Anyone who knows me knows that while I am ever-ready to gorge on desserts at any time of the day, I enjoy eating clean (for the most part). Thanks to my health-conscious parents, I jumped onto the clean-eating bandwagon back when I was a freshman in high school and quickly realized that healthy food can be made delicious! While I’ve never been one to deprive my body of what it needs or wants, I’ve learned to listen to it and treat it well— after all, you are what you eat! So, here are five delicious superfoods that your body will love, and for all you know, you already do too!
- Mushrooms
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Who doesn’t love some meaty Portobello mushrooms on the grill for a BBQ or some simple mushroom scrambled eggs on toast for breakie? Unknown to most, these bulb-like “fungi” are a great source of vitamin D, which will help the upkeep of your immunity, high in antioxidants to help you feel and look younger, and they are a strong source of protein for my veggie and vegan pals too!
- Cinnamon
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I’ve always loved cinnamon but I know a handful of people who don’t. The trick is to sneak it into your baking stash or add a little extra to your pumpkin spice latte if you’re feeling festive this fall! This spice is known to reduce inflammation in your body (shout out to my acne gal-pals!), curb sugar cravings, and lower blood sugar levels in the body. It is truly a hint of sugar, spice, and everything nice!
- Cacao
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Ok, but seriously, who doesn’t like chocolate, especially if it’s healthy?! This is the perfect blend of healthy and delicious. In fact, I’ve replaced the overly sweet cocoa powder and chocolate chips in my baking with variants of this ingredient and I haven’t looked back since! It’s a great source of antioxidants and definitely tricks your taste buds into believing it’s refined chocolate.
- Pumpkin Seeds
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This is the newest addition to my diet—they taste great simply roasted, sprinkled on top of oatmeal, or added to salads for some extra crunch (and nutrients!) Pumpkin seeds are a potent source of magnesium, which helps lower blood sugar levels and is also rich in compounds that could help to promote cardiovascular health.
- Turmeric
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You’ve probably heard this a million times from me already, but turmeric is truly a golden spice with the host of benefits it offers. Drinking turmeric tea with a hint of lemon and ginger is a great way to detox your body every morning—it’s antiseptic properties help fight any infection and strengthen your immune system too. What’s more? It has strong anti-inflammatory properties to promote a healthy body and it’s great to get your body warmed up during the winter months. If you (like most people) don’t like how it tastes, try seasoning your food with it and some black pepper to release its potency.
I hope these superfoods help you in your journey towards a healthier you, one step at a time!
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