What are Superfoods? And What are the Best Superfoods?
Seems like hardly a day goes by where there isn’t a new ‘superfood’ announced or a normal, everyday food is suddenly announced as the latest superfood craze. Being a little bit sceptical, my first question is always simple – why is it a superfood? And taking it back one more step – what are superfoods? Who made them super? In a quest to answer these crucial questions, I decided to look into the whole superfoods business.
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What are superfoods?
Let’s start with what are superfoods? Technically, there’s no set definition or qualification for a food to reach ‘super’ status. There’s no test to pass, no exam or qualification. Nor is there any governing body of superfoods that study an ingredient to see if it passes the test.
Instead, superfood is a term used to describe foods that have a higher amount of nutrients and valuable minerals in them than other foods. This means it can be somewhat speculative. I could argue that pizza is a superfood because I love it, it tastes great and I get energy from eating it (though not if I eat too much!) but I doubt I could get away with it.
Superfoods are good to get in your diet in any way possible because they contain the stuff we need to keep healthy. These are the vital vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function and that processed foods like my beloved pizza don’t always contain. And different superfoods have different bundles of goodness so if you have certain things you are suffering with or missing out on, you can focus on ones that compensate for them.
One word of warning – too much of a good thing can be bad for you. And if you are on medication and it says to avoid something, even if is a superfood, please listen to the medication first. I’m neither a doctor nor a dietitian so let’s listen to the people that know first!
Best superfoods
Armed with an idea of what are superfoods, next we can look at what the most commonly seen superfoods are and what benefits they bring to the plate. Many of them are pretty familiar but it can be surprising just how much goodness they contain!
Kale
Why – 2.5 grams of fibre per cup to help with blood sugar, Vitamins A, C and K, Folate for brain development, Omega-3 fatty acids, minerals phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium.
Kale is something of an obsession for the healthy eaters and with good reason. These leafy greens that may not look very tasty are crammed with goodness that makes them well worth eating. And if you are fussy like me, green smoothies can be an ideal way to mask the taste and texture of the kale while still getting all the goodness.
Asparagus
Why – powerful antioxidant called glutathione, natural diuretic, Vitamins B, C, K and A, Folate, minerals copper, selenium, phosphorus
Asparagus contains one of the top antioxidants that helps to detox the liver and to boost the immune system to fight back against infection. It also helps flush toxins out of other organs such as the kidneys and helps with heart health. You can eat it in a variety of different dishes and even make it into a soup if you aren’t keen on the texture of the spears.
Garlic
Why – sulphur for liver detox, zinc, potassium, iodine
I love garlic, so it is always good to see it on the list of superfoods. Garlic has also been known for its medicinal properties for hundreds of years. It has active compounds that can reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and is great to boost the immune system. There are hundreds of things to do with garlic too!
Kiwi
Why – double the amount of vitamin C as oranges, fibre to help the digestive system
Kiwis have a fresh taste and a lot of benefits to them. The nutrients they contain can help to flush toxins from the bowels as well as helping with that full longer feeling. The vitamin C boosts the immune system and is retained in the body for a long time, up to six months. You can eat it in fruit salads or add to smoothies – and run the smoothie through a tea strainer if you don’t like seeds.
Mushrooms
Why – protein, fibre, vitamin C, antioxidant called selenium to support the immune system, the best non-animal source of vitamin D
There are plenty of different species of mushroom and all have a ton of health benefits (we won’t talk about the other benefits people find from certain species!) including that they have plenty of immunity-boosting selenium and also vitamin D. They don’t lose their benefits by cooking either so there are lots of ways to serve them.
Avocados
Why – monounsaturated fats, folate, Vitamin C & K, more potassium than a banana
Back when people thought all fats were bad, avocados had a bit of a bad name. But now we understand the differences, the good fats they contain are a benefit plus there are other nutrients such as Vitamin C and K. Plus avocados are really easy to work with – avocado toast anyone?
