This time of year it’s essential to keep your healthly lifestyle at the top of your priority list, and that includes making sure your body is getting all the support it needs. One of the best places to start is with your meal plan. Stock the kitchen with nutrient-dense produce and proteins and plan and prepare meals in advance so you’re always making the most mindful choices.
Garlic: There’s a good reason garlic is a kitchen staple. Not only does it punch up the flavor in any dish, its known to have other benefits. But garlic powder isn’t going to cut it. For the power of this super food you need the real deal.
Sunflower seeds: Not only are these gems great for snacking, they also make excellent salad toppers and are perfect in a smoothie bowl. Sunflower seeds are a rich source of nutrients such as phosphorous and magnesium and just a quarter cup contains 80% of your daily value of vitamin E.
Sweet Potato: An excellent source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. And don’t toss those skins, keep them on when cooking as they’re full of nutrients too. Enjoy them pureed in a creamy soup, or roasted or baked for an easy side dish at Thanksgiving (just go easy on the marshmallows).
Chicken Soup: It certainly is good for the soul and it’s good for you too. Enjoy it straight up with chicken and noodles or load it up with veggies like carrots, spinach, and tomatoes for an even better-for-you broth.
Shellfish: This time of year you can take comfort in a warm bowl of bouillabaisse. Tasty treats from the sea like mussels, lobster and oysters will help you get your daily dose of zinc nutrition. While vitamin C has been on our immune radar for decades, zinc is a fairly new player to the conversation. In fact, emerging research suggests that the combination of vitamin C and zinc can help to support a healthy immune system
