If you are looking for ingredients that are going to pack a nutritious punch when it comes to adding value to your recipes, you are in the right place. These picks have major health payoffs, and we've included all the good they're doing your body when you eat them, whether they are packed with fiber, vitamins, antioxidants or any other of that wonderful stuff. Plus, we paired them with some recipes that bring out their best flavor qualities, so you can be eating nutritiously and deliciously! Hit the grocery aisles, then the kitchen, and feel free to thank us later.
Mushrooms are full of nutritional benefits and can make a great stand-in for meat in vegetarian dishes because of their complex, savory flavor and firm texture. Additionally, mushrooms are the only plant source of vitamin D (a nutrient many of us are deficient in) and one of the only types of widely available produce that contain significant amounts of selenium. The latter, according to WebMD, helps prevent cell damage. Many varieties are also thought to have immune-boosting and anti-cancer properties
Barley is a grain full of fiber, so it's digested more slowly by the body than more refined grains. It's also thought to help lower blood pressure and keep blood sugar levels stable.
Whole grain pastas contain far more fiber and nutrients, like iron and protein, than the traditional semolina type. Make sure you look for packages labeled "whole grain" rather than "multigrain." Multigrain pastas might be made of grains and flours other than semolina, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily in their whole (and healthiest) form.
Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good cholesterol (HDL) in your body. If you choose not to eat animal food products that provide these essential fats (like fish), walnuts are an excellent alternative. Walnuts also contain antioxidants, which can help protect against free radical damage, as well as protein and fiber.
are an excellent source of healthy, unsaturated fats. They're relatively easy to make at home in a food processor—that way you can guarantee you get the freshest, tastiest product without any unwanted preservatives or additives.
Quinoa is technically a seed, but it cooks and tastes like a grain. It's ideal for salads—warm or cold—and can be used in soups, as a pilaf-like side dish, or formed into patties to make homemade veggie burgers. And because it's a complete protein (containing all 9 essential amino acids), it's an excellent ingredient to use in vegetarian dishes.
Eggs have long had a bad rap as a high-cholesterol food, but that description doesn't give consumers the full story. According to a March 2013 article in HuffPost, researchers now know that dietary cholesterol and blood level cholesterol have very different effects on the body, and a recent scientific study even showed that eating whole eggs actually seemed to increase the level of good (HDL) cholesterol in the body. Additionally, eggs (and egg yolks specifically) are one of the best food sources of the B-complex vitamin choline, which is thought to reduce inflammation in the body and improve neurological development and function
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