Do you want to super-charge your diet with some of the most outstanding foods for your health … but you’re not sure where to start? Or have you grown tired of broccoli and almonds, and you’re looking for a nutritious change of pace? The Huffington Post featured five of the top foods to consider; these are so good (and so good for you) that they’re endorsed by some of the top nutrition experts around.
1. Greek Yogurt
Gerard Mullin, MD, director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative GI Nutrition Services, recommends Greek yogurt for “palatability, satiation and protein content.” Plus, yogurt is an important source of probiotics, or beneficial bacteria that improve the health of your microbiome. He further explained:
“Organic, grass-fed yogurt is best because you are getting a better omega fatty acid profile. When animals are fed corn they produce dairy with more omega-6s, but grass-fed animals produce dairy with more healthy omega-3s.”
2. Chickpeas
David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.M., F.A.C.P., Director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, recommends chickpeas for their high protein content, which is especially useful if you’re trying to avoid or cut back on meat.
3. Dark, Leafy Greens
According to Donald D. Hensrud, M.D, M.P.H., chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational, and Aerospace Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, dark leafy greens can’t be beat for their high nutritional content and low calories. He recommends arugula, spinach and lettuces prepared in a variety of ways – salads, pasta dishes, lasagna, pesto, soups and spinach pie.
4. Eggs
Robert Lustig, M.D., M.S.L., director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at the University of California, San Francisco and president of the nonprofit Institute for Responsible Nutrition, recommends eggs for their high-quality protein, including tryptophan, which may help with weight management. He said:
“Eggs got a bad rap in the 1980s because of the cholesterol in the yolk. But it does not raise the small dense LDL, which is the atherogenic particle [the one that forms plaques in your arteries]. Eggs are great by themselves, with many different ways of preparation, or they can be added to foods easily.”
5. Avocados
Taz Bhatia, M.D., assistant professor at Emory University in Preventive/Integrative Medicine and director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, said she swears by avocados for their heart-healthy unsaturated fat. In addition to helping you feel full longer, avocados contain vitamins C, K and B6 along with pre- and probiotics for a healthy gut.
