Enhance Your Productivity With These 5 Simple Foods

Going green is a great way to get fit and trim your waistline, but did you know that it can also improve your productivity and overall mood?

A new study asked nearly 100 GEICO employees, who were either overweight or diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, to adopt a low-fat, high-fiber vegan diet rich in leafy greens and colorful vegetables.

After just 18 weeks, the study participants lost an average of 10 pounds, improved blood sugar control if they had Type 2 diabetes, and lowered LDL cholesterol by 13 points.

Overall, the new diet helped the participants become more productive while also alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Adopting a colorful diet has a slew of health benefits that extend far beyond physical nutrition, the researchers explained.

First, it helps your body fuel up on powerful antioxidants. Second, the participants were told to make these diet changes with their colleagues. Setting a group goal offers a built-in support system that is likely to motivate success. Last, but not least—the researchers believe that health improvements lead to an increase in exercise and social functioning, which can enhance a person’s quality of life.

With sunny days and clear skies ahead, now is the perfect time to make a positive change in your life. Here’s a short list of foods you should start incorporating into your diet:

1. Green Vegetables: Just one cup of green veggies, like broccoli or asparagus, provides about half the recommended daily value of folate for adults. Folate is just one of the B vitamins, which are important for brain health. Getting enough B vitamins in your diet will help reduce the risk of memory loss and depression. If you’re not a big fan of broccoli or asparagus, Brussel sprouts and artichoke hearts are also great sources for these essential vitamins.
2. Leafy Greens: Just one cup of cooked leafy greens—like spinach, kale, or chard—provides more than 100 per cent of the value of vitamin A that adults and children over the age of 4 need in a whole day. Kids aren’t huge fans of leafy greens, but fortunately, there is another solution. Two cups of romaine lettuce will also provide a day’s worth of vitamin A. This important vitamin comes from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals and helps create healthy cells.
3. Whole Grains: Tasty whole grains, such as oats, buckwheat pasta, and brown rice release tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the release of serotonin in the brain. In other words, eating whole grains can actually help make you happier! Always keep an eye out for complex carbohydrates, especially low-glycemic options. Quinoa, brown rice, rye or pumpernickel bread, millet, and barely are all great whole grains to add to your healthy diet.
4. Beans: Green peas, beans, and edamame are all excellent examples of healthy legumes, which provide magnesium, an important mineral that every single organ in your body needs. Magnesium helps keep your entire body strong, from your heart to your bones. It even plays a crucial role in the development of serotonin—which regulates your mood. Just one cup of cooked black beans provides one-third of the recommended daily value of magnesium for adults.
5. Carotenoid-Packed Fruits and Vegetables: These fruits and veggies are packed with beta-carotene and vitamin C, which help keep your skin looking healthy and your immune system functioning properly. Just one large orange, one cup of red pepper sticks, or eight strawberries can provide 100 per cent of the daily recommended value adults need for vitamin C. If you don’t understand what carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables really look like, just keep an eye out for produce with an orange, dark green, or red hue.