What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘superfoods’? A banana in a cape? Or probably an almond as a masked crusader?
Well, as much as some foods’ nutritional goodness would make them seem like they have superpowers, superfoods are more of a team player. Adding superfoods to your diet will not only make your meals more nutritious and wholesome but also make them more delicious. Now, who doesn’t like when health and taste work as buddies, right?
Including superfoods in your diet can impact your health significantly. From boosting the immune system to aiding in weight loss to some even having cancer-fighting abilities, superfoods can be an amazing addition to your diet.
As a matter of fact, most of our diets include a good number of superfoods on a daily basis. However, if you do want to get into the nitty-gritty of it, this blog post is for you. Here is a list of the top 5 superfoods that you must include in your diet ASAP!
Berries
Starting with the good old berries. Everyone likes berries. Little flavour bombs rich in antioxidants and equally versatile. Enjoy them as a snack, as a dessert option, or even as toppings. And, who can forget the classic smoothies and milkshakes? Berries are a wonderful source of fibre, plant compounds, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Including berries in your diet can significantly impact your digestive health while boosting your immunity. Consuming berries can also help in reducing the risk of heart diseases, cancer, and inflammation. Moreover, it needs no mention of how impeccably berries impact your skin and hair health.
Some of the berries that you can include in your diet are:
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Blackberries
Green tea
Green tea and its benefits have been around in the health and fitness industry for quite a while now. A fan favorite, green tea finds its origin in China. Green tea is known for its medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties, along with being an amazing catalyst for weight loss. Being a rich source of antioxidants, green tea also helps in protection against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even cancer.
Dark-green leafy vegetables
Leafy dark greens are super good for you, as has been taught to us since childhood. Including these leafy greens into your diet can power-pack your meal with folate, zinc, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, and fibre. Dark-green leafy vegetables also have the potential of protecting your body against chronic diseases like heart ailments and type 2 diabetes. Being a rich source of carotenoids, a kind of antioxidant, it provides protection against certain cancers.
Some of the leafy dark greens that you can include in your diet are:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Mustard greens
- Swiss chards
- Collard greens
Beans and Legumes
With the advent of veganism, beans and legumes have assumed a very high priority in the health and fitness industry. A lot of the credit goes to their high protein, vitamin B, and fibre content. Including beans, legumes, peas, lentils, peanuts, and even soy into your diet can help reap many benefits. Besides being a great source of vegan protein, these foods can help deal with type 2 diabetes, manage heart diseases, regulate cholesterol and tackle blood pressure. Moreover, consuming beans and lentils can help you lose weight more sustainably, and even help with weight maintenance.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds have been a part of the superfood group since times immemorial. Who knew these little dudes could power-pack your meals with that much nutrition, right? Well, looks can indeed be deceiving. Nuts and seeds are a great vegan source of protein, fibre, antioxidants, and healthy fats. They also carry lots of good plant compounds and anti-inflammatory properties. Nuts and seeds can be consumed as nut and seed butters, nut and seed milk, as toppings, or just in their good old original form. Crush, sprinkle, blend or simply pop them to add these to your diet and go nuts!
Final thoughts
The best thing about these superfoods is that they can be used as elements of a single cohesive meal, consuming them together will also complement their benefits. Power-pack your meals by including these wonderful superfoods into your diet, and let the magic unfurl for itself!