Last week I posted a question on our Facebook page and asked you to state your least favourite part about aging. Not surprisingly, the number one answer centered on your aches and pains and was followed quickly by weight gain.  Once you cross 40, the “you are what you eat ” phrase becomes the  Bible truth. To prevent pain, disease and the fat from piling on requires a rethink of what we put into our bodies.  I know a lot of people struggle with the idea of going vegan but whether you add meat to the food list below or not, this grouping of super high nutrient foods that are also budget-friendly staples is just plain god for you.

If you are not a vegan,  add lean meat or fish if you must. If you are vegan,  please focus on legumes, greens, and omega 3  as they tend to have the most of the hard to get nutrients. Whatever category you fall in, there is always a  need to be mindful of what you eat and the portions you consume.

Happy shopping and please check out the video below!

Protein Sources:
-Red Lentils (50 g per cup)
-Black Beans (16 g per cup)
-Pinto Beans (12 g per cup)
-Soy beans (31 g per cup)
-Oatmeal (10 g per cup)
-Whole wheat flour (15 g per cup)
-Whole wheat bread (4-6 g per slice)
-Chickpeas (15 g per cup)
-Kale (8.6 g per 1/2 bunch)

Iron Sources With Vitamin C (vitamin C enhances iron absorption beyond meat iron):
-Kale (37% rdv per 1/2 bunch)
-Spinach (41% rdv per bunch/120 g)
-Canned tomato (12% rdv per large can)
-Tomato paste (61% rdv per can)
-Lemon/Lime/Pepper + Any Legume/most grains (50-100% rdv per cup)

Omega 3 Sources ( grind for maxmium absoorption): 
-Chia seeds (3.6 g per 2 tbsp)
-Flax seeds (4.8 g per 2 tbsp)
-Hemp seeds (2 g per 2 tbsp)
-Walnuts (3.7 g per 20 halves)
-Algae oil supplement (50c-1$ per serving, replaces fish oil)

Good Micronutrient Sources B Vitamins & Micro Minerals:
-Cabbage
-Broccoli
-Seaweed products
-Bananas
-Lettuces
-Mushrooms
-Brown Rice
-Black Coffee
-Nutritional yeast/Baking yeast/Brewers yeast
-Peppers
-Legumes/lentils
-Apples
-Oranges
-Root vegetables (potatoes)
-tomatoes

Good Antioxidant Sources / Phytochemicals, Vitamin A and  E:
-Sunflower seeds
-Frozen berries (fresh are way too expensive and often have less antioxidants)
-Dark Red Apples
-Sweet potatoes
-Carrots
-Peanuts
-Dark colored legumes
-Tomatoes
-Kiwis
-Herbs and spices
-Canned pumpkin

List compiled: @SproutBoss