<\/a><\/p>\nDark leafy greens<\/b><\/h2>\n Dark leafy greens refer to dark green vegetables \u2013 like kale, spinach, Swiss chard and turnip greens. These veggies are rich in zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and fibre. It further also includes anti-inflammatory compounds which are always good to include in your diet. These veggies are often excluded because of their ‘bitter’ taste. Include these in salads (nice and fresh) or stir-fries with other great veggies.<\/span><\/p>\nBerries<\/b><\/h2>\n Berries are powerful. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. When referring to berries we talk about raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nGreen tea<\/b><\/h2>\n Green tea is antioxidant-rich. Its health benefits have been known in China for many years for its medicinal properties.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nEggs<\/b><\/h2>\n We have discussed eggs in many nutrition articles before as well as the negative press it received in the past. Eggs however remain a healthy protein, rich in Vitamin B and A, iron, phosphorus, selenium and choline. Eggs increase \u2018good\u2019 cholesterol (HDL) in some people and recent research indicates that there is no increase in heart disease or diabetes risk if an adult eats up to 6-12 eggs per week.<\/span><\/p>\nLegumes<\/b><\/h2>\n Legumes are filled with nutrients \u2013 various minerals, protein, and fibre and are a rich source of B vitamins. Legumes include beans, lentils, peas and peanuts.<\/span><\/p>\nNuts and seeds<\/b><\/h2>\n Considered a healthy fat, nuts and seeds are rich in fibre and packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Commonly included are the nut family (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, macadamia, pecan and Brazilian nuts). Seeds include sunflower, pumpkin, chai, hemp and flax seeds.<\/span><\/p>\nYoghurt and Kefir<\/b><\/h2>\n We are all familiar with yoghurt, but for those unfamiliar with the word \u2013 Kefir is a fermented beverage. Both yoghurt and kefir contain protein, calcium, B vitamins, potassium and probiotics. Non-dairy alternatives are made from coconut and rice milk, so people with lactose intolerance can also benefit from fermented, probiotic-rich foods.<\/span><\/p>\nGarlic<\/b><\/h2>\n Garlic is rich in manganese, vitamin C, B6, fibre and selenium. It has also been used for medicinal benefits for many years (and no, it has nothing to do with warding off vampires). Research shows that garlic could reduce cholesterol and blood pressure and could further support immune function.<\/span><\/p>\nOlive oil<\/b><\/h2>\n Olive oil is also labelled as a healthy fat as it is a natural oil extracted from the fruit of olive trees. It contains antioxidants, vitamins E and K and protects against cellular damage from oxidative stress.<\/span><\/p>\nSalmon<\/b><\/h2>\n Salmon is a nutritious fish \u2013 with healthy fats (Omega 3), protein-rich, potassium, selenium and vitamin B. A drawback of eating seafood however is the increase in environmental pollutants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAvocado<\/b><\/h2>\n Avocado is a nutritious fruit which has many nutrients like fibre, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMushrooms<\/b><\/h2>\n The nutritional value of mushroom types varies but mushrooms contain Vitamin A, potassium, fibre and antioxidants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nSeaweed<\/b><\/h2>\n Seaweed is very rich in Vitamin K, iodine, folate and fibre. These sea vegetables are a unique source of bioactive compounds which have antioxidant effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIncluding \u2018superfoods\u2019 in your diet is important as some of these foods are the only source of particular nutrients. However, clearly, from the list above, these foods should be added to your daily intake \u2013 they cannot be all you eat. Good health is about being smart about what adds the most value to your daily food intake \u2013 combining healthy choices across all food groups. Ultimately, superfoods have been highlighted for their possible effect in reducing the risk of disease such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn summary, it makes sense to include nutrient-dense food in your diet. These foods will optimise the nutrition you include in your diet without ‘breaking the calorie bank’.<\/span><\/p>\nEat to stay healthy! Stay focussed on your health and make choices which you will benefit from today and for the rest of your life.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Superfoods, an intelligent marketing ploy, coined to get the consumer consuming (in more ways than one). But what are superfoods and what is the hype about?\u00a0 Ultimately, some foods are labelled as ‘super\u2019 because they are nutrient-rich food \u2013 food that could \u2018positively affect your health\u2019. Remember, a combination of a healthy diet is what<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":143509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,609],"tags":[],"country":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-143508","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-a-z-topics","8":"category-wellness"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Superfoods \u2013 Legends of a Healthy Diet? - RegInsights<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n