Guest Post – 4 Superfoods For Healthy Lunches

Everyone has had it. That dreaded post-lunch feeling where your eyelids feel weighted, and it is a struggle to keep your head upright. The afternoon slump can ruin your productivity and make the rest of your day hard to wade through. The problem can be avoided if you eat the right foods for lunch. Making great nutritional choices will make your afternoon enjoyable and help you be ready to face that business report or hustle through the kids’ soccer practices. Here are five super food choices for healthy lunches.

Quinoa
Quinoa is famous for its incredibly high level of protein: 28 grams in just one cup! This is so much protein that, when eaten for dinner, your body may store the nutritional value because you did not have time to use it; for those trying to lose weight, this is a negative. That is why this grain is the perfect choice for lunch! You will have plenty of daylight hours to utilize its health benefits so it won’t hurt your diet, and you will have plenty of good energy to finish your day strong. It is also a great choice because it can be cooked the night before work and kept in the fridge – quinoa is great cold!

Tuna
There are a few fish that, due to their high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, make excellent lunch choices, and tuna is one of these. The big appeal of tuna over other so-called super fish is its ease: tuna is readily available in tins that are super portable for lunch. Tuna is also easy to dress up or down. Toss it with your favorite vinaigrette and vegetables, like tomatoes or asparagus, or just put it on a bed of greens. You can also use it as a healthy sandwich meat, but opt for pita bread or a whole-wheat wrap, since too much bread can lead to that afternoon slump.

Black Beans
Along with protein, iron is one of the most important nutrients that, when eaten in recommended amounts, can translate into good energy. Black beans are low in fat, and high in iron and protein – so you know they are great for you! Like tuna and quinoa, black beans are also incredibly easy to use as a lunch food. If you wash a can of beans the night before, you can go ahead and prep your lunch. Make a soup, use it as a condiment for a wrap or flatbread, or toss it with quinoa or rice.

Dark Chocolate
Just because you are on a diet, does not mean you should deprive yourself of a treat. A small square of dark chocolate is the perfect ending to your lunch. Since it is high in antioxidants, so you’ll be doing yourself a favor by having dessert after your high-energy meal.

Author Bio: Liz Childers loves keeping quinoa in the pantry for an easy lunch. She blogs from home about topics like finding a good Spyderco knife or setting up your new birdfeeder.