Food. The best word EVER. We all love it, and we all wish it could all be beneficial to our health. It’s basically like none of us will ever get over that stage that we went through as children, when our faces would cringe at the thought of vegetables over dessert. But when you’re confined to dining halls options that overly sweeten, salt, and grease everything, you start to eye healthy options up like the way a child who just got a prize in their Happy Meal does. Well ladies, bikini season in a just a few short months away, and trust me, the time will fly by. These trendy foods are good for toning up, and fighting future diseases. No worries, they’re savorier than they look and sound, too! Stock up on these trendy foods that will have you saying, and warning, here comes the cliché, “look good, feel good.”
Avocado
Why it’s good: I wasn’t introduced to these green babies until about halfway through my high school career. And boy was I missing out. Not only does avocado taste great, it’s also extremely beneficial to your health. Avocado is a fantastic source of fiber, potassium, Vitamins C, K, folate, and B6. Half an avocado has about 15 grams of healthy unsaturated fats, which can help with cholesterol decrease. It assists in cleaning out your system, so what’s there to lose (besides the increased chance of colon cancer)?
How to eat it: Avocado adds great flavoring when sliced and mixed in with a fresh salad. Also, use it as a spread for sandwiches instead of unhealthier options like mayo and cream cheese. It’s lightness and flavor is sure to make your taste buds happy!
Green Tea
Why it’s good: Let’s be honest. The first time we put on shorts again after a cold, lazy, junk filled winter, we all cry a little on inside, and proceed to go back to pants. If you’re looking for weight loss before bikini season, green tea is the best drink option. It increases your metabolism, so drinking it on a healthy diet is twice as beneficial. It also helps regulate your blood sugar levels, which fights against diabetes. It is said to reduce cholesterol levels, as well as fight Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s because it protects brain cells from dying. And if you’re having a bad day, it’s shown to decrease depression because of amino acid that has calming effects. Keep calm, and drink on!
How to drink it: Tazo Green Ginger Tea is full of natural ingredients, and absolutely no calories, fat, sugar, or sodium. Add some lemon and ice to enjoy a nice iced tea on a sunny day!
Quinoa
Why it’s good: Quinoa is a great grain and an amazing source of protein. It contains double the amount of fiber as most other proteins, which helps protect against heart disease, and high blood pressure, diabetes. It’s almost one of the foods that makes you feel fuller for a long period of time, making it ideal for weight loss. It’s also rich in magnesium, which helps with migraines. It contains high amounts of Riboflavin B2 and iron, which is great for basically every body system. I dare you to try saying quinoa five times in a row.
How to eat it: Quinoa is great as a side salad mixed with tomatoes, lemon juice, cucumbers, parsley, and olive oil! Alternatively, use quinoa in place of white rice for a healthier option.
Salmon
Why it’s good: Fish is one of those meals that you are either absolutely in love with, or absolutely repulsed by. I highly suggest you at least attempt to love salmon because its health benefits are innumerable. Salmon is one of the best proteins out there because it lacks the carcinogens that some other proteins contain, and it’s easier for our bodies to digest. It also has Vitamins A and D, which help protect the brain from fast aging, and other neurological diseases. Salmon is most infamous for its Omega-3 fatty acid content. This improves cognitive skills, lowers cholesterol, repairs heart damage, lowers blood sugar, and helps protect against heart attacks and strokes.
How to eat it: Not to be biased or anything, but my mother makes a great healthy salmon dish. Baked salmon topped off with chopped tomatoes, zucchini, black olives, and capers. Vegetables and protein in a mouth-watering combination. Just remember, never put Nutella on salmon, or else you’ll get salmonella (ba dum tss).
Dark Chocolate
Why it’s good: Whoever said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, clearly didn’t eat enough dark chocolate in their life. Not only is dark chocolate still chocolate, it also has some health benefits. Studies show that eating small portions of dark chocolate several times a week can help lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, lower blood sugar, and protect from clotting. Dark chocolate is also stocked with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Fun fact. It has much less caffeine that coffee, and contains the chemical phenylethlamine, the same chemical your brain makes when you’re falling in love. Such sweethearts, but not. The irony.
