this Avocado Dip a try.

7.       Apple Cider Vinegar:

A popular vinegar used as a natural remedy. It is made by fermenting the sugar found in apples. ACV has lots of health claims and some of them are backed by science:

• Improves digestion (11)
• Lowers blood sugar levels (11)
• Anti-inflammatory
• Skin Issues
• Headaches
• Burns Fat
• Good for gut health

10.   Grass-Finished Meats:

If there’s one place to spend extra in your grocery budget, it’s on grass-finished meats. We eat what the animal ate. Grass-finished meat contains higher levels of omega-3’s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-finished beef. Choosing grass-finished over grain-finished is the difference between your meat causing inflammation, or fighting it.

• Grass-finished beef contains fewer hormones and antibiotics
• High carotenoid level
• Higher glutamine and omega 3s

Try these Zucchini Nachos!

Let us know if you already eat these super-foods, and which of our top 10 healthy foods you’ll add to your list in the comments!

Resources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26565435
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8082052
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20977230
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28000689
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25403867
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2577676/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK299060/
8. http://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/journal/contents/54/E62.pdf
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27188898
10. https://nutritionreview.org/2013/04/medium-chain-triglycerides-mcts/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/