5 Foods That Supercharge Your Health

You probably know that some foods are terribly toxic. What you might not realize is that some foods are so good for you that they’re almost medicinal. While swapping to healthy food won’t transform your life immediately, these foods will make a big difference, particularly when you take additional steps such as eliminating the least healthy options and beginning to move your body more. So, which five foods are healthiest? Let’s take a look.

Dark Leafy Greens & Cruciferous Vegetables

Are you surprised to discover that some of nature’s simplest, most abundant foods also happens to be among the healthiest things you can eat? All leafy greens are good for you, but some stand out from the rest.

Brussels Sprouts look a lot like tiny cabbages. Though many people dislike them when boiled and served plain, they offer a slightly sweet, nutty crunch when shredded raw into salads, and they are marvelous when roasted and drizzled with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If it’s been some time since you last tried brussels sprouts, here are some good reasons to give them another chance:
- Rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin K
- A plant-based source of ALA Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Potential cancer-preventative properties
- May help reduce inflammation
- Can help maintain healthy blood sugar
Cabbage is great in coleslaw and other salads. It’s wonderful in soups, and it is sturdy enough to stand up to stir-frying, baking, and more. There are many varieties of cabbage to try, and all of them are great for you! Here are just a few of the many reasons why cabbage ought to make it onto your menu:
- Rich in vitamin C and vitamin K
- Rich in soluble and insoluble fiber
- Helps promote digestive health
- May help reduce inflammation
- May help reduce cholesterol levels
- May help lower blood pressure
Collard Greens are delicious! Unlike some other popular greens, these are at their very best when they are cooked. Some reasons to give these tasty greens a go include:
- Rich in vitamin A and vitamin K, along with many other vitamins and minerals
- High in folate
- A good source of fiber
- High in calcium and iron
- A good source of plant-based protein
Kale is often the subject of diet jokes, but that’s no reason to avoid it! Whether you enjoy it sautéed, chopped into soup, or as a healthy addition to green smoothies, or in “baby” form in some of your salads, you will enjoy many health benefits. Here are just a few reasons why kale is considered one of the best superfoods you can eat:
- Among the world’s most nutrient-dense foods, yet low in calories
- A good source of ALA omega-3 fatty acid
- Contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which are essential for eye health
- High in antioxidants including kaempferol and quercetin
- High in minerals and vitamins including potassium, calcium, zinc, and phosphorus
- High in cancer-fighting nutrients including sulforaphane and indole-3 carbinol
- A good source of folate
- Kale can help lower your cholesterol, along with your risk of heart disease
Spinach is versatile enough to enjoy raw in salads or as a savory sautéed veggie that tastes amazing with herbs and spices. However you like it, here are some benefits you’ll enjoy when you add spinach to your diet:
- Excellent source of iron
- High in calcium
- Good source of folate
- High in antioxidants including vitamin C, which is essential of immune functioning and skin health
- A good source of quercetin, which helps the body fight inflammation and infection
- Rich in other compounds including kaempferol, zeaxanthin, and lutein
- High in nitrates, which may help improve heart health

Tips for selecting and enjoying the healthiest leafy greens:

One reason leafy greens are great is that they’re so easy to obtain in fresh, frozen, and even canned forms. Of these, fresh and frozen are best. It’s a good idea to get organic if you can – and it’s always important to wash those raw greens unless they’ve already been sanitized by the producer.

Once you get them home, you’ll find that there are lots of ways to enjoy these greens.

Eat at least one big salad each day
Throw greens in everything – chop them up and add them to soups, stews, sauces, etc. This is a great tactic for getting more veggies into reluctant family members.
Drink smoothies with greens thrown in!

Switch things up and have different kinds of greens each week, so that you balance your vitamin and mineral intake. There really are no bad greens, so try adding things like bok choy, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, endive, and even dandelion greens to your rotation. For salad, consider organic spring mix. It contains lots of different greens for a pleasant flavor and great nutrition.

Last but not least, be sure to enjoy your greens with a little bit of healthy fat. Many of the nutrients in leafy greens are fat-soluble, meaning that the dietary fat you eat with them unlocks those nutrients and makes them available to your body.

Brightly Colored Berries

Not only are berries delicious, they’re also amazing health boosters. Which ones should you choose? As it turns out, you have plenty of choices. Here are a few of the most popular:

Blackberries
Black raspberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Cranberries
Currants
Loganberries
Raspberries
Strawberries

Berry Benefits

Just like leafy greens, different kinds of berries come with different nutritional profiles as well as different nutrients. Here are just a few key benefits that come with adding berries to your diet:

Berries contain anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and other compounds that help keep you healthy as you age, ward off cancer, and more. They’re among the best sources of antioxidants!
All berries contain high amounts of fiber including soluble and insoluble types. They’re great for your digestive health as well as for your heart’s health.
Berries can help your body fight off inflammation, which is linked with the development of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health problems.
Berries are great for your skin, thanks to their high ellagic acid content. Ellagic acid is a compound that helps protect collagen from breakdown, meaning fewer wrinkles.
Berries contain polyphenols, which are important for bone health.

Lastly but perhaps most importantly, a regular berry habit and heart health go hand in hand. In a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, middle-aged people who ate a little under one cup of mixed berries each day for eight weeks showed reduced blood pressure and an increase in “good” HDL cholesterol.

