Why you should be eating functional foods.

Do you know what is functional food? Why you should be eating them? What are the benefits? I guarantee you, you're probably eating them and don't know.

Functional foods are ingredients that offer health benefits that extend beyond their nutritional value. Some types contain supplements or other additional ingredients designed to improve health. The essence of these foods work to balance and harmonize the body’s energy. In other words, “food-as-medicine.”

Looking to food as medicine, we know different food has different benefits. For example, red fruit is good for building red blood cells, walnuts are brain-shaped and are therefore good for the brain, fruits grown in hot regions and in the summer are good for cooling fevers and inflammation, and so on.

Examples of functional foods

I want to talk about conventional functional foods which are natural, whole-food ingredients that are rich in important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and heart-healthy fats.

Here are some examples of conventional functional foods:

• Fruits: berries, kiwi, pears, peaches, apples, oranges, bananas

• Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, zucchini

• Nuts: almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts

• Seeds: chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds

• Legumes: black beans, chickpeas, navy beans, lentils

• Whole grains: oats, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, couscous

• Seafood: salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, cod

• Fermented foods: tempeh, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut

• Herbs and spices: turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper

• Beverages: coffee, green tea, black tea

Benefits

Functional foods are associated with several potential health benefits. Their benefits are many. Functional foods are typically high in important nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber.

Having a diet full of variety of functional foods, it's really going to help you get more nutrients and protect against nutrient deficiencies.

These foods act as anti-inflammatory agents, reduce blood pressure, improve memory, slow starch digestion to help keep blood glucose low after meals, help brain clarity, give you body more energy and etc.

Most people, especially here in America do not eat enough fibers and enough functional foods, with really increase their body inflamattion.

Adding more functional foods (anti inflammatory) foods into your diet will help you improve your functions and life.

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