3. Simply Cooked Beans
Chickpeas, black beans, and pinto beans provide an excellent meatless backbone for a healthy meal when combined with whole grains and vegetables. Beans have plenty of fiber and are a source of plant protein.
You can cook them yourself, drain and rinse them from a can, and add them to salads, soups, casseroles, or curry dishes such as Indian dal. Other ways to enjoy beans include:
- Blending them to make hummus
- Crisping them for a snack
- Baking them in desserts
- Pairing them with pasta
4. Avocado
Dietitians like to call avocados a powerhouse superfood. Avocados deliver healthy fats, antioxidants, and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
One whole Hass avocado—without the skin and seed—supplies:
- Fiber: Over 30% of the daily value
- Folate, a B vitamin needed to make new healthy cells: About 30% of the daily value
- Vitamin K, necessary for blood clotting and bone health: About 36% of the daily value
- Vitamin C, which supports the immune system and skin: About 20% of the daily value
- Vitamin E, an antioxidant that also helps immune function: About 13% of the daily value
- Potassium, needed for heart, muscle, and nerve function and blood pressure regulation: About 20% of the daily value
- Magnesium, a mineral required for over 300 reactions in the body— including heartbeat, bone health, blood sugar regulation, and nerve and muscle function: About 10% of the daily value.