The Top 5 Superfoods You Should Eat

How often have we promised ourselves that we will eat better or make healthier lifestyle changes? Every New Year’s Day, after a doctor visit or major life-changing event, we resolve to get it together and live better, jumping in with both feet only to have our enthusiasm slowly fade away. Raise your hand if you’ve done this. We all have.

Instead of changing everything in your life all at once, the best way to stick to those healthy resolutions is to take small steps, and keep taking small steps, every day. The smallest steps may have the greatest impact because those small steps are easy to take.

To make some of these small changes toward a healthy you more attainable, here are some great superfoods that can be incorporated easily into your daily life. As always, please discuss any dietary changes with your physician when adding some or all these superfoods to your regime.

Turmeric

Probably the most scientifically studied superfood today, turmeric should be in your daily diet. Turmeric has not only been proven to help with joint pain and arthritis, it’s also been shown to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, and may help treat Alzheimer’s.

If you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior with a busy schedule, or looking for a way to reduce inflammation in your body, this superfood is the most helpful superfood around.

Maca

A Peruvian root, maca has a long history as a superfood. The three biggest health benefits maca is known to provide are increased energy, increased sex drive, and hormone balancing. While the scientific studies are relatively new, seeing is believing. Or in this case, feeling is believing. Maca is a great addition to smoothies for a caffeine-free boost of energy, and a more balanced feeling. When adding it to smoothies, start with a small amount (try a teaspoon) until you know how it affects you.

Hemp Seeds

These little seeds contain all 20 amino acids and the nine essential amino acids our bodies need to function properly, which makes them the perfect protein. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help the heart, and omega-6 fatty acids, which help balance hormones. Additionally, these tiny seeds contain fiber, iron, and magnesium.

Indian Gooseberries (Amla)

Everyone has heard of acai and the hype about this antioxidant-rich superfood, but not many have heard of the superfood with two times the amount of antioxidants: the Indian gooseberry. Well, it’s probably because no one sells them. The Indian gooseberry is not commercially cultivated in North America. But lucky for you it’s available in the powder form commonly called amla. This versatile nutritious food can be sprinkled on to anything to make it healthier.

Ceylon Cinnamon

Regular (cassia) cinnamon does have high nutrient value so why switch to the Ceylon variety instead? Because cassia cinnamon contains a substance called coumarin that may damage your liver when consumed in larger than normal quantities. Not everyone is susceptible, especially if consumed in normal quantities, but with superfoods you’re going to want to eat more than the normal amount. If supplementing with cinnamon for health benefits, go with the Ceylon variety because the amount of coumarin is minimal in comparison.