My top 5 "Super-foods"

Making little changes to your everyday diet can really do a lot in your journey to a healthier life. Here are my top 5 "super-foods" that I think everyone should include in their diet:

1. Almonds

If you begin to feel hungry in between meals, a handful of raw almonds (not salted, smoked, etc.) can do your body a world of good. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals that benefit many parts of the body, including the brain, making them the perfect snack for the college student. Almonds have many health benefits, but here are a few of the most important ones:

They are very nutrient dense, making you feel fuller than many other snack foods. They can aid in weight loss by making you feel nourished when you eat, curbing your cravings for other snacks.

Rich in manganese, riboflavin and copper, they can help you to boost your energy and make it through a long day filled with classes, homework and meetings.

They contain the chemical phenylalanine, which helps to improve brainpower, making them the ultimate study-time snack.

Photo courtesy of: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~wellness/wpp/nutri/images/food/almonds5.jpg


2. Power breakfast: A rice cake with peanut butter and honey


Breakfast is often considered the "most important" meal of the day, so it's important to make it a good one. Eating breakfast gives us the energy to start our day and can help aid in weight control. Here is one of my favorite power breakfasts to help me get through a long day, as well as my morning workout:

A plain rice cake with low-fat peanut butter spread on top with a drizzle of honey.

Rice cakes provide carbohydrates, which can give us the fuel to start and continue our day. Peanut butter is a good source of protein and will leave you feeling full. It also has calcium, which supports healthy bones and prevents muscle spasms. Honey is a natural sweetener, making this breakfast both delicious and nutritious. It also gives us carbohydrates for strength and energy, and can help us boost performance.

3. Green Tea

This is a great drink for promoting good health. It is packed with antioxidants, and has been said to help fight cancer and heart disease, but also to speed up metabolism. It has been shown to lower cholesterol and combat obesity.

So instead of reaching for a soda or water, try drinking a cup of green tea. You can find it at any grocery store and there are many different flavors such as lemon and berry. Try drinking it hot, or brew it and pour it over ice for a iced green tea on those hot spring quarter days.



Photo courtesy of: http://www.aeromedi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/green-tea.jpg

4. Whole Wheat

Switching your bread products such as pasta, bread and crackers from white to whole wheat products can help you live a healthier life. Whole wheat products are high in dietary fiber, which is necessary for a healthy diet, compared to refined (white) products which are stripped of their natural goodness.

5. Eggs

Eggs are great for any meal. They are high in protein and very nutrient dense, meaning they will leave you feeling fuller longer so you aren't reaching for the chip bag any time soon. Also they contain the nutrient choline, which supports healthy brain functioning and memory.

The best thing about them is that they are so versatile; you can scramble them, fry them or hard boil them. They can be paired with veggies, cheese or meat to make an omelet, or hard boiled and put in a salad. There is so much you can do with eggs, get creative!

My favorite egg-based meal is an omelet with tomatoes, onions, peppers and mushrooms on top of brown rice with a tiny bit of hot sauce. Yum!


Photo courtesy of: http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/images/eggs.jpg