5 Superfoods and Their Super-Benefits
With a busy and fast-paced lifestyle, it gets hard to watch out for our diet sometimes. Avoiding fast food means preparing and cooking our meals ourselves. We think preparing healthy takes a long time, when in actual fact we just need to prepare ‘smarter’.
I want to introduce you to five superfoods that are easy to incorporate into your everyday diet. They range from earthy seeds to green leafy veggies that are low in calories and high in nutrients.
This will help you get the best nutrition with less preparation.
Coriander
Coriander is known as Coriandrum sativum. It is part of the family of celery, parsley, and carrots. This aromatic plant is long known for culinary and health benefits and it is a common food additive.
Some confuse coriander with cilantro and even use the words interchangeably. Both terms refer to the same plant but their uses in the kitchen cannot be a substitute for one another.
Cilantro mostly refers to the green, refreshing leaves. It has higher levels of nutrients relative to the coriander seeds. The medical field recommends this aromatic plant in healthy food prep. You can incorporate this in your everyday meal, starting with simple ones:
- Salsa
- Curry
- Masala
- Guacamole
- Soups
Coriander seeds are earthly in flavor. It is so easy to add to the diet as it is perfect for:
- Meat rubs
- curries
- Pickled vegetables
A study found that it could be an alternative to antibiotics, and coriander extracts may be effective for the following conditions:
- Pain relief
- Easing cramps
- Convulsions
- Nausea
- Antibacterial
- Lower blood sugar
- Rich in antioxidants
- Cardiovascular benefits
- Promotes brain health
- Gut health
- Better digestion
Kale
Kale is a leafy vegetable. Its uses vary from decorative garnish to an indispensable element in a healthy meal. Out of all the superfoods, it is by far the most nutritious. (But watch out for pesticides. It is heavily sprayed, so buy organic or wash really well)
Kale is also a relative of broccoli, and is classified a cruciferous vegetable. All parts of this veggie, including the leaves and the stem, are edible. Growers highlight the adaptability of this cruciferous vegetable to harsh weather.
Kale is popular because it contains various nutrients and a low-calorie content. Here are the numerous nutrients in detail:
- Rich in vitamin A, C, K, B, B1 and B2
- Carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin
- Beta Carotene
- Folate, Calcium
- Fiber, Copper
- Manganese
- High in Minerals
- Omega 3 fatty acid
- Lutein and zeaxanthin protecting the eye
It comes in wide varieties and has unique characteristics:
- Curly,
- Lacinato,
- Redbor,
- Red Russian,
- Siberian,
- Chinese kale (Gai Lan)
We can incorporate kale into various dishes and simple menus such as:
- Soup
- Sautees
- Kale chips
- Pesto
- Salad
This vegetable boasts cancer-fighting properties such as sulforaphane. It is said to fight cancer cells at the molecular level. It may also reduce cholesterol and promotes heart health.
The vitamin K in kale helps the blood to clot. If you are on blood thinners, the medical field advises consumers to eat a relatively consistent amount. So don’t go wild as it will upset the balance of your blood thinning medication.
Beetroot
Like kale, beetroot offers a multitude of nutrients that strengthen the body. It also has a low-calorie content. Although beetroot is higher in vegetable sugar, it is very fibrousy so the sugar is not released quickly in to the blood stream.
You can find the following nutrients in this pink superfood. (Note though, that you may have pink urine after eating beetroot.)
- Vitamin B1, B2, and B3
- Vitamin C
- Beta-carotene
- Folic acid
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Iron
- Manganese
- Zinc
- Nitrates
- Copper
- Selenium
It is not a superfood for no reason. Studies have shown that eating beetroot results in a plethora of health benefits such as:
- Lower blood pressure
- Heighten exercise performance
- Reduces the risk of dementia
- Promotes better blood flow
- Fever
- Constipation
- Skin problems
- Inflammation
- Improves digestion
You can prepare beetroots and their leaves in a simple, yummy meal. Add them to your diet through:
- Preparing a beetroot juice
- Process it into pickles
- Roasting
- Steaming
- Adding to the salad, sometimes to coleslaw
- Beetroot leaves are also nutritious.
Cabbage
The next superfood you can easily find in supermarkets is cabbage. It is also a cruciferous vegetable, high in Vitamin C and K. It belongs to the Brassica genus of vegetables, the same family as kale, broccoli, and cauliflower.
In modern cuisines, cabbage is a vital component of:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- coleslaw
It is famous as a digestion and gut health booster. Cabbage has a component that counters radiation. It contains the following nutrients, too:
- Vitamin K, C, B6
- Calories, protein, fiber
- Folate, manganese, calcium
- Potassium, magnesium
By eating cabbage, you can experience the following health benefits:
- Less inflammation
- Low blood pressure
- Boost heart health
- Lower cholesterol
- Cancer
- Low risk of heart disease
- Obesity
- And maybe a bit of wind
Rosemary
We associate rosemary with improving memory. This is why some parts of the world use it as a natural medication for dementia. Rosemary protects the memory through its active ingredients: Carnosic acid and Rosmarinic acid.
It reduces estrogen, which is why women use it to balance estrogen and aside from memory, rosemary also improves the following:
- Indigestion
- Joint pain relief
- Hair loss treatment
- Blood circulation improvement
- Increased production of nerve growth
- Relief for breathing problems
We can consume rosemary in various forms, including:
- Spice
- Essential oil
- A component in soaps and perfumes
- Tea
- Rub
- Dressing/ marinade
Takeaway
Save time in preparing healthy meals using these five superfoods. They are rich in nutrients while maintaining a low-calorie content. They are perfect ingredients for a balanced diet. They also produce other health benefits that our body needs.
References
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823193857.htm
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cilantro-vs-coriander
https://www.livescience.com/50818-kale-nutrition.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-beets#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cabbage
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284823#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-cabbage-benefits
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-154/rosemary
https://healinggourmet.com/rosemary-health-benefits/