As fall hits Santa Barbara, the weather tends to change at random times, and depending on how hot or cold it gets, it could affect your appetite negatively. As a solution, On The Menu has found five foods that not only provide plenty of health benefits but also help boost your daily appetite and energy!
Ruby Bruder / Daily Nexus
Broccoli
Surprisingly, broccoli is a great source of vitamin C and K as well as potassium and fiber. According to the Dairy Council of California, “a cup of cooked broccoli can have as much vitamin C as an orange,” which is around 50 milligrams of vitamin C! Broccoli is generally a highly disliked vegetable, but cooking it a certain way can bring out flavors that are fragrant and tasty. Some highly recommended methods are steaming, roasting and stir-frying broccoli to not only get the most nutrients but also make it taste more delicious!
Salmon
According to “Today,” salmon contains “very high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and is a great source of protein.” Though it may seem to have a boring and simple flavor, salmon is actually a very easy type of fish to cook with and can supposedly help improve your eyesight with its rich amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. It is a versatile type of fish that can taste great grilled, baked, with pasta or with salad. When baked correctly, its crispy, buttery texture is excellent for a delicious yet easy meal to prepare.
Mushrooms
Although they can be an acquired taste for many, mushrooms are not only a great substitute for meat in many dishes but also a great plant source of vitamin D. Additionally, mushrooms contain large amounts of selenium, which prevent prevents cell damage, according to WebMD. Some great ways to implement mushrooms in your daily meals would be to add them to alfredo pasta, burgers, omelettes, fried rice and a plethora of other dishes. Mushrooms add a great texture in food and are easy to clean and cook, which is perfect for students who don’t have plenty of time to meal prep.
Eggs
A classic favorite of American breakfasts, eggs are actually much healthier than most people realize due to their abundance of vitamin B12 and A, according to Real Simple. There are also many creative ways to implement eggs in all your meals, such as eggs with tomatoes, omelettes with fried rice and breakfast cloud eggs. It’s important to remember to eat eggs during lunch and dinner as much as during breakfast, so don’t skip out on them!
Pumpkin
As we are currently in the middle of fall, pumpkins are a common theme that we see scattered across Instagram, Facebook and other forms of social media. Most people use them as decoration solely because of Halloween and forget that pumpkins are a very nutritious fruit that can be easily implemented into meals. According to Healthline, pumpkins are rich in vitamin A and have amounts of potassium, vitamin C and fiber that are linked to health benefits for your heart.
Other than these five types of foods, there are many other kinds of vegetables, meat, fruit, etc. that are easy to implement in meals even if you’re a college student on a budget and only willing to shop for cheap groceries. Hopefully, this list encourages you to get out there and try creating meals with these five healthy foods and many others!