How to eat it: Lindt 85% dark chocolate is a great option, and remember to eat it in small amounts! There’s also several brands out there for organic and unsweetened dark chocolate like Dagoba 70% cacao if you’re extremely motivated to be healthy!
Raspberries
Why it’s good: I’m sure you’re asking yourself, aren’t ALL fruits good for you? The answer is yes, but raspberries have a few extra special qualities that make them stand out. Raspberries are extremely low in fat and calories, and their high fiber content makes you feel fuller, once again promoting weight loss. They also contain about 10 times higher antioxidants than most other fruits, which assists in cancer risk reduction. The many minerals and potassium also help with blood pressure and heart health. They’re also rich in Vitamin B and folic acid, which help give your mood a boost! Anthocyanins, which give raspberries their color, help with skin glow and reduce aging. We all want to stay forever young, don’t we?
How to eat it: Raspberries are the perfect fruit to sprinkle on any meal. From yogurt, to salad, to pancakes, just throw a handful on top and enjoy their freshness!
Cinnamon
Why it’s good: I never realized how many health benefits there were to this hard-to-spell spice. Cinnamon is used to treat muscle spasms, bacterial and fungal infections, the common cold, etc. It can also help with balancing glucose levels, which helps prevent cancer creation. It assists with memory development and other neurological functions, while also working as a preventer of multiple sclerosis. It also has the effect of thinning your blood, which increases metabolism. Better yet, just the waft of cinnamon is said to be a mood enhancer.
How to eat it: Cinnamon can literally be added to almost anything. A sprinkle on top of oatmeal, yogurt, fruit salads and whole-wheat toast is a great way to start your morning! Even sprinkle it on top of desserts for more flavoring when you’re treating yourself.
Chili Peppers
Why it’s good: Olay olay, olay olay, feeling hot hot hot! Chili peppers are just flaming in flavor and make your taste buds go crazy. The spice in these peppers contribute to a long list of health benefits. Their spicy flavor comes from capsaicin, which is supposed to have anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-diabetic values. They’re great antioxidants, and are good for protecting the body from the disastrous effects of illnesses. They have lots of minerals needed for controlling heart rate and blood pressure, as well.
How to eat it: Adding some heat to your salad by adding some chili peppers to it. Chopped chili peppers mixed with lemon juice are also a great option for a tasty salad dressing!
Almonds
Why it’s good: To the beat of my, to the beat of my, to the beat of my heart! I bet Hilary Duff knows that almonds are the perfect snack for a healthy heart! Studies show that people who eat almonds five times a week have a 50% reduction in risk of heart attack, especially because they lower blood sugar. They also assist the nervous system in protection from degenerative brain diseases, while also aiding brain function activity because of its riboflavin and L-carnitine. Almonds also lower cholesterol, and almond skins protect artery walls from damage. All in all, you have a less chance of being heartbroken in a relationship with almonds!
How to eat it: A handful of almonds a day is a great booster before working out, or just for snacking. Opt for almonds that are lightly salted or not salted at all to prevent too much sodium intake. If you want to get creative, crush almonds and sprinkle them on plain yogurt, or oatmeal, for flavoring.
Arugula
Why it’s good: I just learned about arugula a few months ago, and I’ve been addicted ever since. Arugula is a great detoxifier, and it helps with cancer prevention! It’s extremely high in fiber and antioxidants, as well as chlorophyll, which helps prevent DNA and liver damage. It also helps the brain slow down aging thanks to its high folate levels, and promotes bone health due to its plethora of vitamins. Sounds like a real lifesaver to me!
How to eat it: Once again, my kitchen savvy mother personally turns arugula into the tastiest dish ever. She mixes a bed of fresh arugula with some grape tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, shredded asiago cheese, lemon juice and olive oil dressing (a much healthier alternative), and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bon Appetit!