Blueberries
Why – Vitamins C & K, manganese, antioxidants, phytochemicals
Blueberries might be one of the most famous superfoods for good reason. These little berries have a great taste, can be used for everything from fruit salad and smoothies to muffins and have loads of nutrients. Antioxidants help fight off those free radicals that cause so much damage and can even fight the causes of cancer.
Salmon
Why – Omega 3 fatty acids
Most nutritionists recommend two portions of fatty fish a week in your diet and salmon is one of the best known of the group. The omega 3 fatty acids help boost the brain, heart and reduce inflammation. This applies to everything from salmon pieces to smoked salmon so there are plenty of options.
Almonds
Why – best non-dairy calcium source protein, Vitamin E
Almonds are the stars of the nut world for being the best source of calcium away from the dairy world. They also contain protein but are also a bit high in calories, as all nuts tend to be so don’t go nuts with them (sorry couldn’t resist!)
Foods you didn’t realise were superfoods
As well as the more famous superfoods, there are others that qualify for consideration, even if they aren’t as well known for it as others. Here are a few examples.
Goji berries
Why – fibre, iron, amino acids, Vitamin A
Goji berries are normally found dried and this makes them ideal for smoothies, smoothie bowls and dishes like overnight oats. You can eat them skin on and there’s no need to remove a seed or pit. The small red berries have a distinctive taste, so you don’t need too many.
Pumpkin
Why – antioxidants, fibre, unsaturated fats, protein
Famous for their role at Halloween, pumpkin also qualifies as a superfood due to the number of nutrients in them. From canned pumpkin to the whole fruit, there is a lot of goodness and if you can eat the seeds or add them to a smoothie, you get extras such as potassium, zinc, magnesium and Vitamin K.
Beets
Why – Vitamin A & C, fibre, calcium, iron
Beets (or beetroot in the UK) are certainly noticeable little purple vegetables and have a lot of goodness in them. They can be pickled, cooked in soups or even steamed or roasted. Risotto is recommended as a great pairing with them.
Olives
Why – vitamin E, iron, copper, calcium
Olive oil is one of the better options for cooking, so it is no surprise that the olives themselves have plenty of good stuff in them. They are often added to salads or just eaten as a snack. Watch as they do have a higher sodium content than some foods but otherwise are still pretty super.
Artichokes
Why – fibre, Vitamin C & K, antioxidants
We only eat the ‘meat’ of an artichoke which makes me laugh. This is the inner part of the leaf and can be eaten raw or steamed. For extra flavour add butter or even some mayonnaise.
Parsley
Why – calcium, magnesium, Vitamin A
This common herb is easy to grow in your garden and is surprisingly beneficial. It contains lots of Vitamin A that helps with good eye health as well as removing plaque from the arteries. Add it to all kinds of dishes or use it in a nice pesto with some garlic for extra benefits.
Superfood powder
Not all superfoods have to come in a food form – some come in powder form and still have a load of goodness in them.
Spirulina
Why – most nutritious food on the planet, more protein than red meat, all essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Yes, spirulina is an alga and yes, it is a fetching blue-green shade. It is also full of a ridiculously large amount of good stuff and is the most nutritious food on the planet. It mostly comes in a powdered form and this makes it ideal to add to smoothies and smoothie bowls. Taste-wise, it is said to be a bit strange so pair it with strong tasting foods to get the goodness and ignore the flavour.
Acai berries
Why – healthy fats, fibre, Vitamin V, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus
Another less well know berry, the acai berry is mostly found in powder because the berries don’t travel well. It is often used in smoothies and acai bowls (smoothie bowls) where it adds a little of a unique berry flavour to a mix.
Superfoods for all
Now we know what are superfoods and quite a few examples of them, why they are classed as superfoods and how we can eat them. Next question is simple – which ones are you going to include in your diet?
For some easy smoothie ideas that include some of these superfoods (or could have them substituted in for other ingredients) grab my 3-ingredient smoothie cheat sheet!
