11 July 2011, Comments 0

Eating healthy is easier than you think. While many people do not have immediate access to a farmer’s market where they can find organic produce, your local grocery store does have many of the things that nutritionists will tell you are good for you. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the outside of the grocery store and avoid the aisles.

Along the outside wall of the grocery store you will find the proteins you need as well as the dairy products, grains, and fruits and vegetables that you need to maintain a healthy diet. Of course, this rule of thumb does not necessarily make it any easier to figure out how you should fill your cart. Here are some things that you should stock in your refrigerator to maximize your nutrient intake:

"dark green leafy vegetables"1)      DARK GREEN VEGETABLES – these are rich in B vitamins and Vitamin K and minerals like calcium, iron, and folic acid. They fall into two [general] categories: Leafy greens and cruciferous.

  • Leafy greens include kale, spinach, collard greens, and mustard greens
  • Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, cress, and cauliflower

2)      CITRUS FRUITS – these are rich in Vitamin C as well as fiber, which aids in digestion. Citrus fruits include oranges, red and yellow bell peppers, grapefruit, and lime.

"citrus fruits"

3)      NUTS — high in protein and some essential oils (and yes, even essential fats), walnuts, almonds, and peanuts provide energy and a little flavor when you need a snack.

"nuts"

4)      SALMON — fish is the leanest protein you can eat and salmon is perhaps the most popular. Salmon provides essential fatty acids, which benefit nerve and soft tissue integrity, but is also loaded with many vitamins and minerals as well (like most proteins).

"salmon"

5)      TEA — tea leaves are full of antioxidants but herbal teas can extract various healthy components from the spices and herbs that are steeped.

"cup of tea"

6)      TOMATOES — high in the antioxidants lycopene and vitamin C this fruit is flavorful and juicy.

"tomatoes"

7)      BERRIES — excellent with nuts, berries are sweet and provide a variety of different nutritional benefits because they are full of various antioxidants.

"berries"

8)      [NATURAL] YOGURT — it’s better to get the unsweetened Greek variety (because it is not flavored or sweetened artificially) yogurt can aid in digestion and provides many of the same benefits you find in other dairy products. It’s also a good base for fruit salad.

"yogurt"

9)      SPICES — many spices provide health benefits that you probably don’t even know about. Ginger and garlic both have anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. Other healthy and beneficial spices include black pepper, cinnamon, dried chili, turmeric, oregano, and fenugreek.

"spices"

Thanks for reading my blog post and in the meantime if you would like to read more of my fantastic cooking tips and food recipes you can subscribe to my RSS feed or join my free online Ezine.

To your food heaven

Dominic

 

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