The Foods that simply must be on your shopping list! - Bean

As you’ve probably already seen by the super tasty meals that are available on the BeanLite menu, here at Bean we are extremely passionate and resolute in our mission to educate you on all aspects of health and fitness.

By now we are hoping that you are well on your way to a healthier happier you, with the help of our expert team to show you the way.

The question we often find ourselves answering is “what is the best food to eat for fat loss?”. And the simple answer to this is………. there isn’t any one food group or item that is solely going to make you lose fat on its own. It is about the bigger picture and ultimately about taking in less energy in the form of any food and drink, and expending more energy through movement and exercise. Simple!

However, while we are trying to achieve our fat loss goals, we also should be making our health and longevity a major priority, and therefore consuming the food that is going to be best for us for overall health.

With this in mind, we have come up with our top 5 food items that quite simply should be on every shopping list!

1.     Oily Fish

How often? – 2-3 servings per week is ideal but anything is better than nothing!

Why? – Contains vital omega 3 fatty acids that boost our immune system and can lower blood pressure.

Examples – Salmon, mackerel, tuna etc are great options of whole foods, but if you really struggle with these, supplements are readily available with all you need.

2.     Blueberries

How often? – Daily if possible, you really can’t eat enough of these bad boys!

Why? – If you can tell us a better anti-oxidant on this earth than a blueberry then be our guest! And they’re super yummy!

Examples – The wild blueberry is the best, but any is good.  Cost is a consideration so a great idea is to buy the frozen option and add to shakes or porridge.

3.     Cruciferous Vegetables

How often? –  Ideally daily – again you’d struggle to eat too much!

Why? –  The enzymes found in this group of vegetables have been strongly linked with the following; Anti-cancer benefits, depression relief, pain relief, cardio protection, antioxidants, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance support, strong evidence in alzheimers treatment and prevention, anti-inflammatory benefits. I’d say this list is a pretty good reason to eat these wouldn’t you?!

Examples – Broccoli, brussel sprouts, radish, cauliflower, cabbage & turnip to name a few.

4.     Greek Yogurt

How often? – Again this should be seen regularly in your diet, or a food that provides the same benefits.

Why? – Greek yogurt is a fantastic source of probiotics that are essential for gut health. Probiotics Help Balance The Friendly Bacteria in Your Digestive System. Probiotics include “good” bacteria. These are live microorganisms that can provide health benefits when consumed. These benefits are thought to result from the ability of probiotics to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria.

Examples – Any Greek yogurt is fantastic but alternative fermented products like kefir, sauerkraut or miso also offer the same probiotic benefits.

5.     Lean Protein Sources

How often? – Daily please! Ideally as part of a healthy, balanced diet we want to looking to get in approximately 20-30% of our total calorie intake from protein sources.

Why? – Protein is the primary building block in our body, as is the real driver to cell recovery and repair. Basically every cell from bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood requires protein, so that should give you a good indication on why it’s so essential.

Examples – animal proteins such as chicken, turkey, fish offer great whole proteins, whereas if you are vegetarian or vegan a combination of items such as tofu, lentils, chickpeas and beans, spelt, green peas and quinoa can give you the essential amino acids required to make whole protein molecules.