Top 5 Power Foods – You Should Eat Every Single Day!: While the market is flooded with options of varied foreign super foods like Kale, Quinoa and Goji berries, its time we take a closer look into our own kitchens and discover some amazing food options that make the most nutrient dense meals. The bonus is that these are easily available in local markets and are inexpensive too, making these food options very realistic and easy to be consumed daily!
Listed below are 5 foods that I call ‘POWER FOODS’ because they are loaded with nutrients and make the best power packed meals.
With a right balanced diet and an hour of exercise daily, these foods also aid weight loss. Include these foods in your daily diets to ensure that along with the macro nutrient (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) needs of your bodies, the micro nutrient (vitamins and minerals) needs are also met!
- LEMON- THE NATURAL DETOXIFIER!
Lemon is rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, copper and iron to name a few, making it a natural vitamin dense fruit.
The Antioxidants found in vitamin c help fight damage caused by free radicals.
Also, due to the presence of flavonoids, the many anti oxidants have cancer-fighting properties.
It also prevents diabetes, constipation, high blood pressure, fever and indigestion. It improves hair, skin and teeth and also acts as a cleansing agent as it purifies the blood and also flushes out toxins.
The most important benefit however is that it stimulates the production of white blood cells and makes the immune system stronger.
Lemon juice contains acids that help the body get more nutrients from the foods consumed as these acids aid slow nutrient absorption and also keep insulin levels steady.
Also, lemons contain pectin (a fiber found in fruits) that helps you feeling full for longer. This feeling of satiety in turn makes you consume lesser food and hence lemon helps shed off those kilos!
POWER COMBINATION– lemon water, lemon added to herbal tea, lemon consumed with green vegetable sabzi – eg- squeeze lime on palak sabzi before consuming (aids in iron absorption).
- CINNAMON- THE HEALTHIEST SPICE OF OUR PLANET!
Cinnamon is one of the top seven anti oxidants in the world. (Anti oxidants reduce formation of free radicals that cause cancer.)
It is said to aid weight loss by boosting the metabolism of the body. (This is because it increases the blood circulation and flow by thinning the blood.)
It has major anti bacterial properties that help getting rid of harmful bacteria without damaging the body. This makes it a go to option when you have cold, cough and a sore throat.
It has anAnti-Diabetic effect, since it also helps to control blood sugar therefore it’s a good option for people suffering with insulin resistance and type II diabetes. This is also the reason why it is associated with reduced risk of heart disease and lowering ‘LDL’ (‘bad’ cholesterol) and Triglycerides.
It has anti-inflammatory properties and is also a natural food preservative.
It has many beneficial effects on Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
POWER COMBINATION– Cinnamon in warm water consumed early in the morning, cinnamon infused water sipped throughout day (not more that 700ml).
- TURMERIC- THE MEDICINE!
Turmeric is said to be the most powerful medicinal herb on the planet! It has healing properties for most of the diseases as well as wounds. It is said to be associated with the reversal of many health conditions if included in the daily diet of an individual. Its anti-cancer properties are the most highlighted across the globe. Turmeric is native to India and Southeast Asia and it has been popular in our cuisines for several thousand years. According to a study conducted in the US, Indian women are said to be at a lower risk of breast cancer due to the large dependency of Indian cooking on turmeric.
Apart from that,curcumin is a polyphenol in turmeric withinnumerable potential health benefits. These potential benefits include regulations of blood sugar levels, blood fat levels and also inflammation, to name a few.
POWER COMBINATION– OUR VERY TRADITIONAL ‘HALDI MILK’, CONSUMED BEFORE SLEEPING AT NIGHT, IS THE BEST WAY TO CONSUME TURMERIC. ALSO ADD A LITTLE EXTRA TURMERIC TO CURRIES AND LENTILS.
- AMLA- IMMUNITY BUILDER!
Amla is the local name given to the Indian gooseberry. Amla is one of the most traditional and common ingredients in the practice of Ayurveda.
It is a powerhouse of nutrients. The most important thing about amla is its immunity boosting function. This is because Amla is very rich in antioxidants. It contains TANNINS, which (when combined when polyphenols) reduce free radicals in the body hence increasing its ability to fight diseases.
Being a potent source of vitamin c, it is also rich in calcium and iron. It’s a well known cure for Constipation due to its high fiber content, it helps in heart diseases by reducing levels of LDL or bad cholesterol, it helps in the reduction of blood sugar levels by helping body in proper absorption of insulin, it also helps to increase metabolic activity hence increasing energy levels and therefore aids the process of weight loss too. It is very good for the hair and skin as it prevents graying of hair, increases hair growth, brightens the skin, makes skin glow and also reduces skin pigmentation.
Amla also works as a blood purifier (due to high antioxidants) and increases hemoglobin and red blood cells count.
POWER COMBINATION– AMLA JUICE IS THE BEST WAY TO CONSUME A GOOD AMOUNT OF AMLA DAILY.
- GINGER- THE NATURAL PAIN KILLER!
Amongst the various other benefits of the ginger, the most prominent one is its ability to relieve pain. It is said to relieve the severe pain women go through during their menstrual cycles and also helps soothe exercise induced muscle soreness.
It is the most common ingredient in Indian cooking and makes its way into most of our ‘sabzis’. For people suffering with digestive or gastric issues, ginger is a boon as the phenolic compounds in ginger help relieve such conditions.
It contains many other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds (eg- beta-carotene and curcumin), which have various health benefits. Using ginger in your daily diet will help decrease the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. At the same time it alsopromotes healthy skin and hair, increased energy and faster weight loss.
So these were my top 5 power foods!
Other foods that also contain major nutrients and beneficial properties are-
‘dahi’ or yogurt, lentils like ‘moong dal’ and leafy vegetables like ‘pudina’, or mint.
Including these in your daily diets will be super beneficial in the long run too.
Hope you enjoyed the read!