What’s so super about superfoods anyway?
Or a quick guide on how to have the best day — every day!
Superfoods is the buzzword of all the latest health related trends. They’ve been gaining popularity steadily through various sources: you see them in food blogs, on breakfast menus of cafes, and sharing platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. But how much do you really know about them? Sure, you’ve heard of goji and acaii, you know they are “really good for you”, but do you know how to actually benefit from that “goodness”? Keep reading and find out how to use superfood to feel superhuman.
- Goji- - the chinese wonder berry
Popular for a while now, it was probably the first that started getting attention as the “miracle berry” that rejuvenates the skin, cleanses your liver and even cures cancer! Not quite, but it is healthy. Just not that healthy. They are high in Vitamins C and A and rich in fiber, adding not only color to your breakfast but actually making your cells sing with joy, thanks to zeaxanthin, the antioxidant they contain in high concentration. Usually sold dried, but just as good (if not better) when fresh off the vine. They pair up nicely with oatmeal or yogurt and you don’t need much to benefit from the goodness, a tablespoon is more than enough!
2. Turmeric, the inside cleaner and virus annihilator
This one you may not know so well. It looks like ginger but more orange under the skin, and, like ginger, it performs miracles when it comes to slaying viruses and bacterial infections, cleansing the liver, boosting immunity, fighting diabetes, cancer and arthritis, preventing Alzheimer’s, promoting weight loos, …the list goes on and on. No wonder it’s reffered to as “the golden remedy”. Ever heard of this?
It’s considered an ayurvedic staple and has been used in India for centuries. So next time you see a video of an 80 year old Indian man doing yoga and bending like he was 20 don’t ask what his secret is. Just go and get that turmeric! But be careful while using it, it stains worse than beetroot! You might wanna pull a Dexter technique in your kitchen. Or find a really good dry cleaner.
3. Coconut oil, the tropical miracle that fixes e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g
With the attention it’s been gaining in the past couple of years you’d really have to have lived in a cave to not know about it! Probably the tastiest and most versatile on this list, it’s a superfood that deserves a name upgrade to a miracle food! Antiviral, antibacterial, weight loss promoting, wound healing, skin soothing and gut protecting, you’ll want a jar in every room of your house!
Whether you use it for cooking, as a body lotion, make up remover or hair conditioner, no matter where you put it it will do wonders! A bit pricey, true, but more than worth the investment! Just make sure you get the organic, cold pressed extra virgin kind, otherwise you won’t benefit from all of its amazing properties.
4. Chia, the miracle food of the ancient world
It’s the tiny black seed you’ll find sprinkled over porridges and smoothies, or as the main ingredient of the ever more popular chia pudding. Meaning “strenght” in the ancient Mayan language, it abosrbs everything in sight and pairs up with coconut milk like mustard does with hotdogs. Dense in nutrients but low in calories, it really delivers a healthy punch!
Rich in Omega 3 and loaded with antioxidants, with almost all of the carbs in it being pure fiber, they promote not only your overall health but also help you lose and maintain weight. Thanks to that incredible absorbing power they will keep you fuller for longer while delivering in the taste department too! Just try that pudding with coconut milk. Just….try it. Oh, and add some coconut oil while you’re at it. And the superfood trail mix (see below). Thank me later.
5. Cacao nibs. Finally, a guilt free chocolate experience!
Yes, it’s true, chocolate can be guilt free! Even more, it can be good for you! Mind blowing, right? In case you haven’t tried raw coconut nibs, now’s the time. As they are not heat treated like regular chocolate (the one that has the “oh so good but oh so bad” reputation), they keep the nutrients and antioxidants while still managing to turn that frown into a smile, triggering the release of phenylethylamine in your body.
Not exactly melting in your mouth, but extremely crunchy, they add texture and health to your morning routine, whether you put them over your banana smoothies or enjoy them on their own. Oh, and, remember goji berries? Pair them up for a superfood trail mix you can take with you as a first aid kit for those less healthy breakfasts on the go.
You’ve got the knowledge, now go and upgrade your health and destroy the stereotype of healthy food=boring food!
