If you're trying to eat healthy but having a difficult time finding the right foods to buy, a trip to the grocery store can be quite intimidating. For weight management and overall good health, it’s important to eat a wide variety of food sources of carbohydrates, fat and protein that are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Your local grocery store houses hundreds of foods that meet these criteria. Here are some of the healthiest to add to your grocery list, even if you have a frugal food budget.
ROOT VEGGIES AND BELL PEPPERS
Root vegetables and bell peppers should never be forgotten during any grocery shopping trip, as they are cheap, easy to come by and incredibly nutrient-dense. Collectively, these veggies come in a spectrum of colors and include carrots, beets, and parsley, red and yellow pepper. They are also some of the best food sources of water-soluble vitamins, minerals and phytonutrient antioxidants, which greatly help to boost immunity and reduce disease risk.
LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES
Whether you prefer kale, collards, spinach, Swiss chard, dark lettuce or cruciferous varieties like broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy or red cabbage, leafy greens are arguably the world’s healthiest food. Regardless of the type, leafy green veggies are exceptionally low in calories and collectively rich in disease-fighting antioxidant nutrients and phytonutrients (isothiocyanates, indoles, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E), vitamin K, potassium, calcium and fiber.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Extra virgin olive is a must-have grocery item. While on the more pricey side, just a little bit goes a very long way. The large variety of nutrients contained in this oil offer tremendous health benefits. Due to its high content of healthy monounsaturated fat, regularly consuming olive oil has been shown to improve cholesterol, reduce blood pressure among individuals with hypertension, and regulate blood glucose (sugar) levels in people with diabetes. In addition, the antioxidant compounds housed in extra virgin olive oil have been linked to a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer.
FRESH OR FROZEN BERRIES
Berries are packed full of nutrients and just plain old good for you. Whether you prefer blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries or raspberries, they are all rich in disease-fighting … Read the rest here:
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Posted By: Nina Cherie Franklin Franklin
Monday, July 21st 2014 at 5:46PM
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