7 Reasons to Eat Superfoods when You're Dieting ...

By Heather

If you’re going on a diet, then consider some reasons to eat superfoods on your new healthy meal plan. Superfoods can do wonders for your health, and can be the missing link for many people who feel something just isn’t working in their new healthy diet. Not all superfoods are equal either, when it comes to dieting. Check out the best superfoods to add to your diet and all the reasons to eat superfoods on a diet below. Then, don’t hesitate to start adding them to your routine today! All of them can easily be mixed with water or almond milk, yogurt or oatmeal, and of course, my favorite way, a smoothie!

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1

They’re Energizing

One of my favorite reasons to eat superfoods is because they are so energizing! If you’re on a diet, this can be one reason to add them to your routine to enhance your workouts, calorie burn, or to combat fatigue overall. Many times, when you remove junk foods and sugars from you diet, your body hits a detox “wall,” so to speak, and you might feel extra tired. To combat that feeling, add superfoods like maca powder, chia seeds, and spirulina to your routine. These superfoods are highly energizing, combat adrenal fatigue, contain amino acids, and spirulina specifically contains Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential to energy production, and chia seeds are a good source of other B vitamins.

2

They’re Alkalizing

When dieting, don’t forget to take care of your pH levels too. What do your pH levels have to do with weight loss, you ask? Well, just about everything! When your body is acidic, it starts to break down on a cellular level. This slows down metabolism, which can hinder your weight loss over time. Superfoods like spirulina, wheatgrass, and chlorella are highly alkalizing and can help fight toxicity in the body. This allows your cells to work at optimal levels, which encourages a higher metabolism.

3

They Provide Balance

Our lives are stressful, and most of us know that stress is a kick in the pants to successful and steady weight loss. Superfoods can truly be so balancing, in ways you might not be aware of. For instance, maca is a well-known anti-stress superfood. It’s an adaptogen, which means it helps your body cope with stress on a number of levels. If you’re tired, it helps give you energy and stamina, but if you’re anxious and stressed, it helps to calm you down and steady your nerves. Spirulina’s B12 content can also help tame nervousness and even sugar cravings. Coconut oil is also a well-known mood booster, blood sugar stabilizer, and a weight loss food all on its own. Chia seeds have B vitamins and magnesium to fight stress, along with omega 3 fatty acids. Hemp seeds are also chock full of magnesium and B vitamins, which both help to steady the nervous system and bring balance to the body again.

4

Protein

Many superfoods are also powerhouses of protein, in case you didn’t know. Hemp, chia, spirulina, and flaxseeds are all good sources of protein, with hemp and spirulina being at the top. Spirulina contains more protein per ounce than any other food with 4 grams per teaspoon! Hemp seeds contain 13 grams per 3 tablespoons, and chia and flax have around 5 grams per 2 tablespoons. Protein helps build amino acids, which help produce lean muscle more efficiently. Lean muscle burns fat all without any additional help needed. The more lean muscle you have, the more effectively you’ll burn fat- period.

5

Higher Metabolism

Cacao and coconut are two of the most well-known superfoods for enhancing the metabolism. These foods are rich in certain properties that actually raise your metabolism to pretty impressive levels. In fact, most people not only find they have more energy with a little raw cacao and raw coconut oil or butter in their diet, but they also find they’re less hungry on an average basis.

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6

Antioxidants

You might not think antioxidants have a lot to do with dieting, but I promise you they do. Antioxidants help fight free radicals and toxicity in the body. They help keep “the bad guys out,” as I like to say. This means your body can have more energy to do everyday functions more efficiently, which keeps your body healthier. The less work your body has to do to cope with toxicity and free radicals, the better you’ll feel, and the better your metabolism will be. Antioxidants in acai, goji, and maqui berries are all the highest sources of antioxidants among any other berry in the world. Cacao actually contains more antioxidants than any food in the world, and matcha green tea and spirulina are also incredibly high in antioxidants. Adding these foods to a healthy diet can really enhance your success, and your overall health.

7

Hormonal Balance

Lastly, let’s talk about your hormones, hun! Your hormones are key to weight loss success. If they are out of balance, no diet in the world will help you lose weight. Superfoods actually have an incredible amount of hormonal benefits to offer, one being that they help balance estrogen and testosterone in the body. They also help increase vitality through hormonal balance. Maca, cacao, goji, and acai are some of the best when it comes to hormonal balance. Acai has been proven to be a well-known mood enhancer and assist with stress related hormones. Maca is also a well-known hormone superfood for women, especially those nearing or in menopause, and post-menopausal women. Maca helps balance estrogen in the body however needed, and it can also help increase testosterone if levels are low. Goji berries can help produce testosterone in the body, and also the Human Growth Hormone, which is essential to weight loss, sleep, and anti-aging benefits. Cacao can help increase dopamine and serotonin, which help increase happiness, along with vitality and a sense of well being. When your hormones cause you to be stressed and feel depleted, it’s hard to succeed at anything, much less a diet. To keep them in balance, be sure to eat plenty of superfoods like these, and you’ll feel better in no time!

I always say no food will make up for a poor diet. So before you add these or other superfoods to your diet, be sure you’re first and foremost eating clean, whole foods above all else. Then, add in some of these superfoods to take things to the next level. Do you eat superfoods?

Sources: superfoodprofiles.com

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Awesome post. I started using Maca powder in my smoothies because I read it helps with hormonal issues associated with peri menopause. Week 2 and I have fewer hot flashes and feel more energized! :)

I love this one!!

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