Useful food

Food is the source of energy for all functions of our body and directly affects our body and mind at every stage of our life. There are many reasons why a healthy diet is important, including the prevention of diseases, maintaining a healthy weight and quality of life. In our today’s article, you will be able to take on 10 useful foods that should make up the most of your diet. The more you use this healthy food in your diet, the more effective your body will be able to increase your lean muscle mass with regular training and avoid fat deposition.

What effects does this useful food have?

• Muscle building
• Promotes weight loss
• Strengthens bones
• Fighting cancer
• Improves immune function
• Fighting cardiovascular diseases

From this healthy food you can create whole meals and snacks, but this is not necessary. You just need to adhere to the following rules:

1. Incorporation of two or three of these products into each of the three main meals per day and at least one of these products in each of the three snacks.
2. Combine these healthy foods in such a way that a combination of proteins, carbohydrates and fats is obtained with each meal.
3. Make sure you get some protein with every snack.

# 1 ALMONDS AND OTHER NUTS

• Supersil: building muscle, fighting appetite
• Secret weapons: protein, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, folate (in peanuts), fiber, magnesium, phosphorus
• Fights against: obesity, cardiovascular disease, loss of muscle mass, cancer
• Allies: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, avocado
• Enemies: salted or smoked nuts (high sodium content leads to increased arterial pressure)

You’ve probably heard about good fats and bad ones. Some are on your side, and others just dirty. Fast food falls into the second category, but nuts are our saviors and healthy food! They contain monounsaturated fats that purify the arteries and help you feel full. All nuts contain a lot of protein and monounsaturated fats. But almonds are king among nuts. Eating two handfuls a day of this healthy food (about 50 grams of almonds), you can suppress the appetite, especially if you send them to your stomach along with a quarter of a liter of water!

# 2 LEGUMES

Lentils, peas, hummus, beans.

• Supersil: muscle building, helps burn fat, regulates digestion
• Secret weapon: fiber, folate, iron
• Fights against: obesity, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, high blood pressure
• Allies: no
• Enemies: overcooked beans (high saturated fat), baked beans (contains a large amount of sugar)

Most of us are very negative about beans (especially peas) because of their laxative effect. But they have a good effect on your heart. Plus, the more you add this healthy food to your diet, the more you can control your hunger. Legumes have a low fat content, rich in protein, fiber and iron – nutrients that play a crucial role in muscle building and fat loss.

3 SPINACH AND OTHER GREEN VEGETABLES

• Supersil: neutralizes free radicals (molecules that accelerate the aging process)
• Secret weapons: vitamins A, C and K, folate, beta-carotene, calcium and magnesium, fibers
• Fights against: obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, stroke, osteoporosis
• Allies: Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts), asparagus, sweet pepper
• Enemies: no, as long as you do not fry them or extinguish them

Vegetables are a healthy food that is packed “up and down” with all the important and necessary nutrients for the body. For example, only one single serving of spinach provides the body with a daily dose of vitamin A and half of vitamin C. It also contains folate, a vitamin that protects against heart disease, stroke and colon cancer. Broccoli is high in fiber and more stuffed with vitamins and minerals than any other food. If you are a violent hater of the “green”, then just hide them. Make a puree of vegetables and add it to some sauce. The smaller the shred, the less taste, and the easier it is for the body to absorb nutrients.

# 4 DAIRY PRODUCTS

Low-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese.

• Supersil: strengthens bones, promotes weight loss
• Secret weapons: calcium, vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium
• Fights against: obesity, cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure
• Allies: no
• Enemies: whole milk (many fats)

Dairy products, undoubtedly, are the most useful foodstuff and contain the proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids necessary for us, and also a lot of vitamins and microelements. But the most important and well-known component of any dairy product is of course calcium, which strengthens our bones, teeth and nails. Recent studies have found that people who consumed between 1,200 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day were able to lose twice as much weight as those who took less calcium. This mineral prevents weight gain by increasing the breakdown of fat in the body and prevents its formation.

