5 Dietary Additions to Amplify Progress Toward Your Health Goals

When you're motivated to make lifestyle changes, you want fast results. You may see room for improvement when you look in the mirror. Perhaps the lab results from your last physical concern you and your doctor. Now that you're committed to your health goals, you'll need to consider how your diet affects your body. After all, choosing the right foods will help you reach your health goals that much faster.

Use Whole Eggs to Build Muscle

Have you seen the movie "Rocky?" In the opening scene, the hero starts his day by chugging a glass of raw eggs. It turns out Rocky was on to something. A recent study indicated that whole eggs are better than egg whites for promoting muscle growth. Eggs, especially the yolks, are packed with muscle-building protein.

The yolk is also rich in vitamin B12, which helps the body break down fat and supports muscle contraction when you work out. Eating raw eggs preserves nutrients. However, cooked eggs are safer to eat and still provide valuable vitamins and protein.

Add Coconut Oil to Super-Charge Weight Loss

Dieters often focus on low-carb, high-fat diets to lose weight. Meals that severely limit carbs cause the body to enter ketosis. When you're in a ketogenic state, your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates to produce energy.

Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs) which support ketosis. Coconut oil can also help you feel satiated and eat less food. Lifesum explores coconut oil's effect on low-carb diets in detail.

Support Heart Health With Salmon

If you're reading up on heart health, you'll learn about the benefits of eating omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3's support cardiovascular health by reducing inflammation. This is important because inflammation can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease.

You may lower your blood pressure and of the risk of stroke by adding omega-3s to meals. Fatty fish, including salmon, is a healthy source of omega-3s. A 3-ounce serving of salmon has 1,500 milligrams of omega-3s.

Boost Your Memory with Cherries

Do you lose your keys or forget why you walked into a room? If you suffer from random bouts of brain fog, you're not alone. Try snacking on a bowl of cherries or a glass of cherry juice to boost your memory.

Cherries and dark berries are rich in anthocyanins and other flavonoids that support cognitive health. A European Journal of Nutrition study concluded that drinking cherry juice improved long-term and short-term memory.

Choose Oatmeal to Lower Cholesterol Levels

Routine blood work often includes testing your cholesterol levels. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad cholesterol which leads to blocked arteries, heart attack, and stroke. Eating oatmeal and other high-fiber goods can lower your LDL levels.

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which helps stop the absorption of cholesterol in the body. As a bonus, eating oatmeal does not lower your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) good cholesterol.

What motivates you to reach your health goals? You may want to build a leaner or stronger body, improve your memory, or ace your next physical. Try these power foods to start making positive changes today.