Our Top Ten Favourite Superfoods
While there is no specific scientific or regulatory definition of the word ‘superfood’, it has come to be accepted as referring to any food that has an exceptional array of properties that make it extremely beneficial to the human body when consumed.
There’s no one food which offers all the nutrition you’ll need to achieve peak health, and it’s always better to eat a wide range of different types of food – but the emphasis should be on whole foods instead of processed ones, and it’s preferable to include foods from the ‘superfood’ category in your daily diet if you can.
Here’s our superfoods list compiling ten of our very favourites:
Chia seeds are fantastic – this magical ingredient not only provides a huge array of beneficial minerals, but is full of fibre, protein and antioxidants. Best of all, they can be used to bulk up and thicken shakes and desserts, and act as an excellent egg replacer in cakes and bakes!
Quinoa is a very popular alternative to rice. It’s naturally gluten-free and has a low glycaemic index, so it releases its energy slowly, and won’t spike your blood sugar, unlike white rice.
There are many different types of quinoa grain, and it’s also available in flour and flake form – you can even buy the puffs, which have been popped just like popcorn!
Matcha tea leaves are grown in the shade, which stimulates the growth of chlorophyll, adding to its amazing list of nutrients. Matcha provides an excellent dose of potassium and antioxidants. It has been used in Japanese ceremonies for thousands of years and has a very pleasing, slightly sweet taste.
This tart, zingy-tasting South American berry contains an amazing 30-50 times as much vitamin C as oranges, as well as a multitude of powerfully beneficial plant compounds. It’s really good for lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation, and can be added to shakes and bakes or sprinkled on your morning porridge!
Another tart fruit, acerola is also known as ‘the Barbados cherry’ and is another vitamin C high-hitter, as well as packing in a great load of minerals and antioxidants.
It’s excellent added in its powder form to a protein shake, and there’s some evidence it can help protect the liver from damage.
We love these wonderful little fruits for their sparky flavour, their fantastic nutritional profile and, of course, for the wonderful reddy-purple colour they give to anything you add them to! Freeze-dried whole or in powdered form, they’re excellent sources of manganese and vitamins C and K, and they may also help protect against arterial stiffness and lower blood pressure.
Cacao is full of flavanoids, which improve blood flow and help reduce high blood pressure and prevent blood clots. Eating cacao may also help increase insulin sensitivity and prevent diabetes.
And if you’re worried about the sugar and fat found in most chocolate bars, why not get your choccy fix by munching on a couple of whole cacao beans?
Brazil nuts are powerhouses of minerals and healthy monounsaturated fat. They’re one of the richest dietary sources of selenium, which plays an essential role in boosting the body’s immunity and regulating the metabolism.
They’re also extremely tasty and are excellent in biscuits and trail mixes, or just munched whole!
Flaxseed (also called Linseed) is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. These tiny, nutty seeds are packed with fibre, healthy omega-3 fat and a whole load of minerals which are very helpful to human health.
When water is added, they form a gel which makes food move more slowly through the stomach, so can help you feel fuller for longer and act as an excellent appetite suppressant.
Low in calories but high in taste, seaweed is a very exciting ingredient. Wrapped around sushi or added to stews, stir-fries and salads, it’s a brilliant source of manganese, vitamin K, iodine and folate. It can even be used as a sprinkle-on salt substitute!
Berries, nuts, seeds, grains, fruits, roots and shoots – we have it all! Come and take your pick from a plethora of fantastic superfoods in a multitude of forms, all at great prices!