If you scroll through riarecommends.com (please make it a daily habit, I will be forever grateful), you can see how I’m committed to doing it right. 2019 is the year I’m creating habits that improve different aspects of my life. Inspired by people like Hindy Weber-Tantoco along with the noteworthy individuals I’ve interviewed, I’m all about taking care of myself. All success starts with a sound mind and body. And you can start building said sound mind and body with superfoods.
When you eat healthy, you’re creating a system that prevents rather than treats your ailments. Simply put, you are what you eat. So it doesn’t take much to figure out what you’ll be if you eat some superfoods. Healthline describes superfoods as food densely packed with nutritious substances. When integrated regularly into your everyday diet, you’ll boost your eating patterns with what your body truly needs. But remember, as Harvard Health Publishing once wrote, not one superfood can provide you with everything you need.
What’s better is to create a diet pattern which consciously incorporates these superfoods. You’ll find that you will steer away from the junk when you consider how a superfood can level up your current meal. When you have your morning oatmeal, you can trade in the usual sugar for a different sweetener. Try fruits like blueberries or kiwis that are considered superfoods. Let go of your usual cooking oil for olive oil to get all vitamin E, polyphenols and monounsaturated fatty acids. You’ll find that your dishes are going to be less greasy.
I’m listing down below more superfoods that you may want to integrate in your daily meals, along with their benefits. I also considered how easily you can get them, given our tropical setting and our local produce.
#1 Nuts and seeds
Instead on munching on a bag of potato chips, I think it’s better to munch on some nuts or seeds when you’re feeling peckish. Popular here in our country are some dried watermelon or sunflower seeds. Peanuts would also be good especially if you can get them unsalted or raw from the market, to be cooked the way you like it, minus the additives found in packed food. Nuts and seeds are a good source of plant protein. Instead of feeling sluggish and a little dizzy from those MSG-laden snacks, you’ll actually feel energized. You can also get a lot of monounsaturated fats from nuts and seeds, which is a good type of fat that helps battle heart ailments.
#2 Leafy greens
Having some grilled meat or a bowl of noodles? I think one should always have a bowl of leafy greens to accompany these dishes. Dark leafy greens such as the local and ubiquitous pechay can improve a meal. Consider some spinach from time to time, especially if your nearby market carries them from Baguio. A lettuce salad wouldn’t also hurt as a side dish or as a snack. Leafy greens are full of vitamins A and C, calcium and phytochemicals. So never underestimate them and try to have your fill. They also improve your digestive system with their fiber.
#3 Sweet potato and squash
Replace potatoes for these two. They’re just as versatile as you can mash them, fry them and turn them into soup. But they’ve got big plus points over potatoes given then nutritional content. Sweet potatoes and squash have lots of fiber and vitamin A. You can also count on them to be tastier than potatoes, which means you don’t have to add too much salt, sugar or butter when preparing them for your meals.
#4 Fish
Appreciate how as a country, we’re a big archipelago, rich with sources from the sea. Fish is a top superfood. Sardines and other fatty fish are full of good fat and omega 3. These prevent heart disease as well and provides you with energy, instead of becoming stored in the body. I think every other meal should be fish, cooked with as minimal additives as possible. You’re digestive system would thank you as fish is easier to process than red meat.
#5 Rambutan
This household staple is a superfood, you guys! So I suggest you hoard. Fruits can cure your sweet cravings and also make for a good snack especially on busy days. Each rambutan averages at just seven calories, making it a low-cal food you can eat guilt-free. Aside from the obvious vitamins fruits carry, rambutan is full of ellagic acid. The benefit of ellagic acid is found in its anti-cancer properties. It also is an antioxidant which helps keep your body running well like a well-oiled machine. Plus you can count on it being packed with potassium, magnesium and vitamins B2 and B3.
Ria Prieto is an editor, columnist and consultant who loves all things fashion, beauty and lifestyle. To read more of her musings, log on to www.riarecommends.com.
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