Selenium Foods: A Full Meal Plan Rich in This Vital Mineral
The benefits of selenium are far-reaching. It works as a powerful antioxidant. It helps to reduce the risks of numerous forms of cancer. And it also supports your thymus gland! Adults need 55 µg of selenium a day, which is an easy-to-reach target if you eat a diet rich in selenium foods. Not sure where to start? Follow this easy meal plan for a full day’s worth of immunity-boosting selenium.
BREAKFAST: Sunflower-Infused Buddha Bowl
Sunflower seeds are some of the best sources of selenium in your diet.
From roadside cafes to trendy vegan delis, buddha bowls are all the rage. And for the right reasons: They’re colorful (perfect for those of us who love taking photos of our food), they’re fresh and healthy, and they’re chock full of wellness-enhancing ingredients.
Seeds and grains are some of the best sources of selenium in your diet, and this Buddha bowl is bursting with selenium foods. The cup of brown rice, which forms the foundation for such a yummy breakfast, offers 19.1 μg of selenium. And the dressing alone, made from delightful sunflower seeds, has 37.2 μg. If you were to eat nothing else today, this breakfast alone would satisfy your daily requirements for selenium!
Best of all, this breakfast is high in protein and fiber so you’re full and happy all morning. Goodbye, unhealthy mid-morning snack cravings!
BOWL
1 cup of cooked brown rice
½ cup of your favorite canned beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup each of your favorite three or four fresh, chopped vegetables (e.g. carrots, purple cabbage, kale, etc.)
DRESSING
½ cup organic raw sunflower seeds soaked in 1½ cups water (save the water, don’t toss it out!)
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 pitted medjool date
Pinch of salt and pepper
Add all the ingredients for the dressing, including the water you used to soak the sunflower seeds, into a blender and blend until rich and creamy. Set aside.
Preparing your buddha bowl is easy. First, fill the bottom of a big breakfast bowl with the rice. Then, top it with the vegetables and beans. If you wish, you can arrange them in cascading rows to make a very pleasing, colorful pattern on top of the rice.
Drizzle all of the dressing on your Buddha bowl, mix well to infuse all the different flavors and textures, and enjoy!
LUNCH: Citrusy Shrimp-and-Avocado Salad
The shrimp in this salad provide nearly five days’ worth of selenium (a single 3-ounce serving of shrimp has 47.1 μg of the mineral).
This lunch is so decadent and rich, you won’t believe how healthy it is! When it comes to selenium foods, shrimp are superstars. In fact, the shrimp in this salad provide nearly five days’ worth of selenium (a single 3-ounce serving of shrimp has 47.1 μg of the mineral).
The crisp, dark leafy greens supercharge your body with antioxidants and vitamins, while the avocado and almonds add lots of healthy fats (amazing for healthy skin and hair). And you won’t want to miss the dressing. Paired with the citrus-infused shrimp, you’ll encounter a fruity, tangy utopia that will brighten your afternoon.
SHRIMP
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or the oil of your choice
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp shallot, minced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled
SALAD
8 cups of your favorite mixed salad greens (e.g. kale, spinach, arugula, etc.)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or the oil of your choice
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 avocado, diced
1 shallot, minced
4 ounces sliced roasted almonds
Salt and pepper
In a mixing bowl, combine all the shrimp ingredients. Let it marinate for 30 minutes, then add to a hot skillet and saute for five minutes or until the shrimp is pink and fully cooked through. Don’t throw out the remaining fruit juices in the pan, which should be thicker and more concentrated after cooking.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a separate salad bowl, toss the salad greens with olive oil. Mix in the shrimp, including all of the fruit sauce reduction. Mix thoroughly, letting the citrus juices permeate the entire salad.
Top with the avocado, shallots and almonds. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and enjoy!
DINNER: Cheesy Broiled Halibut
A small 3-ounce serving of halibut gets you 47.1 μg of selenium.
A small 3-ounce serving of halibut gets you 47.1 μg of selenium, but we bet you can’t stick with eating just a few ounces of this delicious, seared fish.
Every fillet is gently infused with Parmesan cheese, notes of citrus, and creamy richness plus a hint of spice. It’s simple enough that every ingredient’s flavors get to shine, and it pairs perfectly with your favorite sides, such as steamed quinoa, mashed potatoes or a side salad.
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp green onions, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Your favorite hot pepper sauce
2 pounds halibut fillets, skinless
Preheat your oven’s broiler on the high setting. While the oven heats up, lightly coat a baking dish with oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the fish. Whisk thoroughly.
Place the halibut into the baking dish and broil for eight minutes or until the fillets are cooked through and the center of each fish fillet flakes easily. Remove from the oven, smother the fish in the cheese sauce, then return to the oven and broil for another couple of minutes until the fish is golden-brown and the sauce is sizzling.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for five minutes before serving.
More Ways to Support Your Health
Your diet is just one piece in your immune system’s wellness puzzle. Thymic proteins are another piece. It is the job of these thymic proteins to train the body’s immune system to effectively seek and identify diseased cells. Unfortunately, your levels of thymic proteins fall as you get older. BioPro-Plus 500 offers a full dose of thymic proteins to help restore your body’s natural levels. Maximize your health by combining these delicious selenium foods with healthy supplements!
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