While eating healthy foods is a goal of many, if you don't consume these nutritious foods properly, then they might lose their value. Nutritionist Nmami Agarwal shared a few tips on how certain healthy foods should be eaten for maximum benefit. She explained how oats, avocado, broccoli, nuts and garlic should be consumed, adding, "Sometimes eating the healthiest foods may not give the right and complete benefits until and unless they are eaten properly and mindfully."
Taking to Instagram, she posted a carousel of common superfoods and how they should be eaten to get high nutritional value.
1. Oats
Oats are hailed as a healthy breakfast staple due to their high carbohydrate content. Ms Agarwal warns that eating oats alone can cause a sugar spike or dramatic increase in your insulin levels despite being a complex carb source. She recommends pairing it with protein sources like chia seeds and yogurt and adding it with seeds and nuts for good fats.
2. Avocados
Ms Agarwal stated that most people enjoy avocados raw in salad or on toast but they have only good fats. However, to get maximum nutritional value, she recommended grilling it, as it increases the bioavailability of Lycopene, a super powerful antioxidant and also improves the good fat profile.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is good for our health, but it may lose its potent health benefits if not consumed properly. Ms Agarwal stated that boiling or overcooking it reduces its antioxidants by 50 percent. She suggested blanching or steaming this delicate vegetable to increase its sulforaphane compound that fights inflammation in the body and neutralizes radical damage to our DNA.
4. Nuts
Nuts are nutrient-dense and full of healthy fats, but they are also calorie-dense. When consumed raw and unsoaked, they contain phytic acid, which can inhibit nutrient absorption and may cause gut discomfort. Ms Agarwal suggested soaking nuts before consumption and advised eating them in smaller quantities.
5. Garlic
Garlic when freshly peeled and cooked, doesn't contain high amounts of allicin. Allicin gets activated only when the peeled garlic is rested for 10 minutes. Ms Agarwal stated that allicin is a very powerful antioxidant that supports heart health and immune system and cooking garlic immediately after peeling could destroy health benefits.
Ms Agarwal recommended people have healthy foods the right way.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
