Good food adds flavor to life!
When we’re at our best, we feel energized and optimistic. However, some foods we eat—as delicious as they are—aren’t as nutritious and leave us feeling full or sluggish.
Such discomfort makes it difficult to stay focused or keep up. It puts us in a negative headspace. We feel tired, unproductive, and less like ourselves. Even the slightest shift can leave us feeling off our game, making us want to withdraw from others.
Eating healthy is a conscious plan to not only know what foods taste good but also what good these foods can do for us.
When we put good foods into our bodies, vitamins and minerals work with our overall digestive system. A nutritious plan helps our bodies function properly, which helps us feel good physically and emotionally.
Below are some essential foods that are good for your physical and emotional health.
Fruits
Eating fruit is a great way to load up on the essential vitamins and minerals our body needs without adding unwanted calories.
Here’s a look at some fruits and the benefits of eating them.
Avocados contain carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, lutein, potassium, magnesium, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folate (vitamin B9), niacin (vitamin B3) pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), and riboflavin (vitamin B2).
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good eye, brain, heart, teeth, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They also maintain a healthy digestive and immune system, build strong bones, form new cells, protect cells from free radicals, turn glucose into energy, and help the body to function properly overall.
Bananas contain carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, and manganese.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good eye, brain, heart, teeth, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy digestive system and immune system. They also protect cells from free radicals, build strong bones, and turn glucose into energy.
Cantaloupe contains carbohydrates, fiber, folate (vitamin B9), potassium, vitamin K, niacin (vitamin B3), choline, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, zinc, copper, and calcium.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good eye, brain, heart, skin, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy digestive, immune, and nervous system. They form new blood cells and help blood to clot. They also change carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy, protect cells from free radicals, build strong bones, and promote an overall properly functioning body.
Cucumbers contain fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good teeth, skin, hair, nails, brain, heart, and muscle health. They also help blood to clot, form new cells, protect cells from free radicals, and maintain a healthy immune and digestive system.
Green and red grapes contain fiber, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), thiamine (vitamin B1), vitamin C, riboflavin (B3), vitamin K, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, copper, and beta-carotene.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good teeth, skin, hair, nails, heart, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy immune and digestive system, and change carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy. They also form new blood cells, protect cells from free radicals, and help blood to clot.
Pumpkins contain fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin (vitamin B2), beta-carotene, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and folate (vitamin B9).
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good eye, heart, teeth, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They form new cells, protect cells from free radicals, change carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy. They also maintain a healthy immune and digestive system.
Tomatoes contain fiber, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin C, vitamin K, lycopene, and potassium.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good teeth, brain, heart, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They form new cells, protect cells from free radicals, and help blood to clot. They also maintain a healthy immune and digestive system and promote an overall healthy body.
Watermelons contain vitamin C, vitamin A, pyridoxine, (vitamin B6), copper, lycopene, magnesium, and potassium.
Benefits: These vitamins and minerals support good eye, teeth, brain, heart, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy immune, nervous, and digestive system. They also form new blood cells, protect cells from free radicals, and change carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy.
Vegetables
Artichokes contain fiber, carbohydrates, folate, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and magnesium.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good skin, hair, nails, heart, brain, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy digestive, immune, and nervous system. They form new blood cells, help blood to clot, protect cells from free radicals, and strengthen bones.
Asparagus contains fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, and potassium.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good eye, skin, hair, nails, heart, brain, bones, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy digestive and immune system. They form new blood cells, help blood to clot, and protect cells from free radicals.
Carrots contain fiber, vitamin A, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin E, vitamin K1, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and potassium.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good eye, skin, hair, nails, brain, muscles, and heart health. They maintain a healthy digestive and immune system. They change proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to energy and protect cells from free radicals.
Cauliflower contains potassium, fiber, manganese, phosphorus, protein, and beta-carotene.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good brain, heart, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy digestive, immune, and nervous system. They also protect cells from free radicals.
Celery contains fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and fiber support good eye, skin, hair, nails, muscle, heart, and brain health. They maintain a healthy digestive system, build strong bones, form new blood cells, and help blood to clot.
Corn contains vitamin B6, folate, iron, niacin, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.
Benefits: These vitamins and minerals support good skin, hair, nails, and heart health. They build strong bones, change proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into energy. They maintain a healthy nervous and immune system. They protect cells from free radicals, form new blood cells, and help overall health.
Dark Leafy Greens, such as kale, collards, spinach, and romaine contain vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, folate, manganese, and lutein.
Benefits: These vitamins and minerals support good eye, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy immune and digestive system. They build strong bones, form new blood cells, and help blood to clot. They protect cells from free radicals, and change proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into energy.
Peas contain fiber, carbs, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, manganese, phosphorus, and thiamine.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good eye, skin, hair, nails, and muscle health. They maintain a healthy nervous and digestive system. They change proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to energy. They build strong bones, form new blood cells, repair cells, and protect them from free radicals.
Potatoes contain fiber, carbs, protein, calcium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, potassium, and thiamine.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good eye, skin, hair, nails, muscles, heart, and brain health. They maintain a healthy nervous, immune, and digestive system. They repair cells, build strong bones, and form new blood cells. They also change proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into energy and protect cells from free radicals.
Sweet potatoes contain fiber, carbs, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and beta-carotene.
Benefits: These vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates support good eye, skin, hair, nails, muscles, heart, and brain health. They maintain a healthy digestive, immune, and nervous system. They also repair and protect cells from free radicals.