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5 Foods that Taste Great and Are Incredibly Good for You
There are a lot of foods that are good for you, but don’t exactly whet your appetite.
Broccoli and kale come to mind.
But then there are those rare foods that taste great and are also incredibly good for you.
These are the types of foods that make it easy to stick with a healthy eating plan. Here are 5 foods that are both delicious and nutritious:
Chocolate
We know that some of the longest-lived people in the world regularly eat chocolate and chocolate is also a common indulgence among some of the world’s best athletes (such as Rafael Nadal).
Chocolate has a range of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The flavonols in chocolate support the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes your blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Better blood flow in turn delivers enhanced cognition, protection from heart disease, and even improved athletic performance (no wonder Nadal swears by chocolate).
The key is choosing the right kind of chocolate for maximum health benefits. It is best to choose dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa (The FDA requires milk chocolate to contain at least 10% cocoa, but some milk chocolate bars have 50% or more).
“Eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day is probably really good for us, and it will make you happy, because it tastes good,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and professor of nutrition at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Dark Berries
Berries are another food group that tastes great and produces terrific health results.
Berries such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are loaded with antioxidants, high in fiber, and full of vitamins and minerals. Berries deliver a range of health benefits, including lowering the risk of cancer, improving blood sugar and cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation, and supporting heart health.
Similar to chocolate, berries make an ideal dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth in a nutritious way.
