If you’d like to get the most out of your diet in the new year—like maximizing antioxidants, supporting blood sugar, and getting in more omega-3s—these simple tweaks can help. Here are the nutrition tips and trends actually worth trying.
Chia seeds are truly a nutritional powerhouse. Just 2 tablespoons of the seeds pack in 35% of your daily fiber needs and about 7 grams of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid that’s essential for heart and brain health. Plus, they contain protein and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
Chia seeds can be eaten raw or in prepared dishes, like chia seed pudding. Try sprinkling ground or whole seeds on cereal, rice, yogurt, or vegetables.
Good news for dark chocolate lovers: Your favorite treat provides an impressive amount of iron—22% of the daily recommendation per 2-ounce serving. Cocoa beans naturally contain the essential mineral, and the iron content becomes even more concentrated when the beans are ground into dark chocolate.
Iron is vital for your immune system and is needed to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen throughout your body. About a quarter of American adults don’t get enough iron, which can cause symptoms of fatigue, headache, and lightheadedness.
Oatmeal is a healthy, satisfying breakfast. But cooking it with steel-cut oats, instead of instant or rolled oats, makes the meal even better for your blood sugar. Since steel-cut oats are less processed, your body digests them slowly, leading to a gentler rise in blood sugar.
Top your oatmeal with foods rich in protein, fiber, and fats—like nut butters, chia seeds, and fruit—for an even more balanced and filling breakfast.
Green tea is already rich in antioxidants, compounds that reduce inflammation and combat oxidative stress. Squeezing lemon juice into your tea further boosts its benefits: Lemon is rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that supports your immune system. The acidity of lemon juice, and its vitamin C, also help your body absorb green tea’s antioxidants.
Plus, the tea mixture will keep you hydrated, and may even aid in digestion. Just use a straw to protect your teeth from the acidity, and be careful not to drink too much if you’re prone to acid reflux.
If you’re looking to lower your blood pressure naturally, beet juice just might help. Beets contain nitrates that convert to nitric oxide in your body, which helps relax your blood vessels and improve blood flow, lowering your blood pressure. Beets also contain betalains, nitrogen-containing plant pigments that can further relax blood vessels.
In fact, research has found that drinking about 2 to 8 ounces of beetroot juice a day could significantly lower systolic blood pressure (the top number) in people with high blood pressure. That’s about a glass of beet juice, but if you’re not a fan of the taste, try mixing it into a smoothie.
