10 Healthy Foods You Are Not Eating (That You Need to Know About!)

Tired of eating the same healthy foods again and again? This article by Edith Parker will give you the 10 healthy foods you are not eating but probably should!

If we would have it our way, we would be eating healthy anytime, all the time! After all, who would not want to stay healthy and live for long, right? But sometimes, what’s hindering us from doing so is our lack of healthy food choices.

We know eating the same thing over and over again can get quite boring. Because of that, I would like to help you out! I am here to expand your healthy food choices by compiling a list of 10 healthy foods you are not eating but you probably should! Here are some of them:

1.)    Pumpkin Seeds

We are all aware of the health benefits of pumpkin but did you know that its seeds have its fair share of advantages too? Those tiny white seeds contain a wide array of nutrients including magnesium, manganese, zinc, and protein.

Because of their nutritional content, these seeds offer plenty of benefits for the heart and immune system. They also work wonders on menopausal symptoms and prostate health.

 

How to eat: You can eat roasted pumpkin seeds for snacks or sprinkle them over greens.

 

2.)    Turmeric

For some, turmeric is just a spice, but experts claim that it is one superfood because of its anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. These are all thanks to its curcumin content. In addition to that, curcumin is also said to boost the Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, reducing the risk of brain diseases.

 

How to eat: In addition to using turmeric in making curry dishes, you can also try mixing it with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dishes.

 

3.)    Sardines

We often dismiss the idea of eating sardines because they usually come as canned foods. However, fresh sardines offer a multitude of health benefits, most especially for cardiovascular health. These fishes contain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D and do not harbor huge amount of toxins, unlike other fishes.

 

How to Eat: There are plenty of easy sardine recipes that you can find online.

 

4.)    Passionfruit

You will enjoy the sweet-tart taste and juicy texture of this purple fruit but more than that, you can surely take advantage of its high fiber and antioxidant content. It also contains plant sterols that can help reduce cholesterol levels in our bloodstream.

 

How to eat: Turn it into a smoothie or scoop out the fruit flesh and toss it in your favorite salad.

 

5.)    Algae (Spirulina)

At first, it may seem weird to eat algae, but spirulina is one alga that will do great wonders on your immune system! In 2008, German scientists discovered that algae preparations have high concentrations of vitamin C and zinc. In addition to that, they have also found out that this alga has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities.

 

How to eat: Add spirulina powder to a smoothie.

 

6.)    Cloves

During the ancient times, cloves are used as breath fresheners in India and China, but now they are considered to be a superfood because they contain the most number of antioxidants in a gram. In fact, the amount of antioxidants in one teaspoon of cloves is equal to the amount of antioxidants in a ½ cup of mixed berries.

 

How to eat: You can mix whole cloves in soups and stews while powdered cloves are great for mixing with drinks.

 

7.)    Kefir

This fermented dairy beverage is jam packed with probiotics that can aid in digestion and immunity. In addition to that, each 8-ounce serving of kefir will already provide you with 29 percent of your daily calcium needs.

Just make sure that you will learn how to choose kefir products as most products in the market contain too much sugar.

 

How to eat: You can mix this dairy product with your favorite smoothie.

 

8.)    Lentils

If you think that eating healthy is expensive, lentils will prove you wrong. This is probably the cheapest and most versatile food that you can ever have. When you eat a half-cup of cooked lentils, you can already get 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. It is also a great source of folate and iron.

 

How to eat: You can turn lentils to soup, or you can mix it with baked products.

 

9.)    Tempeh

We are all familiar with tofu but do you know about tempeh? It is also a soy-based product, but it has a different texture and nutritional content as compared to tofu.

It contains nutritious phytochemicals like saponins and isoflavones. It also provides essential amino acids and high amounts of fiber.

 

How to eat: This food is so versatile that you can use it on a salad, as a bread substitute for a sandwich, fried and cooked in a curry.

 

10.)    Seaweed

Here’s another alga that your body will love. As compared to spirulina, seaweed is more popular as it is a common ingredient in sushi dishes. Given the fact that it absorbs nutrients from the sea, it does not come as a surprise that it is rich in various minerals and vitamins, most especially iron and calcium. It also has low fat and high protein content.

 

How to eat: Roll it in a sushi or just munch on it!

 

Did you enjoy our short yet comprehensive list? Getting to know these healthy foods is a great way to inject creativity to your healthy food choices and make your menu a lot more enjoyable! Because of this, it will be easier for you to stick to your healthy diet!

 

What do you think of our list? If you have plenty of healthy food ideas that I have missed out on, please do share them with me. Thank you for reading!