Latest Trends in Superfoods
What are superfoods?
The book definition of a super food is a “nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.” But these foods are so much more than that. The purpose of learning about the latest superfoods is to be able to better your own personal health and to be able to understand the health benefits resulting from an exceptional nutrient density. These foods are all the rage, popularized by consumers turning to nutrient-rich fruits, seeds and leafy greens to maintain health and wellness.
What type of foods should you eat?
Superfoods are not restricted to any specific rules, but when you analyze the nutritional benefits of the food and be able to find what the community deems a superfood.The purpose of a superfood is to not have to choose between tasty foods, and foods that are good for you because they are the one and the same. If you continue to try different foods that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and more then you will find a balance to make your daily life healthier.
Green Teas and Matcha
While all tea has protective antioxidants, green tea contains the most bang for your sip. One of the most renowned benefits of green tea is their abundance of antioxidants, but in green tea there are many compounds that can benefit your health. Green boosts your metabolism, improves bone density, and contains a compound called EGCG which prevents damage to your heart muscles. Now matcha is a more concentrated form of green tea because it is made from directly grinding the tea leaves. Now where match has the same health benefits of green tea, it is now boosted and your body is better able to absorb the nutrients. A disclaimer: when you drink green tea try to restrain yourself from pouring milk because it can reduce the body’s absorption of the catechins.
Turmeric
The great new discovery of the benefits of turmeric has opened a whole new path for superfoods. Nowadays due to stress and environmental factors people are very inflamed and have intense strain on your mind and body. This is where Turmeric comes in and helps your body to compensate and relax. You can take this in a multitude of different ways, but the most common way is in your tea and food. Drinking this as a tea has proven benefits for relieving stress, helps protect your heart from disease, increase your immunity, and solidify your metabolic health.
Beans and Legumes
This is a very large category that includes kidney, black, red, and garbanzo beans, as well as soybeans and peas. Beans and legumes have a number of health benefits, including reducing cholesterol, decreasing blood sugar levels and increasing healthy gut bacteria. They are the only natural sources where the calorie composition is distributed into 70% carbohydrates, 20% proteins, and 10% fat. Eating beans will provide a source of minerals and fiber without the saturated fat, and Eating beans as part of a heart healthy diet and lifestyle may help improve your blood cholesterol. If you add beans to your diet you will receive numerous health benefits, and you will be feeling full for longer.
Seeds
Now seeds have shown their health benefits in different ways. Just like Beans and legumes there are a great many different types of seeds, but we will talk about the most important ones. Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and chia seeds are known to provide healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. If you want to keep up with the even newer foods, it seems that watermelon seeds and pomegranate seeds are the new fab because it is an excellent source of magnesium, vitamin b, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. And, as an added bonus a 1 cup serving contains 31 grams of protein! Along with these benefits 1 serving size is relatively lower in calories, as compared to the average side. This is an amazing food that can be eaten as a condiment in breakfast, or an afternoon snack, but either way the benefits are there.
Berries
There are so many different types of berries, and all of them are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and many other nutrients. There are also so many different types of berries that are healthy for you, which include blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and many more. Berries are generally low in calories and are great supplements for any meal. You can eat them just like that, add them to a meal or juice them, there are endless possibilities
Microgreens
There are many different types of microgreens (amaranth, basil, broccoli, mustard, tatsoi orach, borage, parsley, peas, and mint are a few examples), and they have many nutritional properties. Microgreens are known to have nutrients that help weight loss, preventing a range of different diseases, and can improve mental and physical health. They are also rich with antioxidants, and very sustainable. You can grow and harvest them right along your window sill in your kitchen. It’s a very versatile and healthy source of nutrients.
Dark, Leafy Greens
Dark Leafy Greens are known to be an excellent source of iron, vitamin A, and lutein for eye health. These foods are known to be filled with omega-3s and numerous antioxidants. There are great many different dark leafy greens, and some of them are spinach, kale, and swiss chard. Not only are these foods abundant in natural benefits, but are very versatile during preparation. They can be used in so many different recipes, and have been implemented into so many different cultures
Sources
Dhruv Singh