Healthy eating is not difficult,
but it can sometimes be confusing, especially if you’re not familiar with a
particular food. The number one priority
when fueling your body is to make sure you’re actually getting all the nutrients
from the food. The following 10 items
are some of the most common foods that require a little something extra to
unlock their key nutrients.
·
Flaxseeds-these
seeds are shockingly full of good things like fiber, omega-3s, and
lignans. Our bodies actually have a hard
time digesting the whole seed, so to obtain the most nutrients, it is
recommended to grind them.
·
Black tea-if
you often enjoy your tea with milk, you may want to think about trying a
plant-based milk instead. Our bodies have a difficult time absorbing the
good-for-you plant compounds because the proteins in milk bind with the
catechins in tea.
·
Broccoli-this
miniature tree-like veggie boasts vitamin C, antioxidants, chlorophyll, and
anti-carcinogenic compounds. To obtain
the most nutrients, steaming these green guys is the way to go.
·
Strawberries-resist
the urge to wash and chop these berries before you’re ready to eat them. The fiber, antioxidants, and especially
vitamin C in the ruby red berry are sensitive to when exposed oxygen and light.
·
Garlic-let
the clove sit out for around 10 minutes before you toss it into your dish. The cancer-fighting enzyme, allicin, actually
likes to be exposed to air.
·
Whole
grains and beans-both of these contain phytates that can bind to vitamins
and minerals and prevent our body from absorbing them. The phytates can be released by soaking
intact whole grains and beans in water overnight.
·
Yogurt-be
sure to give your yogurt a quick stir before digging in. Incorporating the watery substance that often
appears on the surface will ensure that you are getting all of the protein,
vitamin B12, calcium, and phosphorous that yogurt has to offer. Also, the live and active cultures that occur
in yogurt do not do well when heated. So
eat it chilled to obtain the most nutrients.
·
Tomatoes-this
juicy, red fruit contains the phytochemical lycopene, which is best absorbed
when the tomato is cooked. But don’t
think you have to give up eating them chilled; tomatoes still have a great
amount of beneficial nutrients when served at room temperature or cold.
·
Grilled
meat-nothing says summer like grilling outside. But be aware, meat that is grilled over an
open flame might actually increase cancer risk.
When meat is chargrilled, it forms two possible cancer-causing chemicals,
heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Make sure that you closely monitor and reach
the safe internal temperature using a food thermometer.
·
Asparagus-even
though it may save time, try to avoid using the microwave to cook asparagus. This cooking method depletes the vitamin C
content. As an alternative, use the
stove to quickly steam or stir-fry until the veggie is tender and still crisp.
No comments:
Post a Comment