Eating properly is essential for your health and longevity. This article is intended to provide a list of foods that are good for your health and provide basic nutritional needs. The vast majority of professionals agree on a number of guiding principles that can serve as the basis for a healthy diet.
It is recommended to choose foods from the different food groups: vegetables and fruits should make up 50% of the plate, grain products 15% of the plate and meats and alternatives the last 15%. The foods that you will find on this list have multiple advantages and we have chosen them to prove to you that eating a balanced diet is possible even with a small budget.
1. Vegetables: as much as you like and at every meal
Rich in fiber, each vegetable contains its own micronutrients: vitamins and minerals. They help the body, the immune system, the digestive system and the brain to function properly.
To make the most of their virtues, choose fresh, local, seasonal and preferably organic products. These criteria allow them to preserve their nutritional values until they are consumed. However, if this is not possible, frozen vegetables with no added salt are a good alternative. To preserve their benefits, eat vegetables raw or cooked at a low temperature.
Some of the most nutrient-rich vegetables include:
- Broccoli;
- Garlic;
- Peppers;
- Cabbage.
Green vegetables are your best health allies. Available in every season, they are among those that contain the most micronutrients.
2. Fresh fruit: essential food for good health
Fruit also provides important quantities of vitamins and minerals. Eaten every day, they help maintain good health and a balanced diet. Their caloric intake is generally higher than that of vegetables, as is their carbohydrate (sugar) content.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of fruits with high nutritional value:
- Apples
- Tomatoes
- The avocado
- The orange
- The banana
- Blueberries.
It is interesting to eat fruit at the beginning of the day and before any physical or mental effort. Indeed, sugar is the main fuel for the brain. In addition, carbohydrates are directly assimilated by the muscles during physical activity or sports.
3. Legumes
They offer many benefits to their consumers and promote satiety, which helps avoid cravings. You can find them dried or canned.
The most common legumes are :
- Lentils (green, white, coral)
- Chickpeas
- Beans (red, black, white)
- Split peas
- Soybeans
All of these products are excellent sources of fiber, vegetable protein, and vitamins and minerals. You can cook them in salads, soups, side dishes, but also in stews.
4. Fresh eggs
Eating eggs provides many vitamins (A, D, E, K, B2, B5, B6, B8, B12). This condensed micronutrient supports, among other things, the immune system, the fixation of calcium on the bones and the functioning of the brain cells.
Rich in proteins, egg whites are also a good source of iron. The yolk, on the other hand, is composed of fat. Quality eggs contain a balanced intake of omega-3, 6 and 9.
the quality of eggs depends directly on the conditions in which the hen is raised. Therefore, it is better to choose eggs from free-range hens, organic or with the blue, white and heart label. The latter indicates that the animals are fed with flaxseed, which promotes the presence of omega-3.
5. Fatty fish to promote fatty acid balance
Fatty fish contains a significant amount of omega-3. Omega-3, 6 and 9 are the fatty acids found in lipids. A balance of these fatty acids helps maintain a healthy body and brain. In the West, the usual diet contains too much omega 6. Eating fatty fish helps to rebalance the ratio between these fatty acids.
Here are some species of this family of fish:
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Herring
- Tuna
- Salmon
In addition to lipids, these fish are an excellent source of proteins, vitamins of the B group as well as D. They also provide an important quantity of phosphorus, iron and selenium. This sum of micronutrients contributes to the maintenance of a good cardiovascular health. It also prevents cognitive and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
6. Dried fruits and nuts
To increase your daily fiber intake, you can eat some dried fruits. These can easily be added to breakfast, in muesli or porridge. Easy to take with you, they allow you to have a healthy snack at hand. The dried fruits to be favored are :
- Bananas
- Figs
- Dates
- Prunes
As for nuts, they contain an important quantity of essential fatty acids. Among those with the most nutritional value are:
- Nuts
- Almonds
- Hazelnuts
7. Seeds
Embellishing your dishes, salads or cereals with certain seeds can easily increase your intake of vitamins and minerals.
The seeds that have the best nutritional contributions are those of :
- Flax
Chia
Sunflower
Squash
Millet
These seeds are rich in fiber, vegetable proteins and omega-3 and 6. Sold dry, these foods also have the advantage of being able to be stored for a long time.