While everyone enjoys some form of healthy food, eating right most of the time isn’t the secret to staying fit. And indulging in unhealthy foods just adds up to an overload of calories and fat, which can lead to a variety of serious medical conditions. And around yourself with healthy foods helps to create healthy food choices throughout your day.
Of course, these healthy foods to lose weight aren’t as easy to find as those foods laden with salt and fat. In fact, there are more fruits containing antioxidants than there are foods containing sodium!
Healthy Foods To Lose Weight
However, fruits help to cleanse the body, so consuming plenty of freshly-cut fruit (with the skin) each day helps the body to flush out excess sodium and toxins. And including a serving of fruits and vegetables in every meal you eat boosts your daily intake of antioxidants, a group of substances that play a role in reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and other age-related conditions.
One of the best sources of healthy antioxidants is chicken
Indeed, there are more antioxidants contained in cooked chicken than in any other type of meat. Chicken is high in protein, but it also contains a wealth of complex carbohydrates. Eating lots of chicken boosts your metabolism, giving you extra energy to exercise throughout the day. And cooked chicken is particularly good for improving your insulin sensitivity, which helps reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Plus, chicken is a great source of potassium, which regulates your body’s sodium and mineral balances.
Of course, healthy whole grains are better than their packaged counterparts at keeping you feeling full between meals. When you eat whole grains, your body breaks them down slowly, and you receive more fiber and vitamins than you do from packaged grains.
In addition, eating a variety of whole grains makes you less susceptible to hunger. Try brown rice, barley, oatmeal, and quinoa if you want to eat a more varied diet.
Olive Oil
A second excellent source of antioxidants is olive oil. Though it may sound strange to you at first, consuming a small amount of olive oil every day can help you fight diseases and aging. Extra virgin olive oil has high amounts of antioxidants, particularly tocopherols, a substance that’s considered the “crown jewel” of antioxidant research. Consuming healthy amounts of antioxidant-rich olive oil can provide many benefits to your health.
The third healthy food is fish
Fish that come from organic, natural sources (such as salmon and tuna) are particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids that lower blood pressure and may reduce your risk of heart disease. Many kinds of fish are packed with other antioxidants, too. Choose oily fish over oily chicken or pork. You’ll get plenty of protein and the added benefits of antioxidants.
Nuts may improve your cardiovascular health
They are a top source of dietary fiber and contain significant amounts of magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. They can help lower blood pressure and may improve circulation. Nuts contain the highest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which may improve heart health.
Protein can provide many important nutrients to your diet and help keep you healthy. Unprocessed protein can be high in amino acids, which play an important role in the formation of healthy cells and hormones. Fish, nuts, and eggs are particularly high in protein. Protein-rich foods may improve your immune system, which may reduce the risk of colds and other illnesses.
Eggs are high in protein, but there are health risks associated with eating protein-rich foods. Some studies have shown that eggs may make you fatter. The problem is that the cholesterol-laden egg yolk is sprinkled with unhealthy fats.
Eating a few ounces of unsalted chicken breast is better for your heart than an egg every day. Chicken breast is low in calories and may improve your appetite, which means you can eat less calories than you think.
You don’t need to avoid carbohydrates completely, but you should make sure you are getting enough healthy carbs. Whole-grain bread, pasta, and potatoes are excellent sources of healthy carbs. Be sure you don’t consume too much of them, though. If you feel hungry, you can snack on a few nuts or seeds.
Adding healthy fats to your diet is also an important part of a healthy diet. More importantly, healthy fats can help you lose weight. It has been proven that healthy fats can reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. To learn more about adding healthy fats to your diet and how eating healthy can help you achieve weight loss, register for a free meal plan using the links below.
