The United States Department of Agriculture has put a lot of emphasis on adding fruits, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free milk, poultry, beans, nuts, eggs, and vegetables to create a nourishing diet. Most of us have been trying to incorporate these foods to our diet, but there are some who are not getting the essential nutrients in their diet. The question now is what minerals or nutrients do we need in order to remain healthy?
Vitamin A
One of the diet essentials that you will need when it comes to staying healthy all year round is vitamin A. We all know that this vitamin is linked to having good eyesight, but there is more to this than meets the eye, pun intended. Another function of vitamin A is that it supports a healthy immune system. Fortunately, you won’t run out of options because dairy products, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and cod liver oil are just a few sources to add to your diet.
Oatmeal
Fiber is another diet essential that you shouldn’t miss out on this year. A good way to start your day is to have a bowl of oatmeal because it is rich in fiber which will help you curb the hunger pangs that you may have before your next meal. Another benefit to eating fiber rich foods is that it can help regulate your blood sugar too, so your energy levels will remain steady.
Lean chicken
Adding tuna, turkey, peanuts, salmon, and even fortified cereals to your diet can help you get a decent amount of B3 or niacin in your system which is actually useful when it comes to improving your digestion. Keep in mind that a good digestive system will you convert the food you eat into fuel.
Fruits
Fresh fruits should never disappear in your list of foods to eat since they are low in sodium, fat, as well as calories. Another reason why you should eat fruits to is because they don’t have any cholesterol for you to worry about. What you’ll get instead is a long list of nutrients from dietary fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin C just to name a few. Snacking on fruits can help keep your belly full and may even assist you in your weight loss too because they are great for detox.
Vitamin E
Eating plenty of leafy greens is going to be useful for you since it is packed with vitamin E which is a type of antioxidant that will help improve your skin’s overall health. You can also add almonds and vegetable oils too such as canola, soybean, and sunflower to your diet as they are good sources of vitamin E.
Lentils
Another diet essential that you will need in your diet is protein which is what you can get from lentils. You can also absorb folate as well as fiber from lentils, plus you can also get the same nutritional value from food such as chickpeas and kidney beans. You can add these beans to your diet for a healthy source of protein.
Vitamin D
Our body cannot produce vitamin D naturally hence you need to get it from other sources. Aside from the sun, you can also get vitamin D from foods such as cereals, salmon, fortified milk, and even cheese just to name a few.
These diet essentials will help protect you from various ailments in the long run, so if you are ready to take on improving your diet, these foods are going to be worth adding to your diet for this year.
