Incredible Ways These Popular Superfoods Can Improve Your Overall Health

Avocados

Avocados, a popular stone fruit, make the perfect addition to a smoothie, tastes great on toast, and have surprising uses in baked goods. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) National Nutrient Database, one avocado includes four grams of protein, 13.5 grams of dietary fiber, twenty-four milligrams of calcium, 19.7 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 3.65 grams of polyunsaturated fat. Avocados are also a good source of many other nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, and folate.

The fiber in avocados promotes healthy digestion, detoxification, reducing inflammation, and lowering the risk of serious health issues such as stroke, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension. Folate is linked to lowering the risk of some cancers (e.g., stomach, cervical, colon, and pancreatic), reducing the risk of miscarriage, and reducing the likelihood of depression. Consuming the healthy fats in avocados help keep individuals full, promote healthy skin, maintain stable levels of blood sugar thanks to slowing the body’s breakdown of carbohydrates, and may even improve the immune system. Continue reading for another powerhouse fruit on the list of popular superfoods.

Blueberries

Blueberries are an incredibly popular sweet fruit, and thanks to the abundance of nutrients they contain, are often considered a phenomenal superfood. Individuals can eat them alone, use them in baked goods, as part of a fruit salad, or a topping for yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal.

A one cup serving of ripe blueberries, according to the USDA’s National Nutrient Database, includes 4.1 grams of dietary fiber, seventy-six milligrams of potassium, and 3.6 milligrams of vitamin C. They are also an incredible source of antioxidants through flavonoids, specifically anthocyanins, which are part of a large ‘group’ called polyphenols. Anthocyanins help reduce DNA damage and prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is considered the ‘bad’ cholesterol and a critical part of the progression towards heart disease. The antioxidants in blueberries have also been linked to improving brain function (e.g., memory) and improving insulin sensitivity. Add another berry superfood to this list by reading more.