We are so often made to feel that in order to be eating optimally you need to include expensive and exotic ‘superfoods’ in your diet, which are heralded as the be-all and end-all of healthy foods. But don’t be fooled into thinking you need to buy expensive ‘superfoods’ to be healthy – your everyday ingredients are more powerful than you think!
Whilst the nutritional properties of branded ‘superfoods’ are certainly impressive, so are the properties of many of the more humble ingredients at your local grocer. There is also the issue of your ‘superfood’ having one hell of a carbon footprint from being shipped a great distance from an exotic part of the world (where they grow naturally). Because of this they are also, generally, expensive.
If you find that any one product has a significantly positive impact on your health, and you can afford it, then by all means include it in your diet. They are just not a necessity when you are balancing your diet with nutrient-rich foods. The everyday fruit and vegetables available at your local green grocer can be just as nutritionally dense as the superfoods being pushed on you. These humble ingredients are available in abundance and on a budget, have usually been grown locally and have incredible nutritional properties when prepared correctly and consumed as part of a balanced diet.
Here are 8 examples of some of my favourite everyday superfoods, and tips on how to prepare them:
Ginger
Ginger has a rich photochemistry which includes high levels of antioxidants and powerful anti inflammatories; it lowers blood pressure, therefore controlling hypertension and certain cardiovascular disorders; it enhances the growth of good gut bacteria, improving gastrointestinal health; it aids in lowering glucose levels, reducing symptoms of diabetes; and it reduces symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and morning sickness, making it a natural and safe alternative for pregnant women.
Preparation: Use the side edge of a teaspoon to remove the skin (it reduces the amount of flesh removed). Chop, grate or crush the peeled root and use it in your cooking. For nausea, grate and add the flesh and juice to a cup of boiling water, infusing for 5mins before drinking.
Turmeric
Turmeric belongs to the ginger family and has been used for centuries in India and China to treat illnesses. The active component of turmeric is curcumin. Its health benefits include strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects attributing to its effectiveness in preventing and treating cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, psoriasis, diabetes and obesity.
Preparation: Use turmeric root in your cooking by peeling and chopping the root (be careful not to get the juice on any fabric, as it stains even your hands!). If you are using turmeric powder, always choose a non-irradiated source, buying organic where possible.
Garlic
Garlic has long been known as a powerful natural antibiotic and is frequently used in natural medicine to ward off colds and flu. Science has proven that it has a host of benefits – it acts as an antioxidant, increases the gut microbial profile, and can help to prevent and treat cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorder and bone disease.
Preparation: Allicin is responsible for many of garlics’ therapeutic properties. In order to stimulate its production, make sure to crush your garlic cloves before adding them to your food – do this using the flat side of your knife, pressing it down firmly on the clove with your palm. Cloves should also be added to your food late in the cooking process, as heat can inhibit the medicinal properties.
Kale
Kale is a fantastic source of potassium and fibre and contains highly bioavailable calcium as well as probiotics. Additional properties of this widely available vegetable include protection against coronary heart disease, anti-inflammatory activity, gastro-protective qualities and a positive influence on gut health.
Preparation: Raw kale leaves can be hard on your digestion so it is recommended to massage your leaves beforehand if you are eating it raw in order to break down the fibres that are tough on your digestive system. Separate the leaves from the stalks and place in a bowl. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, a small pinch of salt and a teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and massage the leaves with your hands for a minimum of 2 minutes. Leave to sit for a further 5mins and enjoy.
Pork fat
A 2015 analysis of the nutritional content of certain foods ranked them according to their nutritional value. Pork fat ranked 8th out of 100 foods, with a nutritional score of 74 out of 100 (the higher the score, the more affective the food is at meeting your daily nutritional requirements). It contains B vitamins, is a great source of minerals and is a healthier, less saturated form of meat (more so than lamb or beef fat).
Preparation: As with all meat, it is better to eat a higher quality of meat less often than it is to eat poor quality meat more regularly. The poor ethical and farming standards employed by producers of cheap meat are not only morally horrifying, but result in livestock being fed a substandard and often unnatural diet. This greatly affects the quality of the meat, resulting in low-grade nutritional content. Stick to your food budget and buy meat from an ethical butcher, less regularly if need be.
Carrots
Carrots are historically known for ‘helping you see in the dark’, which is attributed to their high levels of beta carotene which aids in the health of your eyes. Other health benefits include high levels of antioxidants, anti-carcinogenic properties (prevent against cancer) and immune system enhancement. Carrot seed extracts were found to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti inflammatory and analgesic effects.
Preparation: Be cautious not to over-eat these succulent and sweet vegetables as they do contain fairly high levels of sugar. I recommend peeling and storing carrots submerged in water, in the fridge (usually in a tall water glass so they are within easy reach of a hand searching for a snack). Soaking them in water makes them lovely and crisp without affecting their flavour.
Broccoli
Broccoli has many health benefits – it is rich in selenium, calcium, fibre, vitamins and amino acids (the building blocks of protein). It is high in anti-oxidants and contains antimicrobial properties. Salforaphane – a compound contained in broccoli – has been found to inhibit the effects of certain cancers.
Preparation: The health benefits of broccoli are severely affected by the way in which it is cooked. Steaming broccoli is the best way to retain its nutrients, as this is the only method of cooking (compared to boiling, stir-frying and microwaving) that does not result in significant losses of chlorophyll content. Boiling and microwaving broccoli drastically reduces its vitamin C concentrations. Steam your broccoli so that it retains a slight crunch. Once cooked, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, macadamia nut oil or sesame oil, sprinkle with toasted seeds and serve as a side dish or snack.
Almonds
This healthy, everyday nut contains high levels of monounsaturated fats which are the fats that we need to be consuming more often. Fat is regularly demonised, but in truth our bodies are in dire need of this macronutrient – your brain is 60% fat, and your entire nervous system relies on fat to transmit signals from your brain to your body, so consuming healthy and regular sources of fat is imperative.
Almonds are naturally high in fibre and potassium, and contain impressive levels of magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and protein. They help to maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels, are high in antioxidants and vitamin E, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Preparation: Nuts contain numerous enzyme inhibitors which can strain digestion. Soaking and drying nuts makes them easier to digest and increases their bioavailability. Place 4 cups of nuts in a bowl, cover with water and mix in 2 teaspoons of salt. Soak overnight or for a minimum of 7 hours. Drain the water and spread them on a baking tray. Heat the oven to 150ºC (maximum) and dry for 12-24 hours until completely dry and crisp, turning occasionally. Store in an airtight container.
Hi, this is a comment.
To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit the Comments screen in the dashboard.
Commenter avatars come from Gravatar.