Running out of ideas to spice up your cooking regimen? We all know that we need to include greens in our daily diet.
Look no further as we are about to introduce to you some of the less commonly known ingredients to be added to your meals.
In fact, plenty of such healthy ingredients exists and they do not compromise the overall taste as opposed to how most people perceive healthy food. Whipping up a wholesome and nutritious meal isn’t that difficult at all!
Canned Wild Salmon
This first ingredient is pretty familiar to most households —, salmon! While many of you are not new to this old-time favorite fish, do all of you fully know it’s enriched health benefits? There are loads of nutrients and vitamins in this fantastic fish, more than you can imagine actually!
Belonging to the category of fatty fish, salmon is packed with proteins and many other healthy components such as omega-3 fatty acids. These provide a good burst of energy, allowing people to feel energetic and stay full for a prolonged time before feeling hunger again. As a good preventive measure for inflammation, absorbing omega-3 fatty acids from salmon helps to maintain your heart at its best form and condition. Furthermore, it is also known to be useful in achieving that natural glow.
As we all know, fresh salmon is on the pricier side and most of us would consider it to be a treat and feel lucky when we get to eat them. But canned wild salmon is equally jammed with all this goodness and it’s a lot cheaper.
Whole-Leaf Aloe Juice
While we commonly associate aloe with the gel form, typically used after a bad sunburn or to soothe an irritant skin reaction after shaving, aloe is, in fact, more than that! Aloe vera can be drunk and also full of vitamins. As a result, it is not surprising to hear that this plant holds a record-long for its extensive use in diverse areas like medicine, health, and beauty.
Not only is it rich in antioxidants vitamins A, C, and E, it also contains folic acid, choline, vitamin B12, and the 22 amino acids. Besides, it is a good source of magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Combating against inflammation is certainly not a difficult feat with the help of aloe juice. As recommended by a dermatologist, drinking 2 ounces a day would be sufficient to reap all these health benefits, specifically for the case of speeding up the recovery process for a damaged intestinal tract.
It is to be kept in mind that aloe juice is bitter and mixing it up with fruit juice or coconut water would make it taste better.
Pumpkin seeds
Best to be eaten raw or gently toasted, pumpkin seeds are considered to be one of the healthiest seeds. The reason being, they are rich in magnesium and zinc which are both vitally important where magnesium helps to keep your body relieved from stress, headaches, and even constipation.
Zinc, on the other hand, plays a determinant role in maintaining our immune system uptight. Also, studies have shown that pumpkin seeds could potentially help people who have been diagnosed with and prescribed pills for depression.
Brazil Nuts
Even though Brazil nuts are not commonly known as compared to other nuts such as almonds and walnuts, they are a good source of selenium which is a mineral needed for thyroid glands.
Selenium being an antioxidant, helps to boost our immunity and prevent damage to the nerves and cells caused by smoking and UV rays. Having two a day would be sufficient, otherwise, you might have an overdose and that itself can lead to some side effects.
Watercress
More frequently used as a garnish, it is less known for watercress to be used as the main ingredient. However, a long list of health benefits lies underneath that surface of ‘just a garnish’.
Filled with phytonutrients and antioxidants, watercress helps to combat diseases and allows you to stay youthful-looking longer as it tries to slow down the process of aging. For instance, it consists of beta-carotene, a type of carotenoid that helps to prevent cancers and eye diseases. This is possible due to the wonders of human bodies and their function to transform beta-carotene into vitamin A.
Also, watercress is rich in fiber and vitamin K. Utilizing two full cups of it allows you to reach the amount of vitamin C needed for an average adult per day. Falling under the vegetable family of Brassicaceae, also known as cruciferous veggies, watercress contains glucosinolates which are derived from sulfur. This compound helps to battle infection, cancer as well as aiding detox, especially the cleansing of the liver.
Sauerkraut
Similar to other foods with live culture, for example, kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha, Sauerkraut goes through a similar natural fermentation process. Therefore, it is expected to have a few same qualities as the group of live-cultured food, especially in helping to relieve constipation, bloating, and gas.
The logic behind this is due to the help of the living and harmless bacteria called probiotics. These probiotics help to digest the food we intake, easing the assimilation of nutrients into our guts and then to the rest of the body. Research studies have heavily suggested that consuming such fermented food consistently helps to assist long-term health, prevent disease, and strengthen the immune system.
However, we have to take caution regarding the specific type of sauerkraut product we buy. Reading the labels is extremely important as we are required to pay attention to its salt and sugar level where high amounts can be present and be detrimental to our health.
Besides, vinegar levels have to be taken note of too because some products use vinegar in place of probiotics to ferment the food. Also, if the product has been preserved through pasteurization, the high temperature would have killed off the beneficial probiotics, which depletes its’ nutritional content and wouldn’t be very helpful at all.
Bottom line
These simple ingredients can be easily incorporated into your diet and can be easily found in most supermarkets.
These foods are all full of minerals and nutrients that are important for maintaining a healthy body. What you eat is just as important as how much exercise you do, so keep that in mind!
Of course another option to get your micronutrients is to take our greens powder, SuperGreen TONIK. In less than 60 seconds per day, you can mix a nutritious greens drink that contains all your micronutrients.
