As the Make America Healthy Again movement takes shape once again with President Donald Trump in the White House, many Americans are already looking for ways to improve their well-being through foods they eat.
Fox News Digital spoke with two nutritionists and a doctor to discuss how incorporating certain foods into a person’s diet can promote a healthy lifestyle and also offer some medicinal benefits.
Here are five foods and one drink that experts recommend eat and drink.
1. Berries
Many studies have shown that the nutrients in berries can prevent disease.
A new study by researchers at Washington State University found that elderberry juice could be a tool for weight management and improving metabolic health.
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Carrie Lupoli, a nutritionist and behavioral scientist based in Connecticut, told Fox News Digital that elderberry is one of her favorites.
Elderberry is “an incredible anti-immunity agent,” a nutritionist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“I think there aren’t enough options for us with incredible upside,” Lupoli said. “There are elderberry supplements out there, but they’re often filled with a lot of junk. But elderberry itself is an incredible immunity killer.”
Dr. Blake Livingood, a chiropractor and natural medicine doctor in North Carolina, told Fox News Digital that berries are excellent antioxidants that can help reduce sugars, especially fructose, in the liver.
Berries are excellent antioxidants that can help reduce sugars.
“The blueberries, the raspberries, the strawberries, the blackberries that most people can get their hands on — those antioxidants can really help clean out filters like the liver,” Livingood said, and help control blood sugar levels.
“It helps the liver, the heart, which ultimately impacts blood pressure and cholesterol.”
Keri Glassman, a New York-based dietitian and nutritionist and founder of Nutritious Life, said berries are also a powerful tool for fighting inflammation.
“We know we need to eat anti-inflammatory foods, so we have less inflammation in the body,” Glassman told Fox News Digital. “Inflammation, we know, is linked to heart diseasecancer, diabetes, obesity, and even wrinkles in our skin.”
2. Cruciferous vegetables
Vegetables are recommended as part of a balanced diet, but some are better for us than others.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts are “very underrated,” Livingood said.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts are “very underrated,” a natural medicine doctor said. (iStock)
“They contain sulfur compounds and really help balance hormones,” Livingood said.
Cruciferous vegetables “can have a very significant impact” on those who have them cancer problemsLivingood said, citing research showing that women who ate larger quantities had a lower risk of breast cancer and men who ate more had a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
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“If you can use any leafy green vegetable, you’ll get more calcium than you would in milk,” Lupoli added. “And that’s not how we should be getting them. A lot of our calcium bone density and bone health, especially in women, is really important.”
Cruciferous vegetables also contain sulforaphane, which helps with detoxification, Glassman said.
3. Oily fish
Fish like salmon and sardines are rich in necessary omega-3 fatty acids, which cannot be produced by the body.
“I want everyone to eat salmon,” Lupoli told Fox News Digital.
The salmon has “healthy fats” which help the heart, she said.
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help the heart. (iStock)
Glassman agrees, saying omega-3 fatty acids are “extremely important” for supporting overall heart health.
Livingood said the standard American diet contains a lot of omega-6 and not enough omega-3 — so fish oils help bridge that gap.
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The smaller the fish, the better, Livingood said, because they tend to have “less concentration of toxins compared to larger fish.”
He also suggested eating wild-caught fish because “that means they’re fed a cleaner diet, which means you’re fed a cleaner diet.”
4. Mushrooms
Mushrooms “provide many medicinal benefits,” Livingood told Fox News Digital. “There is a wide range of different models that can be used.”
Reishi is what he recommends to his patients to reduce stress or for those who have trouble sleeping. He said this type of mushroom is a supplement typically found in powder form and can support the immune system.
Reishi mushrooms are usually found in powder form. (iStock)
One of the benefits of eating mushrooms is that they contain vitamin D, “which no other product has,” Glassman said.
“Now obviously mushrooms aren’t really produced,” she said. “They’re not fruits or vegetables, but we still classify them in that category.”
Vitamin D, Glassman said, is essential for immune health, mood and weight.
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“They also contain vitamin B2, which is an antioxidant that also fights free radicals,” Glassman said.
Lupoli suggested looking beyond the usual shiitake or portobello mushrooms found in stores.
“I always say buy a variety and saute them,” she said. “You can’t go wrong.”
5. Spices and herbs
Spices and herbs have health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and reducing inflammation.
Cinnamon is a spice this helps smooth out blood sugar spikes, Lupoli told Fox News Digital.
She said blood sugar is “the key underpinning of every metabolic disorder,” from arthritis, diabetes and dementia to autoimmune issues and fertility.
Cinnamon helps lower blood sugar levels, while turmeric may help protect against inflammation. (iStock)
Turmeric is beneficial for helping fight inflammation in the body, while saffron is a spice that one study shows has a “very similar effect” to Prozac on anxiety, Livingood said.
“We are in no way saying that any type of medical advice should be substituted,” Livingood said.
“But it’s a very interesting spice with solid study that shows it can really help improve mood. And it’s a spice that most people aren’t familiar with.”
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Peppermint is a natural herb that can be used to combat headaches, Lupoli said.
“Peppermint extract is better than any Advil or Tylenol for headaches,” she said. “Just breathe it in, put a little on your temples and your headache will disappear in a minute.”
Adaptogenic herbs are “adrenal supports” that can help combat stress, Livingood said.
6. Tea
“Tea is really good for you in general,” Glassman told Fox News Digital.
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Green tea protects and reduces cellular damage, she said.
Green tea has several health benefits. (iStock)
“It’s rich in polyphenols, compounds that have benefits such as reducing inflammation,” Glassman said.
Not only that, but green tea is a good alternative at the cafe because it doesn’t contain the same levels of caffeine and is less acidic, Lupoli said.
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It’s also packed with antioxidants and is “highly thermogenic, meaning it can stimulate the body to burn more fat,” Livingood added.