Low-fat yogurt, cheese and other dairy products can play a key role in your diet. But milk should be the main source of calcium for your body. The fluids take up a lot of space in the stomach, so the brain receives a signal that you are packed to capacity. A cocktail of milk and chocolate whey protein will help kill two birds with one stone at a time – get a dose of calcium and curb cravings for sweets.

# 5 OATMEAL

• Supersil: increasing energy and sexual desire, lowering cholesterol, maintaining blood sugar levels
• Secret weapons: complex carbohydrates and fiber
• Fights against: obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer
• Allies: high-fiber cereals
• Enemies: sweet cereals

Oatmeal is another healthy meal that you can eat for breakfast to stock up on the energy you need for the whole of the next day or two hours before your workout to give yourself the strength to exercise. For convenience, you should buy instant cooking oat flakes, but unsweetened and unflavored. To enhance the taste, use milk and all kinds of berries. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which means that it attracts liquids and stays in the stomach longer than insoluble fibers (eg, vegetables). Soluble fibers can reduce cholesterol in the blood by interacting with digestive acid (which is made from cholesterol) and removing it from the body. When this happens, the liver must remove the cholesterol from the blood in order to lower the levels of digestive acid and cholesterol.

Research has shown that oatmeal maintains blood sugar levels longer than many other foods, maintains your insulin level stable and ensures that you will not be hungry for the next few hours. This is good because the surge in insulin production slows the metabolism and sends a signal to the body that it’s time to start accumulating fat. Since oatmeal dissolves slowly in the stomach, it causes fewer insulin outbursts than foods like bagels for example. Only one single oatmeal for breakfast increases metabolism by 10%. Oatmeal raises the level of free testosterone in the body, increasing the ability of your body to build muscle, burn fat and increase sexual desire.

6 EGGS

• Supersila: building muscles, burning fat
• Secret weapon: protein, vitamins A and B12
• Fights against: obesity
• Allies: no
• Enemies: no

For a long time, eggs were considered pure evil and not very useful product, and doctors recommended “throwing eggs in passing cars,” but not in your stomach. This is because only two eggs contain enough cholesterol to exceed your daily recommended rate. But more and more studies show that eating one or two eggs a day will not raise the level of cholesterol. In fact, most of the cholesterol in the blood is produced by the body from food fats, and not from food cholesterol. That’s why you should take advantage of the eggs and their powerful protein composition.

The protein contained in the eggs has the highest biological value – this is a measure of how well the body can absorb and use the protein. In other words, protein in eggs is more effective in building muscles than proteins from other sources, even milk and beef. Eggs also contain vitamin B12, essential for the breakdown of fats.

# 7 PEANUT BUTTER

• Supersil: increasing testosterone, building muscle, burning fat
• Secret weapons: protein, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, niacin, magnesium
• Fights against: obesity, loss of muscle mass, wrinkles, cardiovascular diseases
• Allies: cashew, almond and olive oil
• Enemies: sweet and trans fat peanut butter

Yes, peanut butter has its drawbacks: it is high in calories. But it contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that increase the production of testosterone in your body, which in turn helps the muscles grow and melts fat. In one 18-month experiment, people who used peanut butter in their diet were much better off weight loss than those who adhered to a diet very low in fat.

Recent studies conducted at the University of Illinois showed that people who consumed monounsaturated fats before meals (in this case, it was olive oil), consumed 25% less calories while eating. Peanut butter works exactly the same way, because it is a fast and versatile snack – and it’s delicious.

Such a diet, which includes useful indulgence in the form of peanut butter, will not leave you feeling hungry, it is easier to follow and it will not make you a victim of harmful food. Just one caveat: Because of the high fat content, do not overeat with peanut butter. Limit yourself 3 tablespoons a day. And do not forget to look at the label when buying peanut butter – choose only natural peanut butter, and not brands containing sugar.

# 8 RASPBERRY AND OTHER BERRIES

• Super- strength : protection of the heart, improving vision, improving memory
• Secret weapons: antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, tannins (cranberries)
• Struggles against: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity
• Allies: most other fruits, especially apples and grapefruit
• Enemies: jam (a lot of sugar)

Depending on the taste, any berries will be considered a useful meal. However, raspberries carry a powerful level of antioxidants – universal compounds that help the body fight heart disease and cancer. Flavonoids in berries improve vision, coordination and short-term memory. One small cup of raspberries contains 6 grams of fiber and more than half of the daily norm of vitamin C.

