While hardly an exhaustive list 📑, below you will find 5 of the most powerful healthy aging foods! Chosen for their antioxidant levels according to the ORAC* scale 📊 as well as their overall nutritional content, your body will thank you for including these in your diet on a regular basis! We’ll discuss each item in further detail including their healthy aging benefits. So, let’s jump right in!
The Mighty Contenders!
5 Powerful Foods for Healthy Aging
~Blueberries 🔵
~Avocados 🥑
~Coconut 🥥
~Walnuts 🟤
~Salmon 🐟
Blueberries
Beautiful blueberries are one of North America’s 🌎 most antioxidant-rich indigenous fruits. Within these tiny bursting-with-goodness spheres 🔵, you will find an antioxidant group known as polyphenols. Some examples of polyphenols are:
flavonoids
curcumin
resveratrol
Antioxidants, like polyphenols, help our bodies stay healthy by combatting 🥊 free radicals which destroy healthy cells. By preventing the destruction of healthy cells, antioxidants slow the aging process. Blueberries 🔵 also contain vitamin C and fiber for additional health benefits.
Ways To Enjoy
These tiny ‘power pellets’ are easy to throw into smoothies, sprinkle on oatmeal 🥣 or toss into a fruit salad for a punch 🤜🏼 of age-defying antioxidants!
Let’s look at what these little juicy nuggets can do for us.
Health Benefits
Blueberries have the potential to:
improve digestion 👍
enhance brain function 🧠
regulate blood sugar levels 〰️
reduce inflammation ⬇️
protect against blood clots 🩸
discourage heart disease ❤️
ward off certain cancers ✖️
Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/polyphenols#bottom-line
Avocados
These green, creamy delights covered in alligator skin 🐊 are a nutritionist’s dream food! Filled with good fats and fiber, the very versatile avocado is a kitchen staple. Originating in southcentral Mexico thousands of years ago, they are a popular ingredient in both savory 🥑 and sweet dishes.
Ways To Enjoy
Consider slicing them for salads or tacos 🌮, using them as a healthy substitute base for puddings or throwing some into a smoothie for a creamy texture. Or try them in my favorite version of guacamole…Nicaraguan style!
Nicaraguan Guacamole
Ingredients
-2 ripe avocados 🥑
-2 Tbsp. diced onions 🧅
-3 boiled eggs 🥚
-lime juice 🍈
-salt 🧂
Directions
-boil the eggs 🔥
-dice the onions 🔪
-peel and pit the avocado and place in a bowl 🥑
-add the onions and boiled eggs (peeled, of course!) to the bowl with the avocado and smash them all together until desired consistency (I like mine more clumpy than smooth) 🥣
-season with fresh lime juice and salt to your liking 👩🍳
-Serve with tortilla chips or just eat it with a fork! It’s THAT forkin’ good!
Health Benefits
Including avocados in your diet may:
support healthy blood sugar 👍
reduce risk of heart disease ⬇️
encourage weight loss due to their filling fiber and fat content ⚖️
Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/calories-in-an-avocado-3495640
Coconut
Mmmmmm….coconut. 🥥 With so many forms of coconut available: water, oil, milk, 🥛cream, shreds…there’s a coconut variety suitable for almost any occasion! Packed with healthy fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants and important minerals, coconut is a refreshing addition to any diet!
Ways To Enjoy
Try using coconut cream or milk as a base for homemade pudding, drink some electrolyte-packed coconut water 💧 after a workout or pop some popcorn 🍿 in a bit of coconut oil for a yummy treat!
Health Benefits
Coconut may:
improve cholesterol 🩸
reduce inflammation ⬇️
boost immunity 💪
protect against infection 😷
promote weight loss 👌
lower risk of dementia 👴
Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/coconut-nutrition-facts-4135199
Walnuts
What’s crunchy, nutty and full of good fats and protein? Walnuts 🟤! They’re also a good source of fiber and antioxidants that keep us looking and feeling younger longer!
Ways To Enjoy
Toast some walnuts for a crunchy salad topper 🥗, add them to baked goods 🥯 or coat them in dark chocolate 🍫 for a heart-healthy, portable treat! An even easier option than chocolate-covered walnuts is to just pop a walnut with a morsel of dark chocolate in your mouth and, BAM 💥, instant flavor explosion! Mmmmm…..
Health Benefits
Eating walnuts may:
reduce inflammation ⬇️
suppress cancer cells ❎
deter brain deterioration 🧠
control diabetes 👍
slow skin aging 🤩
Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/health-benefits-of-walnuts-2018081314526 https://veryhealthy.life/14-health-benefits-of-walnuts-for-your-body/14/
Salmon
Rich and delicious, salmon 🐟 is chock-full of an assortment of energy-boosting B vitamins, vitamin D, various minerals and omega 3 fatty acids. That’s a LOT of goodness packed into a delicious portion of fish!
Ways To Enjoy
Whether grilled, baked, smoked or in sushi 🍣, salmon can be enjoyed in a healthy variety of ways!
Health Benefits
Eating salmon regularly may:
ensure skin health 🤩
reduce inflammation ⬇️
enhance cognitive function 🧠
improve heart health ❤️
Final Thoughts
Be sure to stock your pantry and your fridge with these powerful foods! Let me know which are your favorites, what ways you prefer to prepare them and if you tried the Nicaraguan Guacamole!
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