5 Amazing Health Foods to Try Today

Day 8 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

My journey into healthy eating isn’t always on the straight and narrow path. Sometimes I wander onto paths that include chips and dip and other goodies that shall remain unnamed. But I have learned a lot about healthy food and eating along the way, and some of them have been a game changer.

Sometimes transitioning into a healthy diet can be tricky. You may not know how to prepare certain foods, or they can be time consuming. For me, I have a hard time with adding more greens like chard and kale into my diet because of all the prep involved. I mean, I could always wash and cut it in one go and then save in a container but…I never get around it.

So today I am going to share five healthy foods to add to your diet that shouldn’t be too hard to incorporate into your meal plans.

Hemp Seeds

If you haven’t added hemp seeds into your healthy diet yet, now is the time. Hemp seeds are a great source of protein (6 grams of protein per 20 grams of seeds) and perfect for those of you switching to a more veggie diet. You can add them to your oatmeal, to salads, or include them in baked goods. Healthy baked goods, not your double fudge brownies. I know you were thinking about it.

Black Beans

These guys are my personal favourite bean! They are a great source both of protein and fiber (15 grams of fiber in one cup of cooked black beans) and they are filled with antioxidants. Plus, they digest slowly keeping you full longer! I love them in Mexican dishes and I had started using them in curries as well with much success. They are great for bean salads too.

Seaweed

I’m totally being honest here–I haven’t really eaten much seaweed. I’ve tried it at restaurant, but I haven’t purchased any to include in my own dishes. I know you can get them in snack packs, or dried but I haven’t been in a store that sells them. However, I do intend to try to include more seaweed into my diet as it’s the best source of iodine which can protect your thyroid gland. It has many others minerals and vitamins as well as antioxidants. No reason not to try in my books!

I am going to try and add in seaweed as a snack either through a powdered form, or dried.

Oranges

These are yummy and full of vitamin C which is not just good for keeping the common cold away, but also for helping your skin look supple. They also contain a good amount of vitamin A, which many of us lack in our diet, and on top of that they contain 6% of our daily calcium. When I was a little girl, my mom used to make my orange salad. Which is essentially cut up orange tossed in extra virgin olive oil and salt. Trust me, it’s delicious. Especially if you squeeze the juice out of a piece or two of oranges and then sop it up with bread.

Eggplants

Eggplants are very versatile, and super delicious. They are used in many cuisines around the world, and have a ton of nutrients packed into them. Plus, they are high in fiber and antioxidants as well. Sounds like a super food to me! The other neat thing about eggplants is that they are low in calories, which makes them a good as they can fill you up due to the high fiber without packing on tons of calories. Add to a stir fry, or try making baba ganoush, an eggplant dip that is super delicious. Alternatively, slice, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and bake in the oven under tender.

When I really began eating a healthier diet and excluding processed, pre prepared things like salad dressings, I started enjoying my meals so much more. Eating healthy gave me a greater appreciation for food, and for what I was putting into my body.

Have you tried any of these foods? Let me know in the comments! Also, be sure to subscribe to the blog to never miss a post!