10 Foods To Add To Your Diet In 2015

For many of us, a New Year equals a new beginning. A clean slate. It?s also a great opportunity to draw up a fresh diet plan for the next 12 months. So before you get into deciding what regime you?re doing, we bring to you our top 10 foods that should be stocked in your kitchen for 2015:

1. Tomato Salsa

This healthy low-cal dish goes brilliantly with chicken breasts or scrambled eggs. It?s also packed with antioxidants, which is believed to help reduce the risk of cancer, and beta-carotene, which helps fight heart disease.

2. Watercress

A 2014 study found that watercress has the highest nutrient score of any fruit or vegetable, overtaking 2013?s winner kale. However this isn?t the only accolade watercress has received. In 2009 and 2010, researchers discovered that the salad leaf also contains ingredients which can help turn off breast cancer cells.

3. Turnip Greens

These dark leafy greens reduce inflammation and improve overall cardiovascular health. Turnip Greens also contain something called folate, which encourages healthy blood flow. Boiling or steaming them are great?alongside a main dish.

4. Whole Wheat Pitas

Give your usual lunchtime ham sandwich a health upgrade by swapping the bread for a whole wheat pita pocket. They?re great for stuffing with vegetables and they hold together a lot firmer than standard bread. Pita pockets can also be used for a healthy snack by cutting them into triangles, adding a drizzle of olive oil with a pinch of salt, and then baking them in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

5. Rosemary

Spices can add a number of health benefits to almost any food, however some are more impressive than others. Rosemary has been linked with overall reductions in Alzheimer?s disease, diabetes risk, macular degeneration and cancer causing components when cooking meat.

6. Hummus

This classic Mediterranean dish helps slow digestion and stabilizes blood sugar, which keeps our appetite in check. The tasty chickpeas in Hummus are also a great source of fiber, iron and protein. It?s best served inside a?sandwich or veggie burger, or mixed into a salad.

7. Kimchi

Usually found in Korea, Kimchi is a dish made up of fermented cabbage and chilli peppers. Studies have shown that people who ate Kimchi regularly saw their cholesterol drop by over 21 percent. The ingredients (cabbage, fish sauce, garlic and Korean chilli) can all be found in most grocery stores.

8. Grass-Fed Beef

It contains 90 fewer calories and 11 grams less fat per serving than corn-fed beef. Plus, it also helps reduce inflammation, lower the risk of heart disease and improve brain health due to the amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Be careful when trying to buy grass-fed beef however, as meat labelled ?organic? doesn?t guarantee the cows didn?t have grain.

9. Oysters

Oysters carry a huge amount of zinc, which is vital to healthy sperm production (for all you guys out there). Zinc also helps with digestion, energy levels, stress levels, skin health and the immune system. About three of these will be enough to provide the daily recommended 15mg of zinc.

10. Popcorn

As it?s very low in terms of calories, popcorn is perfect for people who don?t want to worry about portion size. It?s also packed with fiber, which plays a big role in staying slim. In fact, studies have shown that people who maintain a healthy weight eat, on average, 33 percent more fiber daily than those who are overweight. Save calories ? and money ? by purchasing a basic air popper. Remember to add in a bit of salt with nuts and raisins for a tasty mix.