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10 Superfoods you Need in your Kitchen Cupboard

10 Superfoods you Need in your Kitchen Cupboard

Superfoods have become increasingly popular but often exploit healthy lifestyle choices. This is mainly because people believe that if they incorporate a superfood into their unhealthy diet that it will magically makes them healthy. Superfoods are mostly plant-based but do contain certain fish and dairy products. They are often high in nutrients, antioxidants and or omega-3 fatty acids. To get the most out of your superfoods you need to incorporate them into a healthy diet.

Blueberries

1 cup of blueberries contains 4 grams of fibre, 24% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, 36% RDA of Vitamin K and 25% RDA of manganese. A good tip to remember is that the darker your berries, the more antioxidants they have so try and have half a cup per day. These berries are super rich in nutrients and very low in calories which is perfect for mixing with low-fat yoghurt, snacking and adding to your breakfast cereal.

Beetroot

This vegetable is rich in nitrate and when ingested, our bodies convert nitrates into nitric oxide which lowers our blood pressure by opening up the blood vessels and allowing a good blood flow. However, reducing the amount of salt and getting active are good ways of reducing your blood pressure as well as eating or drinking beetroots. Not only is beetroot rich in nitrates but it's a good source of iron and folate. Beetroot can be used in juices, smoothies and salads.

Raw Cacoa

Many people mistake cocoa for cacao, which is easily done. Cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa which keeps the living enzymes in the cocoa and removes the fat. Whereas cocoa powder is cacao that has been roasted under high temperatures. Using methods of high temperatures such as roasting can reduce the enzyme content, which lowers the nutritional value. This means that your average chocolate bar isn't healthy for you, but this doesn't mean you have to miss out on the chocolate flavour. Add cacoa to smoothies, teas, desserts and home-baked treats to get that delicious chocolate flavour without feeling guilty.

Broccoli

This vegetable has plenty of nutrients that help the body function normally such as, folate, vitamin C/A, calcium, soluble and insoluble fibre. Broccoli is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, alongside bok choy and cauliflower, which all contain compounds linked to suppressing cancer cells. You can use broccoli in stir-fry, curries, salads or just as a side dish, either way, an 80g serving will count towards one of your 5 a day.

Oily Fish

Salmon, sardines and mackerel are all part of the oily fish group and they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which the body cannot produce by itself. These fatty acids help against cardiovascular disease as they keep the heart beating regularly and protect the small arteries that carry blood. Oily fish can be eaten with a salad or as main but 1-2 portions a week will boost your omega 3 levels keeping your heart healthy.

Pomegranate

A big advantage of eating the seeds of one pomegranate is that they provide a third of your daily vitamin C and a quarter of our recommended daily amount of folate, which is needed to repair DNA and is part of the vitamin B group. Pomegranate seeds are very versatile and really good to experiment with. Add pomegranate seeds to fruit salads, oatmeal, salads, smoothies, brown rice, quinoa, yoghurt and mix into muffin and pancake batters. If you don't like the taste of the seeds, then why not try pomegranate juice as this is slightly sweeter, but make sure you get 100% juice that doesn't contain added sugar. You can just drink the juice or you can add it to salad dressings or glazes for meat.

Garlic

Even though the smell of garlic can sometimes be off-putting, especially when it lingers on your fingers for days, it has bacteria fighting properties. Diallyl sulphide is a powerful compound within garlic that is able to break through bacteria membranes and is often used in antibiotics. Another benefit of garlic is that it can provide an alternative to salt in adding flavour to meals. Nowadays salt is hidden in everything and most adults in the UK eat one-third more than they should, even though the daily recommended amount per day is 6g (one teaspoon). The salt we add during cooking makes up a very small portion of our diets, it's the processed foods you need to watch out for. 75% of the salt we eat comes from ready-made meals, bread, cereals, soups and biscuits. Try to limit yourself to salty foods and always check the nutritional information on packets if you're not sure, eating less salt is important for avoiding high blood pressure.

Acai

This berry is full of calcium, iron and vitamin A which is great for your immune system. Acai can come in many forms such as powder, juice and the raw berry which means you can easily incorporate it into your diet. Popular uses of Acai are smoothies, juices, salad dressing and Acai bowls.

Turmeric

This spice has been used in cooking and as medicine in South Asia for centuries but has made a recent comeback with the likes of popular food influencers. Turmeric is most popular as a spice for curry dishes as it brings a vibrant colour and a hint of peppery flavour, it's also great in hot drinks too. Turmeric is known for being a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, due to a molecule called curcumin, which is found in the root. If you want to get the most out of turmeric then you're best off buying the root instead of the powder as this will only contain a small percentage of curcumin. Unfortunately, curcumin is hard for the body to absorb, but you can combine turmeric with fats such as palm or coconut oil and black pepper to help the curcumin absorb easier.

Kale

Packed with a type of phytonutrient that neutralises cancer cells by triggering the liver to produce enzymes and from the same veg group as broccoli, kale has a good reason to be classed as a superfood. The most popular version is curly kale with silvery green leaves. The most common ways to cook kale is to blanch and then pan-fry or simmer on the stove until wilted. This is because kale has particularly tough leaves, which is why people cook it to break it down. Many other greens turn mushy from overcooking but kale holds its shape. At only 36 calories per cup (boiled), kale is great for calories and antioxidants.

There are so many superfoods on the market, that it can be confusing to figure out if its a superfood or not but hopefully we have clarified a few superfoods for you. We believe that it is important to incorporate superfoods into your diet because people aren’t consuming enough antioxidants that are essential for the body. These types of foods aren’t called “super” for no reason so get eating them.