‘Clean eating’, ‘Super foods’ are terms we hear a lot on tv, social media and in the press, but what does it really mean and what are the health benefits of eating clean?
It’s no secret that what we choose to put in our bodies has a huge impact on our health, mentally and physically, often the physical impact of our diet is more noticeable than than the mental impact, but the two go hand in hand. In a fast paced industry like modelling, it is easy for one to skip meals due to time constraints and other pressures, this can cause fatigue, lack of focus, confusion, anxiety and exhaustion, it also has a huge impact on our looks, with skin, hair and nails becoming weak and lack-lustre.
For models to keep consistent energy levels and look their best there are nutrient rich foods, which if included in your diet can make a very positive difference to your physical and mental well being – when we eat well we feel good, if we feel good we are happier and therefore more productive.
To help your body function at it’s very best try adding some of these nutrient dense foods to your everyday diet:
Models Direct’s Top 10 Foods:
1 – Garlic:
A simple ingredient that can be used to brighten up many meals. Not only does it taste great, it is also very nutritious.
It is high in vitamins C, B1 and B6, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium.
Along with cancer-fighting properties garlic is also high in allicin which can lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol potentially reducing the risk of heart disease.
2 – Kale
Kale is king of the healthy leafy greens.
It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and various bioactive compounds.
Kale is low in calories and full of vitamins and minerals which can help our bodies stay healthy in many ways.
3 – Beetroot:
Filled with folate, magnesium and vitamin C beetroot is packed with nutrients and is great brain food too!
4 – Potatoes:
Potatoes are easy to introduce into your diet and contain almost a little bit of every nutrient you need. They are high in magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, vitamin C and some vitamin B.
Potatoes are also very filling which is great to keep energy levels up over a long period of time.
5 – Salmon
Salmon and other oily fish contain high levels of omega 3 fatty acids – these are incredibly important to maintain a healthy functioning body and are linked to lowering the risk of serious diseases.
Salmon is particularity nutrient rich and packed with health benefits along with the fact it is filling and ideally be in your diet 2-3 times per week.
6 – Liver
If you are a meat eater than Liver is an incredibly rich source of vitamins and minerals, particularly the B vitamins and iron, both of which help reduce fatigue and boost energy levels.
7 – Blueberries:
Blueberries are in a league of their own when it comes to the nutritional value in fruit. They are loaded with powerful antioxidant substances and can be great brain food, studies have even shown that they can also improve memory of older adults.
8 – Egg Yolks:
Eggs are sometimes referred to as nature’s multivitamin as they are so nutritious. The yolk itself is the most nutritious part of the egg and are loaded with vitamins, minerals and various powerful nutrients.
Eggs are easy to prepare and full of protein also, which fills you up and keeps energy levels high if you are set for a busy day.
9 – Dark Chocolate
For most people chocolate is a weakness and we all have the need for something sweet no and again, however instead of reaching for the high sugar milk chocolate, choose a dark chocolate with a high cocoa %.
It contains a huge amount of antioxidants along with fibre, iron, magnesium and copper. Eating a small amount of dark chocolate regularly has huge health benefits.
10. Avocado
This super food is used in most restaurants and cafe’s and can accompany most dishes. Full of monounsaturated fats, vitamin B6 and lots of folate, eating 1 or 2 avocado’s a week will be a big boost to your wellbeing.
What we eat is a hot topic now, with many celebrities, influencers and the media promoting a diverse variety of different lifestyle’s and diet’s it can be confusing to know what is best for us! Everything in moderation is key and be sure to add in regular amounts of these nutritiously dense foods as often as you can.
