A healthy lifestyle begins with a healthy diet. Heading to the gym and expecting results without having a diet that helps you is useless.
Maintaining such a diet is possible if you know what you’re eating, so, here’s seven superfoods to reach your fitness goals quicker!
1. Garlic
One of the unexpected one’s is garlic: this plant food is a good source of manganese, vitamin C, vitamin B6, selenium and fiber.
Known for its distinct flavour, garlic is a popular culinary ingredient that few realise how important it is for your diet, especially because it helps boost your body’s immune system.
2. Olive Oil
Olive oil is a key ingredient to our Mediterranean diet, but its only beneficial to you if it is natural oil extracted from the fruit of olive trees
Its biggest claims to health are its high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyphonic compounds.
Adding olive oil to your diet may reduce inflammation and your risk of certain illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
3. Ginger
Used for its flavor enhancer, ginger comes from the root of a flowering plant from China and has multiple medicinal effects.
Ginger root contains antioxidants, such as ginger-oil, and is effective for managing nausea and reducing pain from acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.
Ginger is also available fresh, as an oil or juice and in dried/powdered forms. It’s easy to incorporate into soups, stir-fries, sauces and teas.
4. Turmeric
Closely related to ginger, turmeric is a bright yellow spice originally from India that is used for cooking and its medicinal properties.
Curcumin is the active compound in turmeric. It has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and is the focus of most research surrounding turmeric.
Studies show that curcumin may be effective in treating and preventing chronic diseases such as cancer as well as helps healing and pain reduction.
5. Salmon
Not only is salmon tasty, but it is a highly nutritious fish packed with healthy fats, protein, B vitamins, potassium and selenium.
It’s one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known for a variety of health benefits, such as reducing inflammation.
Including salmon in your diet may also lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes and help you maintain a healthy weight.
6. Avocado
Avocado is a highly nutritious fruit and it is rich in many nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
Similar to olive oil, avocado is high in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs). Oleic acid is the most predominant MUFA in avocado, which is linked to reduced inflammation in the body
Eating avocado may reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and certain types of cancer.
7. Sweet Potato
Carbs are important too! The sweet potato is a root vegetable loaded with many nutrients, including potassium, fiber and vitamins A and C.
They’re also a good source of carotenoids, a type of antioxidant that may reduce your risk of certain types of cancer.
Despite their sweet flavour, sweet potatoes don’t increase blood sugar as much as you might expect. Interestingly, they may actually improve blood sugar control in those with type 2 diabetes.
A healthy diet helps you live longer and avoid certain diseases. Constantly inputting junk food into your system will only damage it further. Live a healthy lifestyle from today to avoid future health issues!
If you want to learn more about eating to improve your health and performance, visit our health and fitness gym at St. Julian’s to speak to one of our dietitians to get started on a healthy route for you!
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