The standard for healthy foods is an ever changing beast. Quinoa vs. soy, chicken vs. fish, eggs, beef, mango, avocado, cheese, milk... Need I go on? With all of the "super food" discoveries made over the last few years, many of the basics are commonly overlooked.
Take a gander at our list of favorite basic (and affordable) super foods that everyone should have around the house.
1. Bananas
Bananas can cure stress and anxiety. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. Bananas are one of the main foods that provides a healthy dose of potassium, which is a vital mineral that the body needs. Potassium helps normalize your heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and helps regulate your body’s water balance. Also, with only 105 calories and 14g of sugar, a medium banana fills you up, provides a mild blood sugar boost and provides 30% of the day’s vitamin B6, which helps the brain produce mellowing serotonin, getting you through a crisis peacefully. So eat a banana and lose the stress!
2. Raisins
Raisins can help lower high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, or even if you don’t, you should still make sure that your pressure stays in a healthy range and raisins can help you do that. About a handful of raisins contain 1 g of fiber and 212 mg of potassium, both recommended for the use of maintaining cardiovascular health including lowering blood pressure. To get the most raisins in your diet, it is often recommended buying the snack size packs. Due to their small size and the fact that raisins almost never go bad, they’re perfect for keeping them in your purse, glove compartment, or desk drawer and eating whenever you are in the mood for a quick snack!
3. Apricots
Apricots help prevent kidney stones. Dried apricots contain fiber, sodium, citric acid, and potassium- all of which help keep minerals from accumulating in the urine and forming into kidney stones.
4. Ginger Tea
Dozens of studies reveal that ginger as a natural remedy that can ease nausea from motion sickness and pregnancy. Rich in potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and C, Ginger root tea also contains many healthy essential oils. All of these put together, it is recommended to take 1 cup of tea to help relieve morning sickness and lower the risk of motion sickness.
5. Basil
Eugenol is a compound found in basil, that studies have shown to help keep your stomach safe from pain, nausea, cramping, and diarrhea by killing off certain bacteria’s. In the same family as peppermint, it is easy to add to your diet. All you have to do is just toss a few leaves into your favorite dish and get ready to reap the benefits!
6. Pears
The high levels of pectin in pears make it very useful in helping to lower cholesterol levels. One medium pear has 5 g of dietary fiber and helps flush out bad cholesterol in the body. High Cholesterol is a major risk factor in heart disease, so save your heart and eat a pear!
7. Cabbage
Sulforaphane, a powerful compound in cabbage, has been discovered to fight against the bacteria that are cause for gastric and peptic ulcers, even before it has a chance to get to your stomach. Cabbage is only 34 calories per cup, provides 3 g of fiber, and has 75% of the day’s vitamin C.
8. Potatoes
Potatoes, when cooked correctly and not loaded with other unhealthy ingredients, are actually very good for you. They are low in calories, high in fiber and they offer serious protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer. It has been found that eating a baked potato, the healthy way, is good for the heart, brain and skin.
9. Honey
Honey is one of those amazing substances that not only taste good, but also is good for you in so many ways. Honey is a natural energy booster and contains antioxidants and has anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that when you substitute honey for regular sugar, it boosts immunity, improves blood sugar levels and has even been known to help with allergies.
10. Cinnamon
Known for its use on many different sweets, cinnamon is a very important and useful spice to keep around the house. Due to the oils found in the bark of cinnamon, it has been found that regular consumption of this spice helps maintain blood sugar levels, acts as an anti-clotting agent and an anti-inflammatory.
Gordon Ramsay
