Take a moment to examine your own eating habits and think about adding these foods to your regimen – or increasing their intake – to keep your body at peak performance and health.
Guys, in order to keep your system working efficiently, you need to remember to fuel your body with the right nutrients. The right foods can improve heart health, eye health, brain health, and reproductive health. Aging is associated with gradual declines in most of your body systems (happens with everyone). These declines may increase your risk for having a heart attack, stroke, certain cancers (lung and prostate), or the development of Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
However, the foods listed below are chock full of nutrition and may keep your body, organs, and your brain working at optimal levels.
Health Booster #1: Clams, Scallops, Oysters
Clams, Scallops, and Oysters are part of the mollusk family, which can be found on land, in the deep blue sea, or in many lakes around the country. These tiny little creatures are packed full of nutrition and are very low in calories. For example, three ounces of scallops packs a whopping 14 grams of protein and is roughly 75 calories.
Plus, scallops, clams, muscles, and oysters are packed full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fats your body needs every day to maintain proper health. Also these tiny creatures of the sea are loaded with important nutrients, such as zinc, manganese, and phosphorus, which could help maintain normal blood sugar levels and improve your immune system.
Health Booster #2: Fatty Fish
Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, etc.) are perfect for not only shrinking your waistline, but also for improving your heart, brain, and eye health. Fatty fish are chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation, which could halt the progression of many chronic diseases. Not only that, but fatty fish contain high-quality protein and are low in calories.
Compared to a piece of red meat, a piece of salmon has less saturated fat plus a good helping of omega-3 fatty acids. Mixing the omega-3 fatty acids with a natural source of Vitamin D, fatty fish could take the proverbial cake in healthy nutrition. Worried about PCBs and mercury? The smaller fish, like sardines, are a great source of low-fat, high-quality protein, and are very low in mercury or PCBs, which have been shown detrimental to your health.
Health Booster #3: Oats or Oatmeal
Steel-cut oats are a perfect source of complex carbs, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Of course you know that fiber is good for your health, but did you know that oats, which naturally contain beta-glucan, have been shown to be a great source of fiber? Beta-glucan is a naturally occurring fiber that, when introduced to your body, has been shown to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and help improve blood sugar levels – which could protect your heart, digestive, and overall health. Plus, the fiber in oats has been shown to decrease appetite and could lower energy intake at meals throughout your day (lunch and dinner).
Oats are full of minerals like tryptophan, manganese, and phosphorus, plus they have a good serving of B vitamins. Having a cup of oats in the morning could leave you feeling full all day, which could reduce your belly fat, therefore potentially improving your health.
Health Booster #4: Mushrooms
As strange as it may sound, including more mushrooms in your diet could improve your health as you get older. Mushrooms, in all varieties, deliver a big plate of nutrients in a tiny, bite size fungus. Mushrooms have been shown to be an immune system stimulant, plus they have also been shown to fight or prevent certain types of cancer.
Mushrooms are also a great source of the B vitamins – B2, B3, and B5 – which could be beneficial in mood, blood sugar control, energy levels, and cholesterol levels, just to name a few. Plus, mushrooms have plenty of minerals that are necessary for your body to function at its best.
Health Booster #5: Tomatoes
Tomatoes, another low-calorie favorite, are full of heart-healthy vitamins and minerals. Tomatoes have high levels of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been shown to reduce your risk for cancers, heart disease, and could boost sperm count. Yes, lycopene, according to some research, could be important for increasing your sperm concentration.
Plus, this tasty little vegetable has plenty of phenolic acid, which has been shown to prevent some instances of lung cancer. One more benefit of tomatoes: they are available year-round, which means you can get plenty of lycopene at all times and seasons of the year.
Start Improving Your Health
Aging can be associated with a decline in health – from heart health, brain health, and everything in between. However, taking the right steps now, exercise and stress relief, plus including these five essential foods, could protect your health and lead to a longer, healthier life.