What are Superfoods?
No single food can fulfill all your dietary needs. But some foods are healthier than others.
There is no exact definition of what makes a food a superfood. And, there are no strict requirements that a food must fulfill to be classified as a superfood because they are not a nutritionally recognized food category.
However, the title is usually saved for whole foods that are particularly high in nutrients and often low in calories.
Benefits of Superfoods
Superfoods’ high vitamin and mineral content can assist your body in preventing illnesses and maintaining your health. These foods can help with weight loss, heart health, increased energy, and even the effects of aging when included in a well-balanced diet.
Many superfoods contain antioxidants that may help prevent cancer. Some also contain healthy fats and phytochemicals that lower the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. Fiber—found in many superfoods—can help avoid diabetes and digestive issues.
Superfoods are also known to help lower cholesterol, regulate metabolism, reduce inflammation, improve the immune system, and shield your organs from pollutants.
What foods qualify as superfoods?
Dark Leafy Green Vegetables
Vegetables with deep green leaves are excellent providers of nutrients. Broccoli, bok choy, mustard, and spinach are high in B-vitamins, and salad greens, kale, and spinach are rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K.
Carotenoids, which are abundant in many veggies, are antioxidants that shield cells and prevent cancer from starting in its early stages. High concentrations of fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium are also present. Moreover, greens are relatively low in cholesterol, sodium, and carbs.
How to incorporate dark leafy green veggies into your diet?
- Make a salad. Vary the colors, textures, and kinds of salads to keep them interesting. Serve them with various tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots mixed with small, tender, leafy greens like arugula, spinach, and romaine lettuce.
- Add them to your soups. Add greens like mustard, kale, or collard greens with larger, harder leaves.
- Add them to your omelet. For a high-iron and vitamin-rich dinner, top an egg-white omelet with steamed spinach or broccoli.
- Make a wrap. For added taste, top a wrap made of tuna, chicken, or turkey with romaine lettuce, spinach, arugula, and other vegetables.
- You can also incorporate them in your smoothies, stir-fries, and curries.
Berries
Small, soft, round fruits with various hues, mostly blue, red, or purple, are called berries. They can have a sour or sweet flavor and are frequently used in jams, sweets, and preserves.
Almost all superfood lists feature blueberries as a star ingredient, but any berry can be considered a superfood. According to one research, while they all have different nutritional values, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries—that is, fresh, not dried—are all low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with potassium, magnesium, vitamins C, K, and prebiotics.
Berries are also bursting with antioxidants that help fend off free radicals that can cause cancer.
How to incorporate berries into your diet?
- Top to your yogurt. To boost the amount of fiber in your yogurt, add berries.
- Add to your oatmeal. Add some vibrant berries on top of your oats.
- Make smoothies. You can also add delicious berries to your smoothies.
- Make some fruit salad. You can throw in berries to your salads.
Eggs
This food has a great nutritional profile and is a mainstay in many different recipes. Eggs are a great source of protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. They can be eaten any time of the day. Eggs also contain 13 essential vitamins and minerals.
How to incorporate eggs into your diet?
- In a frittata.
- Scrambled in stir-fry.
- Boiled on top of a salad.
- Stuffed in a burrito.
- In a veggie hash.
Legumes
Pulses, or legumes, comprise several types of beans, lentils, and peas.
Legumes are high in soluble, insoluble, and resistant starch, and they are a good source of both protein and carbohydrates. They are low in fat, especially saturated fat, and high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. They even have a low glycemic index (GI) and trace levels of the plant omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
How to incorporate legumes into your diet?
- Make a lentil soup.
- Baked beans on toast.
- Add lentils to casseroles, curries, or any dishes that you eat regularly.
- Make Hummus and use it as a thick spread in sandwiches for flavor and moisture.
- Add legumes (chickpeas, cannellini beans, or any beans) to salads.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are excellent providers of fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and protein.
Nuts and seeds are often heavy in calories and lipids, even though they offer nutrients and health advantages. Thus, when you do nibble, try not to overindulge in more than a few tiny pieces at a time.
They also regulate heart health, lower your bad cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of heart disease.
How to incorporate nuts and seeds into your diet?
- Add some crunch to your yogurt or oats.
- Toss in a salad by mixing low-energy-dense foods (like veggies) with nuts and seeds.
- The flavor and perfume of hazelnuts will give your cookies or ice cream a completely new dimension.
- Make a wrap. Toss with a little amount of vinaigrette dressing after combining sliced almonds with tomato, bell pepper, onion, chopped lettuce, and cilantro. After warming a wheat tortilla, stuff it with the mixture. A few sliced avocados, and you have a filling and tasty lunch!
Greens Powder
Greens powder manufacturers combine freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, fiber, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and extracts to create a fine, blendable powder.
A few benefits of green powders include reducing inflammation, providing you with more energy, and lowering your blood pressure.
For those who might be deficient in certain nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in their diet, the best greens powder is a great option.
How to incorporate super greens powder into your diet?
You can mix them in your:
- Water
- Smoothies
- Coffee or tea
- Juice
- Soup
- Oatmeal
Incorporating superfoods into your meals provides a simple yet powerful way to boost your overall health by delivering a rich array of essential nutrients and antioxidants. We hope this article helps you on your next trip to the grocery store.
