Five Great Anti-Aging Foods You Should Be Eating In Your Diet Plan
It’s no secret. If you want to improve your health and foster longevity, what you eat matters. Every time you put food in your mouth, you should be thinking about what that food is doing for your body.
Is it helping you see success? Or is it hindering your ability to move forward and maintain optimal health?
Certain foods work overtime in the body to help combat the effects of aging and the onset of disease. The more of these you can get into your menu, the better off you’ll be. So, this being said, let’s look at five great anti-aging foods that you might want to think about eating on a weekly basis.
Avocados
Avocados set themselves apart because unlike most fruits they’re actually very high in fat and very low in carbs. Don’t let this scare you off, however. Despite the fact they contain over 300 calories per fruit in most cases, they are loaded with wholesome nutrition.
This just means you need to work them into your total calorie intake to avoid weight gain, and make sure that you factor the fat content into your macros as well.
So, what’s so great about avocados?
First, they provide a powerful dose of vitamin E. This is a polyphenol that helps keep your skin glowing, wrinkles at bay, and can help slow down other signs of aging.
They’re also loaded with potassium, which is important for keeping blood pressure regulated and your muscle contractions going strong as well.
Finally, they also have a high degree of carotenoids, which may help block toxins from the body and help protect you against skin cancer.
Spinach
As you select the vegetables to include in your diet plan, make sure that you aren’t overlooking spinach. Spinach is very low in calories, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t be adding it to your meal plan.
It provides a good dose of the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K and will offer some immune-boosting vitamin C as well.
Spinach is also a good source of lutein, which is an important nutrient to keep your eyes healthy and help you avoid cataracts down the road.
The vitamin A that you’ll find in spinach is also going to play a key role in keeping your total body inflammation down, which is a key factor in the prevention of disease.
It also contains a plant-based form of iron. While not as great as animal sources of iron, this form will still help with optimal regulation of red blood cells and will help keep you feeling energized and at your best.
Blueberries
If you aren’t eating blueberries by now, you definitely should start. Few foods offer as many benefits as blueberries do, so this is one not to miss out on. Blueberries are lower in calories and high in fiber, so they may help to control your blood pressure and boost heart health. They also contain powerful antioxidants that keep your brain healthy and strong.
Eating blueberries regularly may help to protect against memory loss and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
They also can help lower inflammation in the body, protecting against diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even obesity.
Red Bell Peppers
Next time you’re making a stir-fry, make sure that you aren’t overlooking red bell peppers. Red bell peppers are perfect for providing a serious dose of vitamin C to your body, which will help strengthen your immune system.
As your immune system is at play on a daily basis trying to keep out unwanted viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing agents, the stronger it is, the better off you’ll be.
Red bell peppers are also going to help assist with the production of collagen, which is important in maintaining firm, wrinkle-free skin. If you want to boost your complexion, get more vitamin C into your day.
Finally, the carotenoids in red bell peppers may also help you ward off skin damage due to the sun, so that’s yet another reason to consider eating them regularly.
Watercress
Watercress is a vegetable that not many people ever really stop and think about, but one that you may want to consider adding to your diet. If you’ve never prepared it before, now is the time to start.
Watercress is actually a good source of calcium, so could help you foster stronger overall bone growth and development. Your bones will often become depleted with age, especially if you’re a woman in menopause, so restoring calcium balance becomes critical.
Watercress is also a great source of vitamin C and B vitamins, which serve to keep your immune system strong and help to optimize your metabolism.
Finally, watercress can help to improve circulation in the body and ensure that your cells are getting the vital nutrients they need.
So, check over your diet and make sure that you aren’t missing out on these five foods. If you are, find some recipes to help bring them into your menu today.