17 Healthy Foods & Beverages to Include in Your Daily Diet

The rise in health consciousness among people over the past few years has led to people looking for healthy foods and beverages to incorporate in their everyday diet.

Vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole-grains, lean protein sources, etc. are some food groups that are the healthiest and should be the major constituents in a healthy diet.

Keeping that in mind, here are some of the most nutritious foods and beverages that you should make a part of your daily diet for leading a healthy life.

Kale

The ‘superfood’ Kale is a cruciferous vegetable that truly deserves its superfood status as it has a wealth of nutrients and health benefits that make it a great vegetable to include in your diet.

Most notably, it is a very rich source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber along with other nutrients.

It can be consumed raw, cooked or as a part of a healthful smoothie.

Broccoli

Broccoli, like kale, is a highly nutritious cruciferous vegetable that can be consumed both raw and cooked.

Cooking it, however, may lead to loss of nutrients so it is better to consume it raw or after lightly steaming it.

It has a similar nutrient composition to kale, as it also has high levels of vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber.

It is also rich in folate, phytonutrients, calcium, potassium and contains a decent amount of protein.

Yogurt

Plain yogurt with live active cultures and no added sugar is a very healthy food that will provide you with good quantities of protein and calcium along with the probiotics that will keep your gut in a healthy state.

Greek yogurt especially is super-nutritious as it has substantially higher levels of protein than that of the regular version, making it a great food to consume after exercise.

Chicken breast

Animal sources of protein like meats, fish, and eggs contain complete protein, i.e., they contain all of the nine essential amino acids our body needs.

Chicken breast is a very rich source of lean protein and is on the lower side when it comes to calories and fat content.

Salmon

Salmon is an oily fish that is high in important nutrients.

It is a rich source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, along with containing vitamin D.

It is also incredibly tasty and low in calories.

When buying salmon, always opt for wild salmon over farmed one.

Tuna

Tuna is another nutritious and appetizing fish that you should be looking to make a part of your diet.

It is a great source of lean protein and is low in terms of calories and fat.

Eggs

One of the tastiest, full-of-nutrition and versatile foods that exist in nature is eggs.

Eggs are an excellent lean protein source, with a large single egg providing 6 grams of protein for a mere 78 calories.

It also contains vitamins like riboflavin (vitamin B2) and cobalamin (vitamin B12), antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin along with containing considerable amounts of the amino acid leucine.

Do not remove the yolk as it contains around half of the protein content along with most of the minerals and vitamins present in the egg.

Eggs are highly versatile and you can consume them in a variety of ways.

Almonds

Almonds are one of the best nuts you can consume for your health.

They are high in healthy fats, protein, antioxidants, vitamin E, riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, magnesium, iron, and fiber.

Smoothies

There has been a huge rise in the popularity of smoothies and they are a great way to get high levels of nutrition in a single serving of deliciousness.

Healthful smoothies that are made from whole fruits & vegetables and contain nutritious ingredients like greek yogurt, superfoods, whey protein, etc. can be a great beverage to include in your daily diet.

Oats

The ideal breakfast food, oats are full of numerous nutrients.

They are a rich source of complex carbohydrates, beta-glucans (a water-soluble fiber that is linked with various health benefits) along with containing significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, potassium, and folate.

They also contain vitamin E, magnesium, and iron.

Chia seeds

One of the most nutrient-rich foods you can include in your diet is chia seeds.

Chia seeds provide high amounts of dietary fiber, calcium, manganese, and magnesium along with many other nutrients.

Brown rice & Quinoa

Brown rice and Quinoa are great wholesome foods to include in your diet.

Brown rice is a whole-grain rice which provides decent quantities of dietary fiber, magnesium, and thiamine (vitamin B1).

Quinoa is a very popular food among health enthusiasts as it is a complete protein (containing all 9 essential amino acids) and has significant quantities of this crucial macronutrient.

It is rich in fiber and the mineral magnesium along with being a good source of B vitamins & iron.

Apple

Apples should be the first fruit on your list when it comes to including fruits in a healthy diet.

Apples have high amounts of various antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C along with containing the mineral boron.

They are the best food to consume during snack time, filling you up until the next meal while providing a plethora of nutrients.

Extra-virgin olive oil

The oil that should be a part of your healthy diet for cooking purposes and as a salad dressing should be extra-virgin olive oil.

It is full of healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, providing a host of health benefits.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of complex carbohydrates & simple starches.

They are a great source of vitamin B-6, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is probably the most tempting and savory food included in this list.

Dark chocolate has higher concentrations of cocoa than other types of chocolate, thus ranks among healthy foods.

It contains powerful polyphenol antioxidants which help in combating diseases.

Along with that, it is a rich source of magnesium and fiber.

Wheatgrass juice

Wheatgrass juice is known as a detoxifying beverage and it has a number of health benefits that one can benefit from if consumed regularly.

It relieves the body of the harmful toxins present in it, boosts the immune system, alkalizes the body, reduces inflammation, enhances digestion, aids in stabilizing blood sugar levels, and much more, thus enhancing your health in a big way.

 

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