Tips for selecting and enjoying the healthiest berries:

Try to find wild berries whenever you can. Organic is a close second, but conventional berries are still great for you – just be sure to wash them well!

Choose fresh or frozen berries but avoid the jarred / canned pie fillings. Jams and jellies are nice but be careful since they can hide lots of sugar! If you can, consider making your own low-sugar freezer jams to enjoy.

Berries deliver their benefits when consumed regularly. Studies focusing on the health benefits of berries had participants consume berries on a daily basis, so consider following in their footsteps to enjoy as many benefits as you can.

Healthy, Plant-Based Fats

Choosing the right fats can be confusing. Aren’t they all the same? Not at all – in fact, some plant-based fats can be as toxic as lard due to genetic modification, the use of pesticides and herbicides, and manufacturing processes that change the way fats interact with your body. Here’s a quick guide to the healthiest fats for your body.

Nuts

Seeds
Avocado
Olive oil
Coconut

Flax

Why Eat Plant-Based Fats?

Certain plant-based fats promote healthy arteries and a healthy heart, while also promoting good brain health and happiness. Fat promotes satiety, so you feel fewer urges to consume high-sugar foods, and it helps keep many of your organs healthy, too.

The right fats can help your body absorb other nutrients such as those found in greens, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes. They can also help prevent memory loss by fueling neurotransmitters, and they help keep your liver healthy, too.

Treating your body to the very best plant-based monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may very well mean a healthier life and a longer lifespan.

Tips for selecting and enjoying the healthiest plant-based fats:

Get your plant-based fats fresh when possible – think raw nuts and cold-pressed oils instead of highly processed ones. If this isn’t possible, go for the least processed items available. Keep them cool to prevent rancidity.

While these plant-based fats are great for you, watch portions and calories. It’s easy to overeat some of these, especially nuts! The average person should get about 30% of their daily calories from healthy fats, while those who are eating low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets should get between 50 and 75% of their daily calorie intake from fat. The exact amount to eat depends on your weight, and if you you’re trying to reach a certain weight, the right amount to eat might depend on that goal weight as well.

Powerful Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices impart wonderful flavor to foods, but there’s another reason to eat these. Entire books have been written about the medicinal power of herbs and if you’re interested in using these natural remedies to support your health, I recommend picking up a book to deepen your knowledge. For now, here’s some insight into a few of the healthiest herbs for your health.

Garlic

protects heart
helps reduce high cholesterol
Can help reduce blood pressure
benefits digestion

Ginger

some evidence of cancer prevention
powerful anti-inflammatory
Great for treating common ailments including nausea, menstrual cramps, and sore throats

Green Tea

helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels
great for weight loss
offers anti-aging properties
Good for diabetes
Great for blood pressure
boosts immunity
can help turn liver disease around
natural remedy for cold and flu, particularly when you add lots of vitamin C, citrus fruits

Turmeric

some evidence of cancer prevention
powerful anti-inflammatory
blood pressure
pain relief
diabetes
cholesterol

Tips for selecting and enjoying the healthiest herbs and spices:

Check the source and look out for ones that come from China, as these may be contaminated with heavy metals. Try to buy organic when you can or consider growing some of your own! Ginger root and turmeric are two to try growing in containers indoors, or outside if you live in a warm climate. Garlic will grow almost anywhere, so give it a try no matter what region you call home.

Like other nutritious superfoods, herbs are at their best when they are fresh. If fresh herbs are not available, try to find freeze dried varieties. Liquid extracts, powders, and other alternatives will benefit you too; don’t give up on herbs simply because you can’t find fresh ones.

What if you dislike the flavor of an herb? There’s an easy solution: Consider supplementing each day. You will never taste the herb, but you’ll get all of its benefits.

Manuka Honey

Sugar sources don’t generally make their way onto lists like these, but there’s one that stands out. Manuka honey comes from New Zealand. It is made by bees that pollinate the manuka bush (leptospermum scoparium). This honey contains a substance offers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral effects, along with an antibacterial effect believed to be associated with its methylglyoxal content. Here are a few benefits of manuka honey:

balances digestive system
natural remedy for acid reflux
reduce seasonal allergies
natural sleep aid
intestinal pain and inflammation

Where to find Manuka Honey and How to Use It

You can find manuka honey in some health food stores, as well as online. Be sure to choose raw, unpasteurized products only, and beware of products that seem far cheaper than their competitors as some merchants adulterate the honey and engage in other fraudulent practices.

The US FDA approved manuka honey as a wound treatment in 2007. It has proven useful in treating acne and eczema, and research is underway in using it as part of a protocol to fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs including MRSA.

Besides applying manuka honey topically, you can enjoy a little in your tea or in a small spoon all by itself. Be sure to avoid it if you are allergic to honey. If you have diabetes, be sure to talk to your doctor before you ingest manuka honey. Like other honeys, it is a concentrated sugar that can cause blood sugar spikes.

No Major Changes Needed

It’s easy to add any or all of these healthy foods to your diet! Greens, berries, and herbs are easy to add to some of the foods you already enjoy, and it’s a snap to replace unhealthy hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or trans fats with plant-based fats that are beneficial rather than harmful. As for manuka honey, a single tablespoon per day can help you as a supplement, or you can simply use it as needed.

As with other natural approaches, consistency is key. Once you start a healthy habit, stick to it and you’ll enjoy the benefits over time.