We all want to live healthy and having a good diet is a major part of that.
But all we tend to hear about is the food that we shouldn t be eating.
And when we think about eating a healthy diet, it seems like there isn t anything that we can afford
anyway so what s the point. Well, in this video we are going to go over some of the top foods
that are not only good for you, but they are delicious and affordable.
Hi, I m Dr. Erik Richardson a board certified Family Practice physician.
I d like to welcome you to FamilyMed, a channel that focuses giving you practical and accurate
medical information to help you and your family. If you think this would be something that is
helpful to you make sure you subscribe, hit that notification button and follow along with us.
One of the biggest problems I see in my practice is an overall lack of understanding on what really
makes a healthy diet. It s hard because you have so many different messages out there that
are confusing, conflicting and outright deceiving. You see packaging that tries to convince you that
their food is good for you, but when you learn more about it, it really isn t. So instead of
talking to you about all the things that you can t eat, I m going to be going over 10 foods that are
a delicious part of a healthy diet and they won t break the bank. The one thing that all these foods
are going to have in common is that they will all help you feel full longer, and help curb food
cravings. You see that s the problem with most foods that get you in trouble. All your processed
and refined foods that tend to be a big part of our diets just goes right through you,
or, they shoot up your sugar levels making your body dump a bunch of insulin which leads to
getting more hungry and having more food cravings. If we can find foods that can help you stay full
longer and avoid this trap, you are going to be able to change your diet, eat plenty of good food,
not starve, and still be able to lose weight. So the first food I m going to recommend, is one
that in the past has gotten a bad rap. These are eggs. We used to think that eggs were bad for you
as they had cholesterol in them and that may be harmful to your heart. Now although
it is true that eggs do have higher amounts of cholesterol, that doesn t seem to translate into
increasing your cholesterol levels in your body and causing the problems we are worried about.
Instead, what we ve seen is, that eggs can actually help promote weight loss and be part of a
healthy diet. In a small study, researchers took 21 men and compared the effects of eating eggs
or eating a bagel for breakfast and measured their food intake, hunger and how satisfied they were.
They also looked at different hormone levels in the blood. They found that those who had the egg
instead of the bagel were less hungry, ate less the next meal and let more satisfied 3
hours after breakfast than those who had eaten the bagel. Also their hormone levels and blood
sugar levels were lower. Eggs can be a more affordable and great part of a healthy diet.
The Second is oatmeal. This should be a staple in all of our homes for many different health
benefits. It s a great source of fiber and can really help when you are trying to shed pounds.
A study looking at consuming oatmeal for breakfast compared to typical breakfasts
showed that participants were less hungry after eating oatmean vs cereal.
They also noticed that their food intake for the next meal was less.
In this study both foods had the same calories. It was the higher levels of protein and fiber
in the oatmeal that made the difference. Now, in order for this to be good for you,
you can t just throw a bunch of sugar on it or get the instant flavored oatmeal. Instead throw
some frozen berries on it or use a little natural honey and nuts to add some additional flavor.
The third group of foods that can do wonders in helping you lose weight is adding Beans,
chickpeas, lentil and peas into your diet. The great part of these kinds of foods, is that there
is an amazing variety of them. You can find some great recipes, and best of all they are cheap.
These foods are similar to oatmeal in that they have a lot of soluble fiber and protein. That
helps slow down digestion and absorption, gives great fuel to the good bacteria in your intestines
and that helps you feel fuller, longer. Studies have shown that diets higher in beans and lentils
resulted in significantly greater weight loss than those that do not. So go find a great chili recipe
and your waist line will thank you for it. The 4th one I m going to recommend are apples.
Now, I m not talking about apple juice or apple sauce. I m talking about a good crisp apple.
Eating whole fruits as a part of your meals does several things. The higher fiber content makes
you feel full more quickly and will stick with you longer. Actually chewing something sends a
signal to your brain that you have eaten something substantial and affects your feelings of hunger.
Also, an apple at the end of your meal can help satisfy the sweet craving that many of
us get after eating. And the best part of all is that they are available year round and typically
inexpensive compared to other fruits and foods. The 5th food that I m going to recommend is
Chicken. This is likely a staple for many of us. Chicken is a great source of protein. In fact
one chicken breast has up to 27 grams of protein with fewer than 150 calories. To give it an extra
boost, spice it up with some cayenne pepper which in of itself helps you burn more calories and feel
less hungry. Now, you need to make sure you cook it in a healthy way. Stick to grilled or baked,
avoid breading it or frying it and it can be a great food to add to your healthy diet.
The 6th group of foods I m going to recommend are your cruciferous vegetables. These are broccoli,
cauliflower and cabbage. These contain a lot of fiber, a ton of needed vitamins and minerals
and are just an overall staple to a healthy diet. Combining these with a healthy source
of protein like your beans or chicken will provide a substantial, lower calorie
meal that will keep you full for longer. The 7th group I m going to recommend are nuts.
The best and most common ones for you will be your almonds, cashews, walnuts and pecans. A
study showed that those who used almonds as part of their weight loss plan, lost significantly
more weight than those who don t. They also had improved cholesterol and blood sugars.
They are a great source of protein and fiber and make a great mid meal snack. They are calorie
dense so you can overdo it, but in moderate amounts they are a great addition to your diet.
Number 8 is a grain called Quinoa. Quinoa is an ancient grain that is going to be similar to rice.
You cook it the same way that you would rice. The benefit from Quinoa is that it
has more fiber and protein and does not affect your blood sugars as much as white rice would.
Because of the increased fiber and protein as well, you are going to be full more quickly
and stay satisfied for longer than you would with rice. It does cost a little more than
plan white rice, however it is becoming more and more common and more and more affordable.
If you haven t had it yet, give it a try. Sometimes number 9 isn t always as affordable but
when you can get it at a good deal, it s a fantastic part of your diet.
These are avocados. This is a unique fruit that is low in carbs and full of healthy fats and fiber.
Observational studies have shown that those who ate avocado tended to have more fruits and
vegetables in their diet, they ate less and had less problems with conditions such as diabetes
and were able to achieve a healthier weight. And finally number 10 will appeal to our
sweet tooths. This is Dark Chocolate. We all crave a little something sweet after eating.
Pick a couple squares of dark chocolate after a meal to satisfy that craving. The sugar
content is much lower, it is a great source of antioxidants and can help with blood pressure.
As with anything, moderation is important and you can overdo it, but it can be a great,
affordable way to satisfy those sweet cravings. Now this certainly isn t a comprehensive list of
healthy foods that are affordable. Nor am I claiming that these are the absolute best
over other kids of foods. In fact maybe you have something that you have found that we
didn t discuss today. If you do, let us know in the comments below. Hopefully by looking
at this list you can see that there are things that you can do to have a very fulfilling diet
that isn t going to break the bank. Get out there and do some good research, plan out those meals
and make sure to include some of the foods that we talked about here. Most of our health
problems that we suffer from are directly tied to the food that we eat. Good food is Good health,
so focus on that and you will do well. Well, I hope you found this to be helpful,
if you did, please take the time to give this video a like and share it with your friends. It
helps our channel to grow and reach other people that may need this in their life. If you haven t
done so yet, don t leave without subscribing and hitting that notification button so you
don t miss out on any of our future content. So until next time, this is FamilyMed with Dr.
Richardson and remember to take care of your body because it s the only one you have.