9 Most Underrated Nutritious Foods to Add to Your Diet

Food plays a crucial role in every person’s life. Food is essential for survival. Food has a long evolution. To some of our knowledge, we can trace that early man used to get food from wild animals and plants.

They primarily relied upon fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and root for their food. Barley, was one of the first crop to be grown and milk was the first food to be extracted from animals. Organic evolution gave scope for healthy eating and acquiring nutrients the body requires through natural food sources.

These days people replace traditional foods with fast food that are less in nutrients and contain artificial colouring, flavours and preservatives. By doing so, they deprive the body of the essential nutrients we get through traditional food.  

Fortunately, most people are aware of healthy eating patterns and exclude the food that can disrupt a person’s health.  

We all need access to proper nutrition if we want to live healthily. When we say proper nutrition, most people relate to consuming vegetables, fruits and lean protein.

People often brand the food they consume as either good or bad. Acknowledging food as good or bad food is a practice widely followed with diet culture.

However, people recently have the practice of food freedom, which is the concept of eating food for pleasure without guilt.  

This practice will restrict people from labelling food as good or bad.  

People often speak about a superfood that provides numerous health benefits. On the other hand, people can also label someone the food of a bank that can provide tremendous health benefits for the body.  

Some of the foods that are underrated and nutritious are as follows.

Popcorn

The popcorn variety of corn was domesticated by indigenous people around 5000 BC. It is a small hard form of flint corn usually found with white or yellow kernels.  

Popcorn recipes were under constant development until the second half of the 19th century, before an effective method of preparing them, held over an open flame, came into place.  

Popcorn gained mass appeal when it was brought into movie theatres. Popcorn is always a blockbuster in theatres despite how a movie performs and collects at the box office.

Popcorn is an all-time snack that can surprisingly be healthy.

When popcorn is unsalted, air-popped popcorn is filled with antioxidants and fibre. Popcorn is also low in fat and packs little calories.

Being rich in protein, popcorn can also serve as an excellent snack for people who are keen to lose weight. Popcorn contains approximately 10 to 12 grams of protein per 100-gram serving.  

Popcorn can also make us feel full and be a fine alternative to eliminating chips from our diet.  

Peanut butter

Peanut butter is a popular food among gym rats and fitness freaks. Peanut butter is an edible paste that is grounded and made out of dry-roasted and processed peanuts.

Even though peanut butter is termed to be a process to food, it has a lot of nutrients and protein in it. It is also rich in vitamins and dietary minerals.  

Peanut butter is a healthy snack, and there are a lot of positive health benefits of consuming it. It serves as a fine source of protein and has nutrients the body requires, along with fibre and mineral content. Peanuts contain Omega 6 acid that can manage cholesterol levels in the body.

Peanut butter is also a source of good fat that benefits the body. However, sweetened peanut butter can pack additional calories. Consume unsweetened peanut butter to reap more benefits and restrict calorie intake.  

Moderate consumption of unsweetened peanut butter can have positive health benefits.  

Dark chocolate

Consumer bills can be sweet without much sugar in them. Dark chocolate is one such consumable. The origin of dark chocolate can be traced back over 30 centuries ago, when it was first developed as a drink.  

The evolution of dark chocolate led to the rise of its popularity, and it is also applauded for the health benefits that it offers.  

Several studies prove that dark chocolate can provide health benefits as it is a heart-friendly food.

Dark chocolate contains a high concentration of antioxidants that prevents damage against oxidative stress.  

Moreover, dark chocolate is filled with nutrients like magnesium, zinc, iron, and fibre that are useful for the body.  

While looking for dark chocolate, it is best to choose a product containing at least 70% cocoa and be mindful of its consumption.  

Egg

It would be unfair if eggs did not make it to this list. Many people around the world love to have eggs for their breakfast. Eggs are one of the most healthy foods that can be easily accessible.  

Eggs offer superior-quality lean protein and various micronutrients like phosphorus, chlorine, vitamin B12 and selenium.  

Eggs are nutrient-dense food and are easy to cook. Many people have a question for doubts in their minds about whether to eat whole eggs or just egg whites.  

The yolk of the egg contains various nutrients that benefit the body. It is OK to consume two whole eggs every day. However, the recommendations may vary depending on an individual’s health condition.

Kimchi

For people in India, kimchi may sound foreign. However, people who consume it love its taste, and it serves as a great side dish.  

Kimchi has low calories but offers carbohydrates, protein, fibre, iron, sodium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.  

One of the key ingredients in kimchi is the fermented vegetables that give it a sour taste and also the benefits it offers.  

Various experts link this food to preventing the common cold and constipation, which is also prescribed for people to improve their heart and mental health.  

Coffee

It is hard to resist a soothing cup of coffee that provides energy and keeps us awake after a heavy lunch at the office or even home.  

People often overlook the nutritional content of coffee. Caffeine positively affects the body; drinking coffee regularly can improve metabolism.

Coffee can also support weight loss and help reduce the risk of depression. As coffee contains caffeine, it can also be consumed as a pre-workout to improve performance.  

Liver

Some people consume organ meats like liver because of their unique taste. The liver contains folic acid, iron, vitamin A, chromium, zinc and copper.  

If a person is anaemic, they can consider including the liver in their diet as it can keep the blood cells in good condition. In the early days, the beef lever was one of the cures for anaemia.  

However, people should be mindful while consuming organic meat as it can trigger various health conditions like gout.  

Bell peppers

Usually, if the spotlight is on oranges, then vitamin C is required however, one red bell pepper can serve more vitamin C than the daily requirement of a person.  

The vitamin C found in bell pepper helps to keep the skin healthy and produces collagen. Red bell peppers offer good taste and can serve as an accompaniment to Indian bread.  

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a popular food option when people focus on maintaining healthy body weights and lowering their LDL cholesterol levels.  

Oatmeals are rich in soluble fibre that can help reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream and keep a person full for longer.  

A serving of oatmeal in the morning can be an excellent choice for breakfast and can help prevent the cravings that occur during mid-morning.  

To sum up  

Labelling food as good or bad has been a practice over the past few years. Enjoying what you eat and being mindful of consumption are essential.  

Various foods offer nutrients required by the body but need to be noticed. It is always good to know what you consume.  

Getting advice from a dietitian can help create a personalized diet plan for people with specific health conditions.  

FAQ