Super Foods Diet Plan

Super foods provide a high level of antioxidants, omega fatty acids and essential fatty acids. You can find most super nutritional foods at the local supermarket. The thing about these foods is that there is not one that contains every benefit. Therefore it is important to include as many as these foods in everyday meal plans. Some common and easily accessible super foods include apples, blueberries, nuts and beans.

Apples in Many Ways

• "Apples are loaded with the powerful antioxidants quercetin and catechin, which protect cells from damage--that means a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, especially if you eat the skin," says Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H., of Everydayhealth.com. Having apples in your diet is as easy as munching on the fruit. Other ways include adding chunks of apples to cold whole grain cereal, plain yogurt and a warm, creamy bowl of oatmeal. Apples are also good with ice cream, and especially delicious in apple pie.

Blueberries

• Blueberries are a nutritional powerhouse packed with fiber and antioxidants. Adding fresh or frozen blueberries to a daily diet can include adding the berries to cereals or baking blueberry muffins. Blueberries also make a great snack and can be eaten along with nuts, yogurt and even a glass of low-fat milk. Try adding blueberries to fruit shakes as well.

Nuts and Seeds

• Nuts and seeds are rich in essential fatty acids and fiber and according to Dr. Nigel Perricone of Oprah.com, can "decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, control your weight with no hunger pangs and reduce the visible signs of aging like wrinkles and sagging skin." Add sunflower seeds to salads during lunchtime, snack on unsalted peanuts and cashews and even blend flax seeds into your fruit shakes and flours for baking.

Beans

• Beans are high in fiber, magnesium and potassium, and the American Diabetes Association cites this as one of its super foods--one that provides as much as a third of the daily fiber requirement in a 2,000-calorie diet. Make simple bean soups with a recipe of mixed beans, vegetable or chicken broth, onions, garlic and fresh herbs and toss in a few other vegetables such as carrots and celery.

Sample Daily Diet

• Here is an example of how to incorporate all the above super foods into a filling, daily diet. For breakfast, try a cup of cooked oatmeal with half a cup of blueberries and half a cup of milk. Add a quarter cup of walnuts to make this meal more satisfying. For lunch try a medium bowl of bean soup with a cup of brown rice. Add an apple as a snack. For dinner, try a chicken salad sandwich with whole grain bread enriched with flax seeds. Add a cup of yogurt as a snack.

Other Super Foods

• The list of super foods extends to green leafy vegetables, whole grains, fresh fish and a slew of simple and also exotic foods. Some of these other foods include yogurt, almonds, oranges, red wine, dark chocolate, garlic, onions, green tea and eggs. See the reference section for more ideas.