Best Kitchen Food Items that can Boost Your Physical & Mental Health
What you eat determines who you are. If one remembers to search, the key to good health can frequently be found right in one’s own kitchen. Kitchen shelves are stocked with products that are both nutritious and delicious when prepared correctly, ranging from nutrient-dense and healthful lentils and flours to natural alternatives to calorie-dense processed foods.
Here are several meals that, when consumed on a daily basis, can help you improve your physical and mental health:
Grains
Salads, grain bowls, soups, and pilafs are wonderful options when you’re in a hurry because of their diversity and convenience.
Grains including spelt, brown rice, amaranth, bulgur, oats, and quinoa may be kept at room temperature for months to years, depending on the kind, making them an excellent bulk purchase (6).
Furthermore, these grains are high in fibre and micronutrients like B vitamins, manganese, and magnesium, and eating them may help prevent diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
Jaggery
It’s a terrific alternative to empty-calorie sweeteners like sugar, jaggery, or gur because it’s high in nutritional content and contains antioxidants and minerals. Jaggery is a sweetener that can be eaten raw or added to food to enhance the flavour. Jaggery, in addition to increasing immunity, offers excellent purifying capabilities for the entire body, particularly the liver and blood.
Frozen fruit and vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables, such as berries and greens, have a short shelf life. Buying these meals frozen, on the other hand, ensures that you always have nutrient-dense produce on hand.
Frozen fruits and vegetables have similar nutritional content to fresh food, making them a nutritious and convenient freezer staple.
Frozen greens can be added to sautés, soups, and smoothies. Frozen berries can be used in oatmeal, smoothies, baked products, and yoghurt parfaits in the same way that fresh berries can.
Dates
Along with jaggery, the date fruit is another diabetic-friendly meal. This valuable brown dry fruit is packed with nutrients including potassium and antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid. Dates are high in fibre and easy to incorporate into recipes. They are also beneficial to brain health.
According to studies, a diet high in date palm fruits boosts memory and learning while also lowering the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Dates and jaggery instant mixes, such as those sold by NutrEatLife, can be used to sweeten dishes and beverages without the health risks associated with sugar.
Coconut
Coconut, whether in the form of coconut water, raw coconut, milk, or even oil, is another historically available superfood that is packed with nutrients. Coconut can help you get more of the micronutrients you need each day, from manganese to magnesium, copper, and potassium. Sipping coconut water could have the same effect as an anxiety-relieving exercise, and research suggests that coconut water has antidepressant properties.
Ragi
Ragi is a staple in south Indian households because it is high in protein and contains minerals such as vitamins C, B-Complex, and E, iron, and calcium, all of which are beneficial to your hair and skin. Ragi is a delicious breakfast item that also aids in nerve relaxation and sleep induction.
What’s the best part? Ragi is a flexible ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes and may be cooked for both babies and adults, whether as a baby cereal, sizzling hot porridge, or delicious pancakes.
Garlic and Onions
Garlic and onions are the foundation of many dishes, and professional and home cooks alike prefer them for their variety and extended shelf life.
Both have been proved to be beneficial to your health in a variety of ways, and consuming them on a daily basis may help reduce your risk of a variety of illnesses, including cancer, mental decline, heart disease, and diabetes.
Eggs
Eggs are a nutrient-dense food that can be consumed at any time of day. They’re often described to as nature’s multivitamin because they’re high in protein and almost every vitamin and mineral your body requires to thrive.
To up the protein intake, make a nutrient-dense veggie omelete or add a fried egg to oats, salads, or vegetable meals.
If possible, buy pasture-raised eggs. Not only are eggs from pastured hens more nutritious than those from caged hens, but the hens that lay them are also often treated better. They have access to outside space and can engage in typical foraging activities.
Nuts
Nuts are wonder foods that have been proven to be transforming for both physical and mental health. Add them to your desserts or eat a handful after soaking in water. Almonds and walnuts are energy-boosting foods that are an excellent snacking alternative in between meals, in addition to increasing cognitive function. Pistachios, likewise, promote brain and eye function and are beneficial to hair and skin health. Peanuts, too, are a wonderful snacking alternative and a nutritional powerhouse, containing 17 grammes of protein per half cup (73 grams).
Conclusion
Keeping healthy items in your refrigerator, pantry, and freezer will guarantee that you always have the components on hand to make a nutritious, home-cooked meal.
Your kitchen will be packed with healthy basics before you realize it if you buy a handful of the foods listed above during your next few supermarket trips.