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FOOD
Top ten tips
Ten foods with great health benefits to include in your
diet this year, by Cheryl Lythgoe.
New research from
Benenden Health has
found that almost half
of adults in the UK
believe that they have an unhealthy
relationship with food, with the
youngest generations telling us that
they are most unhappy with their
eating habits.
Whether you are trying to
improve your physical health or
just change your eating habits, the
best way to approach your diet is
to ensure you are getting a good
balance of food groups, vitamins and
minerals and to aim for a rainbow of
colours on your plate.
The challenge and burden of
constantly assessing our eating
habits can have a significant impact
on our mental wellbeing, with the
pressure of following diets and
calorie counting often making us feel
worse. By removing these targets
and looking at making some simple
lifestyle changes we can all live a
healthy life and promote positive
wellbeing.
To help us do this, here are ten
foods that are great for our physical
and mental health and well worth
adding to our diets in 2022, if you
don't eat them already.
1. Yoghurt
Live yoghurt has an excellent source
of so-called friendly bacteria, also
known as probiotics. Probiotics can
help to strengthen the digestive
tract, which is perfect for the gut and
help to support our immune system.
Along with this, new research
has found that there may be an
emerging link between lactobacillus
and reduced levels of depression.
Yoghurt can be enjoyed in many
ways, including as a yoghurt drink or
mixed in with fruit, nuts or grains;
however, when buying yoghurt,
consider the sugar content as some
yoghurts can contain significantly
more than others.
2. Aubergines
Aubergines are a tasty vegetable
which can easily be added to a lot of
our favourite dishes. The vegetable
has an antioxidant that may help to
lower "bad" cholesterol. Along with
this, it is a great source of fibre and
has various important nutrients
which can support the immune
system and brain function.
3. Almonds
Almonds have a multitude of health
benefits and are a protein rich, tasty
snack that is also great for curbing
the appetite. Research has shown
that almonds can help to improve
our sleep and regulate blood sugar
as they contain high amounts
of muscle-relaxing magnesium.
Magnesium helps the body to switch
from its adrenaline cycle to what is
known as the 'rest and digest cycle'.
4. Ginger
Fresh ginger can help produce
stomach acid as it stimulates the
digestive system to keep food moving
through the gut, helping to support
digestion. Along with this, studies
have recently been looking into how
ginger may affect serotonin levels
and may help to reduce anxiety. The
best way to incorporate ginger into
your diet is by adding it into soups,
stews, smoothies or stir-fries. You
can add grated ginger to boiling
water to make a refreshing tea, and
even add a slice of lemon.