When it comes to healthy eating, many of us struggle to stick to what’s best. Things like vegetables, fruits, and grains are essential parts of a balanced diet. Here we’ll look at some of the most nutritious, as well as other delicious healthy foods that are easy to incorporate into your routine.
Oats
Oats couldn’t be easier to incorporate into your daily diet. Cook a cup of oats in water, dairy or plant-based milk, or a combination of your choice for a hearty breakfast that will fuel you until lunchtime. Oats can help improve digestive health, are nutrient-rich, and naturally gluten-free1.
Don’t feel like eating hot porridge for breakfast on a warm day? Soak your portion in the fridge while you sleep for a delicious and refreshing breakfast of overnight oats.
Nuts
A convenient and healthy snack, nuts are ideal for taking with you on the go or keeping in your store cupboard. There are lots of different types of nuts all boasting unique health benefits. Almonds are rich in calcium and vitamin E, while cashews contain significant levels of protein, iron, and zinc2.
Whether you cook with them or eat a handful of nuts as a snack, these little nutritional powerhouses are a great way to improve your health through your daily diet.
Blueberries
Blueberries are often touted as a ‘superfood’ thanks to their high concentration of antioxidants, vitamin C, and soluble fibre3. You should have no trouble adding this sweet little fruit into your daily routine. Try sprinkling blueberries on your porridge, adding to a smoothie or overnight oats for double points!
Mushrooms
There are many different types of edible mushrooms, including well-known button, oyster, and porcini varieties. All mushrooms have unique nutritional values which include levels of protein, fibre, B vitamins, and the antioxidant selenium4.
Mushrooms boast a delicious umami flavour which works perfectly in a range of savoury dishes. From soups and stews or pies to curries, pasta, and omelettes, these nutrient-rich fungi are easy to incorporate into your regular diet. Mushrooms are also an excellent choice if you’re a vegetarian looking to enjoy a meaty taste and texture in your cooking.
Spinach
This dark leafy vegetable is from the same family as beetroot, chard, and quinoa, so it should come as no surprise that spinach is full of nutritional value. Perhaps most well known of these benefits is its high amount of iron. Iron plays a crucial role in the health of red blood cells, which help transport oxygen around the body and provide energy5.
As well as its high iron content, spinach is also a good source of vitamins A, C, K, and B12 alongside manganese and magnesium6. It’s easy to work this mild-tasting leaf into your daily routine. Whether you add some to a sandwich, use it as the base for a side salad, or mix a few handfuls into a hot dish, spinach works brilliantly in most savoury meals.
If you think you’re missing an essential mineral from your regular diet, you can always give yourself a boost with a good-quality mineral supplement. Explore your options and make sure you’re fueling your body with everything it needs to work at its best.
Last updated: 19 May 2020
Sources
1 https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/bonnie-taub-dix-nutrition-intuition/reasons-why-you-should-eat-oatmeal-every-day/
2 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-nuts
3 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-blueberries
4 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-mushrooms
5 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-spinach
6 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-spinach
