Dictionary.com defines Health Food as: “Any natural food popularly believed to promote or sustain good health, as by containing vital nutrients,being grown without the use of pesticides, or having a low sodium or fat content.“ This definition is quite broad, and by some means you could include most dietary supplements into this description, as most dietary supplements include vital nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals. The key here is 'natural food', which is what we will be focusing on in this article.
Many health foods are not widely consumed, or featured as a staple in most people's' food cupboards. When we think of carbohydrates with our dinner, we usually think of rice, pasta and breads, but most likely we do not consider Quinoa, Stevia, Coconut oil and much much more!
As a rule of thumb, for every unhealthy food, there is a health-food equivalent, to help you reach your fitness goals without drastically modifying your diet. In this article we will outline a few great health foods, and their benefits.
Let's start with stevia. Stevia is a sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana. It is deliciously sweet, but has 0 calories and is much better for your health and sugar! If you are trying to cut down on calories to lose weight, this is a fantastic sugar alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth while limiting your caloric intake. Additionally, it is understood that stevia is 200 times sweeter than sugar in the same dosage, making it most cost efficient than it may at first appear. A very small amount of stevia will do the same job as a larger amount of sugar.
Next let's talk about Quinoa. Now this one you have probably come across, as it has suddenly started gaining popularity in chain restaurants, incorporated into salads and popularised as a fantastic health food, which it totally is! Quinoa is a complete protein and a fantastic wheat free alternative for your daily carbohydrates. The demand for quinoa has rocketed in recent years. Quinoa is a brilliant alternative to starchy grains, and when cooked they soften similarly to couscous. While very mild and plain in flavour, they can easily be complemented with spices and herbs to provide a beautiful flavour. Try using Quinoa for your next meal as a replacement for rice and see what i'm talking about!
Now we're onto coconut oil. Coconut oil is a brilliant healthy option for cooking oil and more. Its concentration of beneficial fats in makes it a fantastic aid for digestion. Furthermore, coconut oil’s antimicrobial properties can help fight irritation and infection in the gut. Additionally, healthy fats are often difficult to source in your average diet, but coconut oil provides a completely healthy source of healthy fat, 50% of which is lauric acid, making it the second richest source of lauric acid following breast milk! (The optimal drink for growing humans.)
In conclusion, health foods are exactly as they sound, healthy foods. They are whole foods, from natural sources, with brilliant nutritional value. Notably, Quinoa, Stevia and Coconut oil should be staples in everyone's food cupboards for their amazing nutritional benefits, digestive help, immune-system support and more! This is by no means a complete list, and the endless array of health foods could fill a novel. Take a look at some of the great health foods available from Powerbody.co.uk. From healthy alternatives to pancakes and deserts, to whole grains, complete proteins and vitamin & mineral complexes, there is certainly a healthy alternative for any unhealthy food you love!
Toby Hone
BSc (hons) Sport and Exercise Science