Blueberries are also stuffed with soluble fibers, which, like oatmeal, keeps the feeling of satiety longer. In fact, it is one of the healthiest and most healthy foods that you can eat. Blueberry beats 39 other fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant activity ratings. Strawberry contains another valuable type of fiber, called pectin (like grapefruits, peaches, apples and oranges).

# 9 TURKEY AND OTHER LOW-FAT MEAT

• Supersil: muscle building, improving the immune system
• Secret weapons: protein, iron, zinc, creatine (beef), omega-3 fatty acids (fish), vitamins B6 (chicken and fish) and B12, phosphorus, potassium
• Fights against: cardiovascular diseases, obesity, mood disorders, memory loss
• Allies: beef, lamb, chicken, fish
• Enemies: sausages, bacon, pork, ham (all fatty meat)

Protein is a classic nutrient for muscle building. It is the basis of any reliable nutrition plan. Turkey is one of the most low-fat meat that you can find. It combines almost a third of the daily requirement of the body in nicotinic acid and vitamin B6, contains a lot of zinc and iron.

Beef is another classic tool for muscle building. But it has the opposite side: it contains saturated fats. To further reduce saturated fats, focus on the benefits of fish (tuna and salmon), because it contains a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein. These fatty acids lower the levels of the leptin hormone in the body. Recent studies show that leptin directly affects metabolism: the higher the leptin level, the easier your body will store calories in the form of fat.

Researchers studying the diet of two African tribes found that the leptin levels of a tribe that often consumed fish were almost five times lower than that of a tribe that mostly ate vegetables. Also, men who do not eat fish doom themselves to a 3-fold risk of developing prostate cancer than those who eat fish regularly. It’s all omega-3s that hinder the development of prostate cancer.

# 10 WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

• Supersil: does not allow the body to store fat
• Secret weapons: fibers, protein, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc
• Struggle against: cardiovascular diseases, obesity, cancer, high blood pressure
• Allies: brown rice, whole grain pasta
• Enemies: processed bakery products (white bread, bagels, donuts)

A person always craves carbohydrates, because the body needs them. The main thing to consume those that have been least processed are carbohydrates, in which the fibers remain intact. Grain, like wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye are the seeds of cereals and is divided into three parts – the sprout, bran and endosperm. Endosperm surrounds the sprout and, from the point of view of nutrition, is hopeless. It contains starch, some protein and some vitamins. Sprout is a small part of the grain. While he is small, he has a great nutritional power. The germ contains proteins, oils and B vitamins – thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and pyridoxine. It also contains vitamin E and minerals – magnesium, zinc, potassium and iron. Bran is the third part of the grain and the part where all the fibers are stored. This coating around the grain, which contains B vitamins, zinc, calcium,

So why this whole lesson of biology?

But why: when food producers process the grain, guess which two parts are they getting rid of? Quite right: bran, which contains all the fiber and minerals, and a germ, where all the proteins and vitamins. And what remains is a nutritious bankrupt endosperm (that is, starch), from which make bagels, white bread, white rice and almost all other bakery products. Insanely, is not it? But if you eat foods made from all three parts of the grain – whole grain bread, pasta, long grain rice – you get all the nutrients.

Whole-grain carbohydrates play an important role in a healthy lifestyle.

In an 11-year study of 16,000 middle-aged people, scientists from the University of Minnesota found that eating three daily servings of whole grains could reduce the risk of death for a decade by 23%. Bread from whole grains helps to maintain a low level of insulin in the body, which prevents the body from accumulating fat. Carbohydrates – the right kind of carbohydrates – are good for you.

Attention: food producers like to be cunning. Sometimes, after processing and disposal of wheat from all vitamins, fiber and minerals, they use molasses, giving the bread a brown color, and then put it on a food shelf with a label that says “wheat bread”. This is a trick! In fact, real nutritious bread and other unprocessed foods will have the word “whole” – whole grain or whole wheat grain. Do not let yourself be deceived!