7 Healthier Foods You Should Eat Now

7 Healthier Foods You Should Eat Now

They fight disease, improve immune function, support mood, and accelerate weight loss. No, we are not talking about supplements or diet pills, we are talking about fresh whole plant food with superpowers. That's right, to be a superfood you don't have to be sneaky about the berries you need to look for in grocery stores. For foods that can have a huge impact on your health, please visit your local grocery store.

Here is our list of the healthiest foods you should be eating right now and the tips you need to get maximum benefits. Read them, eat them, and enjoy them. Read on to find out more about how to eat healthily. You won't want to miss out on these 21 best healthy cooking tips of all time.

1 Olive oil

The world's first Olympic athletes were around 776 BC. C. were given jugs of olive oil for their athletic skills. Today's health experts consider the regular intake of "liquid gold" just as valuable. Regular consumption of virgin olive oil, a monounsaturated fat characteristic of the Mediterranean diet, has been linked to a low incidence of cancer, heart disease, and other obesity-related problems, as well as a lower risk of stroke. 

A recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE showed that firefighters, a group known to have a high prevalence of obesity, who adhered to a Mediterranean diet high in olive oil, had a 35% lower risk of one metabolic syndrome and a "43 percent" had a lower risk of weight gain. Research suggests that oleic acid in olive oil can even reduce belly fat. (Additional Information: What Happens To Your Body When You Eat Olive Oil). The health benefits have a genetic basis. Studies show that the phenols in virgin olive oil can effectively "turn off" genes associated with the inflammation that occurs in metabolic syndrome.

2 Lentils

Lentils are like food star Chuck Taylors: old-fashioned, a bit pedestrian, but very popular around the world. Legumes have been part of the human diet for around 13,000 years. They are an inexpensive form of vegetarian protein and fiber, touted by health experts for their ability to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, promote fat metabolism, and reduce appetite. (This is why they are the # 1 food you must have in your pantry to lose weight.)

Lentils are resistant starch, a functional type of slow-digesting fiber. On its way through the digestive tract, resistant starch triggers the release of acetate - a molecule in the gut that tells the brain when to stop eating. In fact, a systematic review of diet legumes clinical trials found that people who ate a daily serving of lentils (about 3/4 cup) felt an average of 31% full compared to a control diet. And a second study found that a diet high in blood sugar-stabilizing foods like lentils can reduce disease-related inflammation by 22%!

GET THE BENEFITS: Replacing meat with lentils can increase the fiber content of a recipe while reducing saturated fat. Substitute four ounces of ground beef (280 calories) for one cup of cooked lentils (230 calories) in your chili and you'll add 16 grams of fiber while reducing the fat in your meal by 22 grams.

3 Nuts

The name of the walnut genus comes from the Roman expression Jupiter acorn or "acorn of Jupiter", which shows how the Romans considered the nut to be pious. And the fleshy nut is still valued today for its nutritional value. In fact, a new scientific study suggests that a handful of nuts contain almost twice as many disease-fighting antioxidants as the equivalent amount of any other nut. 

As one of the best dietary sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, nuts have been shown to be especially good for the heart. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that consuming nuts one or more times per week was up to a 19% lower risk of overall cardiovascular disease and a 23% lower risk of coronary artery disease.

Benefit from the advantages: High temperatures can destroy essential oils in nuts, while prolonged contact with air.

4 Oats

Adults love it, children eat it, and even horses love it. What is the heart-healthy whole grain that seventy-five percent of American households have in their pantry? You guessed it: oatmeal. Oats are high in a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan and an anti-inflammatory compound, avenanthramide, which together help prevent obese health problems like heart disease and diabetes. A 10-year study in the American Journal of Public Health found that consuming a serving of oatmeal (1 cup cooked) two to four times a week reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 16%, reducing risk by 39%. 

And a second study showed that three servings of whole grains a day, including oatmeal, were as effective as blood pressure medication, reducing the risk of heart disease by 15% in just 12 weeks. Need one more reason to redeem your Wheaties? A study from Colorado State University found that oats were more effective than wheat in lowering the levels of the "bad" LDL cholesterol. And research in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggests that oatmeal may be the most filling breakfast in the grain aisle, resulting in a longer-lasting feeling of satiety than granola. To find out more, don't miss out

Use the advantages - cut or flake oats are the least processed and offer you the best for your money; The nutritional information is almost identical, with steel oats having a slightly lower glycemic index. And think beyond the breakfast bowl: use oatmeal as a substitute for breadcrumbs or use flour for baked goods.

5 Watercress

Watercress, recently crowned the number one superfood, could be the king of the vegetable shelves as a nutrient source. A study report published by the Centers for Disease Control, which ranked 47 fruits and vegetables for amounts of 17 disease-fighting nutrients, placed watercress in the first place. Kale didn't even make it into the top 10! Gram for gram, this sweet, floral-flavored green contains four times more beta-carotene than an apple and a whopping 238 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K per 100 grams, two compounds that keep the skin moist and youthful. Beauty foods are also the richest dietary source of PEITC (phenylethyl isothiocyanate), which research shows can fight cancer. The results of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that a daily dose of 85 grams of raw watercress (about two cups) could reduce cancer-related DNA damage by 17%.

Get the Benefits: One cup of watercress provides 4 calories. Yes, four. So go ahead, eat the whole bag. Heat can inactivate PEITC, so raw watercress is best enjoyed in salads, cold-pressed juices, and sandwiches.

6 Apples with skin

An apple a day will keep the doctor away, but make sure you keep the peel on. While traditional skin-saving tips are primarily based on their fiber content (an average apple provides 4.5 grams), healthy exfoliation doesn't stop there. A growing body of research suggests that the shell actually contains polyphenols, which are indigestible compounds that can do everything from promoting the growth of good bacteria in the intestines that aid in weight loss, to providing the body with medical defense against weight loss. 

Apple. In fact, one study found that 75 grams of apples (the equivalent of two medium-sized apples) reduced "bad" cholesterol levels by 23% compared to an equivalent serving of known high-fiber plums.

Get the Benefits: Chop each apple of your choice to eat with peanut butter or cheese for a light snack, dice to add to your morning oatmeal, or eat a whole apple for a sitting.

7 Tomatoes

Of all the non-starchy "greens", Americans consume more tomatoes and tomato products than anyone else. And that's good news, say the researchers, because tomatoes are particularly high in lycopene, an antioxidant that, unlike most nutrients in fresh produce, increases after cooking and processing. Dozens of studies suggest a link between regular consumption of lycopene-rich tomatoes and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, skin damage, and certain types of cancer. 

A recently published study showed that men who eat more than 10 servings of tomatoes per week have an 18% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. And a second study showed that a tomato-rich diet can help protect postmenopausal women from breast cancer by increasing adiponectin levels, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and fat levels.

Take advantage of the benefits: In addition to cooking your tomatoes, consider going organic. Research suggests that organic tomatoes may have higher levels of disease-fighting polyphenols and vitamin C than conventionally grown varieties.