15 Healthiest Foods to Stock in Your Kitchen Year-Round

Comments Off on 15 Healthiest Foods to Stock in Your Kitchen Year-Round June 16, 2014Organic Eating

sunflower-sprouts

 

Sunflower and Other Sprouted Seeds
Sprouted, the protein, vitamin, and mineral content of sunflower seeds soar, and will typically provide you with 30 times the nutrient content of organic vegetables.

 

  

pastured-meat

 

Pastured Meat and Eggs
Meat and eggs contain “complete proteins,” meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids. Eggs are powerhouses of healthy nutrition, provided they’re harvested from organically raised, free-range, pastured chickens.

  

 

butter

 

Butter
Butter, when made from grass-fed cows, is a rich in a substance called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), known to help fight cancer and diabetes. It’s also a rich source of easily absorbed vitamins and trace minerals.

 

  

healthiest-fermented-foods

 

Fermented Vegetables 
¼ to ½ cup of fermented food, eaten with one to three meals per day, can have a dramatically beneficial impact on your health. Ideally, include a variety of cultured and fermented foods in your diet, as each provides different beneficial bacteria.

 

 

avocados

 

Avocados
Avocados are low in fructose and rich in healthy fat that is easily burned for energy. They also provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including potassium, fiber, vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid.

  

 

macadamia-nuts

 

Macadamia Nuts and Pecans
Macadamia and pecans provide the highest amount of healthy fat while being lower in protein and carbs—a near-ideal nutritional profile for any food.

 

  

coconut-oil

 

Organic Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is excellent for your thyroid and your metabolism. It’s also rich in lauric acid, which converts to a potent antiviral and antibacterial compound, capable of destroying viruses such as HIV and herpes, influenza, and measles.

 

  

fresh-herbs

 

Fresh Herbs
Herbs are key to the nutritional density in the foods you eat, and can protect you against diseases, clear toxins from your body, and provide you with vitamins and minerals. Most also have medicinal properties.

 

 

fresh-raw-garlic

 

Raw Garlic
Raw garlic is a potent antimicrobial, working as a natural antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic agent. It must be eaten fresh and raw to give you optimal health benefits though.

 

  

homemade-broth

 

Homemade Broth
Homemade bone broth is excellent for speeding healing and recuperation from illness, as it helps “heal and seal” your gut. It contains healthy fat, and important minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, and trace minerals.

 

  

himalayan-salt

 

Himalayan Salt
Natural unprocessed salt is important for optimal health. Your body needs it for a variety of biological functions. Himalayan salt is an ideal choice. Besides being unprocessed, it contains about 84 naturally-occurring trace minerals.

 

 

canned-salmon

 

Canned Alaskan Salmon
Wild-caught Alaskan salmon is high in healthy omega-3 fats and low in hazardous contaminants. If buying canned salmon, make sure it’s labeled “Alaskan Salmon” or “Sockeye Salmon” to ensure it’s wild and not farmed.

 

  

raw-milk

 

Raw Milk
Grass-fed raw milk contains healthy bacteria that benefit your gut health; beneficial raw fats, amino acids, as well as proteins, vitamins, and minerals—all in highly bioavailable forms.

  

 

healthiest-whey-protein

 

Whey Protein
Whey protein contains beta-glucans and immunoglobulins, which protect your immune system and support your body’s natural detoxification processes. When consumed 30 minutes before and/or after your workout, it can also help increase both fat burning and muscle building.

 

  

healthiest-yogurt-keifer

 

Cultured Dairy: Yogurt and/or Kefir
Cultured dairy products such as yogurt and kefir made from organic, grass-fed milk are powerhouses of nutrition, but contain different types of probiotics. Kefir’s active yeast and bacteria may provide more nutritive value by helping digest the foods you eat.

 

 

 

Article from Mercola.com. Read Full Article here http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/06/16/15-healthiest-foods.aspx