July 02, 2019
Red, White and Blue Festive Healing Foods
Food is a powerful medicine with the ability to heal our bodies from the inside out. The old adage, you are what you eat goes without saying, our diet has a direct impact on how good we look and feel. We’ve rounded up a selection of festive red, white and blue healing foods to soothe and uplift your mind, body, and spirit. We suggest making a nutrient-dense fruit salad, combining your favorites from this list with a bit of honey and fresh lemon juice for a refreshing, healthy summer snack.
Strawberries
A summer favorite, strawberries are potent little heart-shaped treasure troves packed with vitamins, fiber and are particularly high in polyphenol antioxidants. In particular, they’re an excellent source of vitamin c, manganese, folate, and potassium. Strawberries have shown to increase a healthy heart along with reducing inflammation and improving overall blood quality.
Bananas
Not only are bananas a quick and easy nutritious snack, but they’re a great way to quickly increase your potassium levels. Additional full body healing is provided with its antioxidants, fiber, and high amounts of vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, copper, and manganese. Bananas have a lot of healthy healing going on!
Blueberries
It’s no secret, blueberries are a known superfood providing a rich source of nutrients, including antioxidants. As one of the most nutrient-dense berries out there, they’re a great source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. Blueberries healing powers may even help reduce DNA damage, combating premature aging and some cancers.
Watermelon
Seeing as how watermelons contain 90% water, many of us see them only as a hydrating, replenishing food. Surprise! They’re actually incredibly nutrient dense with high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Not only will watermelon keep you well nourished, but they help prevent asthma, lower blood pressure, and aid in good digestion.
Coconut
While coconut oil and water are widely known for their benefits, good old coconut meat is often forgotten about. Highly nutritious and healing, raw coconut flesh contains large amounts of healthy fats to keep our bodies running optimally. They’re also high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals to keep us feeling full and well.
Plums
Like many fruits, plums are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, copper, and manganese. They provide more fiber and essential antioxidants to heal your body from the inside out. Plums are rich in fiber and fiber has been shown to decrease the absorption rate of sugar in the blood stream.
Pomegranate
Pomegranates involve a bit of work to eat but the reward is great: they’re loaded with healing nutrients like fiber, several B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium. Known as a superfood for their powerful and large polyphenol antioxidant levels, pomegranate seeds can improve your heart health while providing anti-cancer benefits.
Jicama
Refreshing and crisp, jicama is technically a root vegetable disguised as a fruit that livens up with a spritz of fresh lime. Nutritious jicama is particularly known for being a great source of fiber and antioxidants with the ability to improve digestion, aid in maintaining a healthy weight or weight loss, and reduces the risk of many common diseases.
Blackberries
Next time you see blackberries at the grocery store, you can call them the brain berry. Their potent antioxidants can help prevent inflammation related to not only memory loss but cognitive and motor issues caused by aging. Along with polyphenols, blackberries provide healing benefits of vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.