Filling your dinner plate with lean protein and a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is an important part of a healthy diet. Add some color by including foods such as red beans, a staple in chili recipes, which are low in fat and high in fiber and nutrients like iron and phosphorous.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a powerhouse of nutrients and, whether raw or cooked, are a delicious way to improve your health. They are full of antioxidants, such as lycopene, which helps prevent heart disease and prostate cancer, and vitamin C, which promotes healthy skin. It also contains potassium, a mineral. Fildena 150 reviews that can help lower blood pressure in men and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The lycopene in tomatoes also makes your skin less sensitive to UV damage from sunlight, and it boosts the body’s ability to make a protective protein called collagen that keeps your bones strong. Tomatoes are a good source of folate, which supports normal tissue growth and is especially important for women who are pregnant.
A tomato contains almost 40 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. This nutrient can reduce the risk of cataracts and other eye problems, protect against heart disease by slowing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, support immunity, and keep your gums and teeth healthy. It also contributes to healthy iron levels and helps your red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body.
Choose tomatoes that are brightly colored and free of blemishes. Avoid those with dark spots, as these indicate the presence of rot. To ensure you’re getting the most lycopene from tomatoes, eat them with a healthy fat such as olive oil or avocado. This is because lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient, and combining it with some healthy fat increases its absorption in the body. Eating cooked tomatoes is also beneficial, as it breaks down plant cells that trap lycopene and allows the body to more easily absorb the compound.
Fish
Scientists recommend eating fish (particularly oily fish like salmon, trout, and sardines) twice a week to get heart-healthy omega-3 fats and other nutrients that the body can’t make. It’s a low-fat, high-protein food with B vitamins and minerals like calcium and magnesium. Plus, it’s lower in saturated fat than meat and poultry and has more polyunsaturated fats, which reduce the risk of heart disease.
When shopping for fish, choose options that are low in mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (or PCBs). These chemicals, often called “legacy pollutants,” can build up in the human body and cause serious health problems. To find low-contaminant seafood, check out the seafood recommendations from Seafood Watch.
The organization combines information from many different sources to create its lists of good fish for your health and the environment, including safety concerns, such as mercury, as well as environmental factors, such as sustainability ratings. Try one of these healthy seafood recipes to add a variety of nutritious, low-calorie fish to your meals.
Tilapia, a lean white fish, is an excellent choice for those who don’t think they like fish because it has a subtle flavor that adapts to a wide range of ingredients and preparations. For example, it can be breaded and baked or grilled to be a crowd-pleasing dinner for friends. Or, it can be grilled and topped with tender, sweet blistered tomatoes for an impressive summer meal that’s easy to put together on a busy weeknight. Tilapia also works well in fish tacos and other Mexican-inspired dishes. Just be sure to avoid fish with thick, tough skins, such as tuna, skate, and swordfish, because their skins are often prickly and hard to chew, even when cooked.
Shrimp
Shrimp may be best known as the star of a decadent batter-fried dinner or the base of a refreshing shrimp cocktail, but these shellfish are chock-full of nutrition. In a four-ounce serving, they deliver protein, vitamins B12, and selenium, all while packing a punch of flavor and providing just 90 calories. They also contain the omega-3 fatty acid astaxanthin, an antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation and protect against macular degeneration, as well as zinc, vitamin E, and iodine.
As for heart health, shrimp are low in saturated fat and rich in omega-3 fatty acids that have been shown to lower cholesterol levels. While they do have a small amount of cholesterol, just 161 mg in a four-ounce serving, it’s far less than the amounts found in most red meats and processed foods.
The trick to healthily eating shrimp is in how you prepare it. Adding it to salads is a good option, as long as the dressing isn’t a cream-based sauce high in sugar and sodium (think about choosing a vinaigrette or a citrus-based salad dressing instead). You can also grill or saute shrimp over fresh vegetables or add them to pasta dishes.
And, of course, you can always eat them plain or with a light cocktail sauce made from horseradish, ketchup, and lemon juice, which will be lower in sugar and sodium than many store-bought varieties.
Tuna
Canned tuna is a pantry staple that can be used in a wide range of recipes. It pairs well with almost any type of salad dressing, and it’s also great with hummus or tahini for a dip that’s full of flavor and nutrients. Tuna is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower your blood pressure by acting as a natural vasodilator. It’s also high in protein, which is necessary for maintaining and building muscle and providing energy.
Tuna’s creamy texture makes it a great partner for sauces. Add a healthy drizzle of red wine vinegar, harissa, or Dijon mustard to your canned tuna, for example, or use it as the main ingredient in an umami-rich tomato, which is a traditional Italian dish featuring tender, boiled beef topped with a sauce made from anchovies, capers, lemon juice, egg yolks, and olive oil (per WebMD).
Poke bowls are another excellent way to enjoy tuna. This nutritious dish combines diced raw veggies and hearty seafood like tuna or salmon with sesame oil, soy sauce, and spicy onion or red pepper. To make it even healthier, skip the rice and add some chopped cucumber or avocado for extra crunch and creamy goodness.
Tuna is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids, which are required for your body to function properly. It’s low in fat and carbohydrates, too, so it’s an excellent addition to a weight-loss diet. You can find tuna packed in either water or oil, and dietitians recommend choosing the water-packed variety as it’s lower in calories. Fildena 200 pills have been used for men’s health which is a medicine only for men. It is necessary to consult a doctor before using this medicine. Water-packed tuna is also said to have more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than the oil-packed variety.
Whole grains
A staple in many diets, whole grains supply our bodies with essential vitamins and minerals as well as a powerhouse of fiber. Eating four to five servings of foods made with whole grains — like oats, wheat, barley, quinoa, brown rice, and rye — daily can lower cholesterol, reduce your risk for diabetes and heart disease, support weight loss, and promote healthy digestion. Whole grains also contain plant compounds called phytochemicals, which may help fight cancer and inflammation.
When eaten in their natural, unprocessed state, whole grains are a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber and contain vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. They are high in antioxidants, too. The soluble fiber in these grains helps lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, and it supports a healthy digestive tract, helping to prevent constipation, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. Oats in particular are high in a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucans, which is considered a prebiotic, promoting the growth of good bacteria in your digestive system.
When shopping for a good source of whole grains, look for the word “whole” in the product name and ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration has set criteria that a manufacturer can use to indicate the product is a whole grain, including whether or not the entire grain kernel — bran, germ, and endosperm — is intact. A carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio of less than 10:1 was found to be the most effective criterion for selecting healthful whole-grain products. Look for these claims on the packaging of bread, crackers, and breakfast cereals. The term “whole” is typically printed in yellow on the food’s label, but it can also be listed in the ingredients.
