Healthy Lifestyle

Eating Well Living Well: 10 Nutrient Rich Foods for a Healthy Lifestyle

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Americans tend to eat too much low-quality foods, which can lead to weight gain and health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and more. To avoid this, it’s important to focus on nutrient-dense foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats. These foods should also have limited amounts of sodium (salt), saturated and trans fats. Leafy greens such as kale, swiss chard and spinach are nutrient powerhouses that contain vitamin A, C and K, as well as folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc.

They are also low in calories and a great source of fiber. Other high-nutrient foods include arugula, collard greens and mustard greens. Berries are another nutrient-rich food. They contain a variety of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, C and E, as well as folate, potassium and magnesium. Other highly-nutrient foods are eggs, beans and quinoa. One egg contains a wide range of nutrients and is a good source of vitamin A, B12, selenium, riboflavin, choline, iron, phosphorus, zinc and copper. Beans and legumes are high in protein and offer a complete set of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) as well as fiber, folate, potassium and magnesium. Quinoa is a high-protein, gluten-free food that is a good source of dietary fiber, folate, manganese and magnesium.

Avocados are another high-nutrient food, packing in a lot of vitamins and minerals for very few calories. A 100 g serving of avocado provides you with a quarter of your RDA for vitamin K, a fifth of your RDA for folate and 23 percent of your daily intake of potassium. Nutrient-rich foods should also be a staple of your diet if you are looking to lower your cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for heart health, and you can get them from fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring. You can also find them in a number of plant-based foods, including walnuts, flax seeds and chia seeds.

Aside from eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods, it’s also important to take a holistic approach to your health and wellbeing by focusing on exercise, stress reduction techniques and getting enough sleep. This will help you to maintain stable blood sugar levels, which is linked to mental health. Stable blood sugar levels are thought to improve mood, memory, learning, appetite and digestion. In addition, it can support your immune system and reduce inflammation in the body.

Rebekah