Bethesda Gardens assisted living community in Arlington, TX, offers its residents the food options necessary to nourish the body properly and maintain healthy habits. However it's possible that you want to improve your current diet by exploring different foods and recipes that you can make right in your assisted living apartment—or in a home outside of assisted living if you haven't decided to move into a community yet.
Although you might be worried about struggling or disliking healthier alternatives, eating a diet that's better for you doesn't necessarily mean sacrificing great taste. Here are six superfoods that can help you improve your overall health and some recipes to use them in.
No matter your preferences, there are plenty of leafy greens available for you to try. Lettuce, cabbage and spinach are some of the more well-known options, but you'll have a long list to choose from, including kale, arugula and collard greens. Many are great sources of vitamins and fiber. Leafy greens can be enjoyed as a side dish of a healthy meal or as part of the entree. Good recipes to try with this superfood include:
• Leafy Green Salad - combine all your leafy greens for a healthy alternative
• Teriyaki Steak Skewers - a more complicated dish that includes bok choy, which is a Chinese cabbage
Berries are naturally sweet and easy to eat and include in your diet. Like leafy greens, you'll have a lot of different berries to choose from, including strawberries and blackberries. Most berries are full of antioxidants that can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve blood sugar and insulin response in the body. Good recipes to try with this superfood include:
• Berry Smoothie Bowl - swap out berries to fit your preferences
• Blueberry Pancake - a classic way to add berries to breakfast
Thought to have first been made by Mesopotamians in 5000 B.C., yogurt is a superfood many enjoy to this day. Rich in nutrients and often high in protein, yogurt can be enjoyed alone as a light snack or added into dishes to give food a rich, creamy texture. The healthiest option for this superfood is unflavored Greek yogurt, which some may find too plain to enjoy on its own. If you're looking for ways to use or improve the taste of Greek yogurt, some good recipes to try with this superfood include:
• Fruit Parfait - great for breakfast or a healthy dessert
• Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce - use Greek yogurt for a creamy parmesan sauce
This weird-looking superfood is actually a fruit and very popular among millennials and young teens. You might be off-put at first by its green mushy texture after cutting into one, but it's true that avocados are one of the best sources of healthy fat you can eat. It's a great source of vitamins and beta-carotene, which can decrease your risk of lung cancer and reduce contributors of heart disease like inflammation. Good recipes to try with this superfood include:
• Avocado Tacos - a delicious vegetarian option, although you can convert the recipe to include meat
• Avocado Toast - a trendy breakfast recipe that allows for variation
Tree nuts are a great food for snacking on , but they also come with plenty of nutrients. They can help lower cholesterol and can promote weight loss when part of a healthy and balanced diet. In addition, tree nuts are a great source of protein and can be an alternative to other protein-packed foods like meats and seafood. Almonds, cashews and pistachios are just a few of the many nuts available for you to eat. Some good recipes to try with this superfood include:
• Trail Mix Recipes - includes three types of trail mix for you to try at home
• Homemade Peanut Butter - a fun recipe that includes organic ingredients
According to the food pyramid, oils aren't considered a food group, but they can contribute to your intake of unsaturated fats and vitamin E, which is good for maintaining healthy skin and eyesight. In particular, extra virgin olive oil is considered a healthy fat and is a great superfood to add to your cooking. Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure, help prevent blood clots and reduce inflammation. Good recipes to try with this superfood include:
• Olive Oil Dip - great to share with bread alongside pasta or any Italian dish
• Sauteed Leafy Greens - healthy dish that easily implements others superfoods
Buying organic from the grocery store helps guarantee that the foods you cook are all grown naturally without the use of harmful chemicals. If you're curious about what foods you might want to consider buying organic, here's a short list of items to look over.
If you have a concern regarding your dietary needs, please don't hesitate to contact on-site dining services. Whether it's an allergy or as a result of a health condition, food issues can always be addressed. Your safety and well-being is top priority at Bethesda Gardens, and that includes meals and food. All of the meals served are made from scratch every day, and food is available 24 hours a day to residents, ensuring your dietary restrictions don't limit your options or path to improving your overall health.
