Superfood: You can say the best foods for good health rather than saying superfoods, they should be known as best foods means they are not foods which layman cannot buy and they are superfoods, which only a super-rich person can buy, it is just a myth, whereas the reality is that these foods can be purchased by anybody. The main thing is about awareness that which food is good for us.
Nuts and seeds:
Nuts and seeds are the powerhouses of minerals, fibers, vitamins, vegetarian proteins and fats, which are best for the heart`s health. Nuts are rich in many nutrients, including large quantities of fats, which are healthy for our bodies like monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats (49-74% total) and a moderate amounts of proteins (9-20%) except chestnuts, which are low in fat. Dietary fiber in nuts provide a wide range of essential nutrients, including several B group vitamins, vitamin E, minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium and other minerals, which are important for your health and which act as antioxidants, and that are selenium, magnesium and potassium and other photochemical such as antioxidant compounds (flavonoids and resveratrol) and plant sterols.
Each nut contains its own unique combination of nutrients such as:
- Walnuts: It contains, Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants
- Pistachios: Proteins, a plant sterol, and antioxidant resveratrol.
- Pine nuts: Vitamin E and the amino acid arginine.
- Brazil nuts: For an adult, selenium is very necessary and just two Brazil nuts a day provides a huge quantity of selenium.
- Almonds: It is the best source of proteins, calcium and vitamin E.
- Chestnuts: Provides lots of vitamin C and fiber.
- Hazelnuts: Vitamin E, Folate, Fiber and potassium.
- Pistachios: Plant sterols, proteins, and the antioxidant resveratrol.
- Pecans: They contain antioxidants and fiber, besides that, they are good and have the best nutritional value. You can easily buy pecans online in Georgia, and they will be delivered to your doorstep quickly and without any hassles.
Advantages of eating nuts:
Nuts are best for overall health with their awesome and yummy taste liked by everybody from kids to old, contains potassium and the natural sugars. They possess natural carbohydrates in them, they are low in sodium.
Nuts if consumed raw without, roasting has better benefits. When we roast the nut, water content that nut has gets reduced by concentrating the nutrients, as well as several B group of vitamins, which are not heat stable gets reduced.
Heart-healthy:
Nuts are a good source for the heart`s health. It is proven in studies that the heart`s health is maintained in a good way if nuts are taken by a person who is having a problem with heart diseases. 30% to 50% of heart diseases can be reduced by having 30 gm of nuts per day. As a low proportion of saturated fat and a high proportion of healthy fat like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats have a healthy heart than the people who don’t eat nuts
The regulation of blood cholesterol is done with the help of health-promoting by monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Vitamins and minerals present in nuts with antioxidants help in regulating oxidation and inflammation, compounds found in nuts like flavonoids and resveratrol with vitamin-like E and minerals like zinc, manganese, selenium, copper all are helpful for the purpose to shun the inflammation.
Their property of low in sodium content and high potassium level help in maintaining the pressure of blood, hence they are good for keeping in control the hypertension problem in the body.
Diabetes:
Diabetes and blood sugar level can also be controlled with the help of nuts monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in nuts help to combat with the bad effects of bad cholesterol (LDL)hence helps in increasing good
cholesterol (HDL)in the body, they are effective in enhancing insulin sensitivity in the blood.
Only 30gm of nuts, approximately (4 pieces of nuts) if taken per week, helps in reducing the risk of diabetes by 13%. So nuts are considered to be one of the best things as food, which can help you in combating with the menace of diabetes.
Nuts other benefits:
- Mental aging gets slowed down with regular intake of nuts.
- Cancer`s risk can also be minimized, with eating nuts daily.
- The health of bones can also get well with nuts eating.
- Stones in the gallbladder can also perish with nuts.
Olive oil:
Olea europaea (olive tree): Fruit that a bear from this tree, olive oil is the extract of this fruit. When whole olives are pressed they result in the production of olive oil.
Enriched with many medicinal as well as therapeutic values, this oil helps in many ways to retain a healthy body.
Olives can also be eaten raw or as dressings to salads and other eatables in chopped form and in the daily diet in the shape of meals etc.
Cardiovascular health:
Cardiovascular health can be boosted by consuming olive oil daily, as it can help in decreasing hyperlipidemia, which is high triglyceride levels and high level of blood cholesterol, they also help other diseases of cardiovascular system like hypertension and stroke.
People who live in Mediterranean countries have fewer heart disease rates than people of other parts of the world as their diet includes one of the best olive oil-rich diets.
Brain health:
Olive oil is considered to be the best source of mental health nutrients, containing omega 3 fatty acids in it.
Oleocanthal is a compound, which is a natural phenolic found in extra virgin olive oil. Alzheimer`s Disease can be eradicated with the help of this compound
Breast cancer:
Extra virgin olive oil can reduce the risk of breast cancer. P12ras, an oncogene, which is the cause of breast cancer, can be reduced by the extra virgin olive oil.
Turmeric:
Originally from India, used for cooking and have miraculous medicinal benefits.
It is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties found in its ingredient curcumin, which is a compound that has these properties in abundance.
Chronic diseases like heart diseases, cancer and diabetes can be treated by curcumin.
It is enriched with its healing properties from times immortal. In Ayurveda, it is (turmeric) used as a paste to be spread on cuts and wounds on the skin, only by adding mustard oil in it. Reducing the pain and healing the inflammation is also considered to be the properties associated with turmeric.
Ginger:
Very similar to turmeric, the substance present in ginger known as “Gingerol”. It is present in the root of ginger is responsible for the many health benefits of this herb. It contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties in it.
Studies show, many chronic-illnesses can be treated with the help of ginger, like cardiovascular diseases and mental health can also be improved In chronic inflammatory conditions, reduction of pain and it helps in combating nausea also.
Green-tea:
It is full of antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds, which have strong anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Antioxidants and EGCG (catechin epigallocatechin gallate) are the best substances in combating many diseases.
Legumes:
Legumes are known as superfoods as they are loaded with nutrients and help in eradicating many diseases.
They are a class of plant foods, which are made up of beans, peas, peanuts, lentils are all the part of pulses class, that’s where they (legumes) come from.
They are the rich source of protein, fiber, minerals and loaded with vitamins also. With a variety of nutrients present in them, they help in fighting various diseases.
Berries:
Berries help you in providing various health benefits, as they have antioxidant properties that help in the reduction of highly dangerous diseases like heart attack, cancer, and disorders created with inflammatory conditions.
They are also considered to be the powerhouse of vitamins, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.
Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries are some of the berries, which are very beneficial for overall health and have miraculous powers of treating several diseases.
Leafy vegetables:
Dark green leafy vegetables are loaded with compounds such as carotenoids, which helps in anti-inflammatory diseases and protects against the risk of cancer.
Spinach, Kale, Collard greens and Turnip greens are some of the leafy veggies that help in various nutrients fulfillment and eradicating diseases.
Author’s Bio:
Dr. Vikram Chauhan, MD – AYURVEDA is an expert Ayurvedic practitioner based in Chandigarh, India and doing his practice in Mohali, India. He is spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda Ancient healing treatment, not only in India but also abroad. He is the CEO and Founder of Planet Ayurveda Products, Planet Ayurveda Clinic, and Krishna Herbal Company.
