As temperatures drop and a new year comes in, many people look for ways to stay fit and healthy, turning to their kitchen as some form of medicine chest. And it’s true that you can achieve many things through diet and active lifestyle, without needing to make use of supplements or even medications, since they keep you in shape and prevent many conditions. While many turn to so called “superfoods“, a label that bears no real scientific evidence, the truth is there is great power in “common” foods.
When it comes to dietary advice, often it’s “forbidden foods” that get the most attention. How about those foods you can regularly eat in sensible amounts with a peace of mind? According to a Harvard nutritionist, there are a few of them. Before diving in, remember to always check with your doctor or healthcare provider before making any major changes to your diet and lifestyle that may affect your health.
Teresa Fung, an adjunct professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a professor of nutrition at Simmons College in Boston, went over a few of these foods that you can eat every day on an NBC’s Today segment. Some of them were:
5 Foods you can eat almost every day, according to a Harvard nutritionist
Nuts
In the words of professor Fung, nuts are a “wonderful” snack that can be easy to include in your diet because of their convenience: they’re dry, don’t need to be kept in the fridge and, most importantly, are a great source of fiber and protein.
A recent study found that people who ate nuts on a regular basis were 14% less at risk of heart diseases compared to those who rarely ate them, if ever.
As for which to eat, it’s best to include a variety of them, because the fat profile varies and each one has their own benefits. Nuts are often consumed as alternative to salty foods.
Salmon
Salmon is beneficial because of its omega-3 content. Omega-3 is a type of unsaturated fat that it’s related to “good” cholesterol or HDL, high density lipoprotein. Fung recommends eating salmon fillet rather than smoked, because the latter is higher on salt and other “not so good” elements that are added as part of the smoking process.
In general, oily fish is healthy when consumed a few times a week. Alternatives like herring mackerel or sardines are also fine.
Yogurt
Though not every yogurt. According to Fung, a low-fat yogurt is rich in healthy proteins and lacks the saturated fats many sugary deserts have. The impact on blood sugar is not as sudden, and yogurt also contains microorganisms called probiotics, which are beneficial to the good bacteria in the digestive system.
To make sure it’s a healthy option, it’s best to look for plain or standard yogurt and avoid the flavored ones or those with added sugar. To make them tastier, you could add berries or nuts instead.
Dark, leafy vegetables
Fung pointed to many vegetables like kale, spinach, collards or Brussels sprouts as great sources of antioxidants, and recommended half a cup of cooked ones or a one cup war of them per day. Preferably, you should cook them using little water to prevent the loss of nutrients. Roasting is an option in the case of Brussels sprouts that doesn’t require
As for salads, Fang said it’s best to go with very colourful lettuces, like red leaf, instead of iceberg lettuce, that is mostly water.
Quinoa
Often hailed as a “superfood”, quinoa is a pseudocereal traditionally grown in South America that stands out for its high contents of fiber and protein. It can be the base of many meals, using half a cup or one cup of it. It’s eaten like rice, and can make a great pairing with vegetables and sauces that are not too high on sugar.
Bonus: you can treat yourself to with some chocolate
With moderation, you are allowed to treat yourself with some chocolate, even daily. How much is moderation? According to Fung, “one little square a day”. Having said that, not every chocolate is the same, and you should always opt for those with the highest percent of cacao, like 70%. This food comes with a caveat: be aware that it may keep you awake because it shares a compound with caffeine, as Fung noted.
