Ansley Hill RD,LD writes:
"Nutritionally speaking, there is no such thing as a superfood. The term was coined for marketing purposes to influence food trends and sell products. The food industry bestows the superfood label on nutrient-rich foods with a supposed capacity to positively affect health. Though many foods could be described as super, it’s important to understand that there is no single food that holds the key to good health or disease prevention. But since the term “superfood” doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, it may be worth taking a closer look at some healthy options.
Here are 16 foods that may be worthy of the esteemed superfood title:
1. Dark Leafy Greens
Dark green leafy vegetables are full of fibre and nutrients which may be instrumental in preventing certain chronic diseases. 2. Berries
Berries are full of nutrients and antioxidants which may prevent certain diseases and improve digestion.
3. Green Tea
Green tea is antioxidant-rich with many health benefits including possible cancer prevention.
4. Eggs
Eggs are rich in high-quality protein and unique antioxidants. Research indicates that eating eggs regularly will not increase your risk of heart disease or diabetes.
Legumes are rich in many vitamins, protein and fibre. They may prevent some chronic diseases and support weight loss.
Nuts and seeds are full of fibre and heart-healthy fats. They may reduce your risk of heart disease and support weight loss.
Kefir is a fermented dairy beverage with multiple health benefits related to its probiotic content. Though generally made from cow’s milk, kefir is also available in non-dairy forms.
Garlic is a nutrient-rich food used for its medicinal benefits for centuries. It may be useful for supporting immune function and reducing your risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Olive oil is one of the principle fat sources in the Mediterranean diet. It may be beneficial in reducing heart disease, diabetes and other inflammatory conditions.
Ginger is used for its flavour and potential medicinal effects. It may be useful in treating nausea, pain and preventing certain chronic diseases.
The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, is associated with several medicinal effects. Curcumin is not easily absorbed and should be paired with substances that enhance its absorption, such as black pepper.
Salmon is a good source of many nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids. Limit your consumption of salmon to avoid potential negative effects from contaminants common in fish and seafood.
Avocados are nutrient-rich, high-fibre fruits that may play a role in reducing inflammation and chronic diseases.
Sweet potatoes are a highly nutritious food loaded with carotenoids, which have strong antioxidant properties. They may also be beneficial for blood sugar control.
Mushrooms are full of nutrients and may reduce your risk of certain diseases. Additionally, mushrooms are a sustainable food choice.
Seaweed is a group of highly nutritious sea vegetables that may play a role in protecting against certain chronic diseases.
The Bottom Line
Achieving optimal health through food and nutrition is about more than focusing on one or two of the latest food trends. Instead, good health is best supported by eating a variety of nutritious foods every day. Including some, or all, of the foods on this list as part of a balanced diet can benefit your overall health and may prevent certain chronic diseases."
Ansley's full article with all information / research links is here
I wonder if you may have a particular favourite from this list? Mine would be eggs!
We bring a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas to this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy. Please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.
All the best Jan
34 comments:
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...quite a selection.
A really great selection. I enjoy most of these!
Hello, I see many on I list I enjoy already. Not so sure about the seaweed.
Enjoy your day and weekend!
We have berries every day other favourites are, olive oil, salmon, fresh mushrooms. Good to know we\re headed down the right path in our choices.
Eggs would be mine as well....But I pretty much really like everything on this list. Recently I became aware of the possible toxic effects of selenium which is found mostly in Brazil nuts. I have just stopped eating them now although I enjoy other nuts.
oh berries and sweet potatoes would be mine,, you know me and that sweet tooth lol,, I have no diabetes or health problems but my husband has had type two diabetes controlled by his diet for years, he watches very carefully what he eats and keeps his sugar in check perfectly, the only time it goes up is if he eats, bread or potatoes or pasta in the evening, he can have one slice of bread or half cup of pasta everyday as long as he keeps it to that potion and eats in at lunch or breakfast, he cannot eat cookies or pies or candy or chips, those raise it, he has a wicked sweet tooth and its been a difficult process but has been great for the last ten years,, everything becomes a habit if you do it long enough,, even good things lol,,thank you sharing this list,, its a delicious one!
A good list. I like moste of them, not seaweed or green tea though...
Thank you for your comment on my blog.
Oh that beeeeeeautiful photos, of those beeeeeeautiful fresh fruits, at the top of this interesting post!!! :-)
There's some great ones here. I think my favorite is nuts.
Have a great one.
Great article Jan and very useful...thank you!
Hugs
Except for the green tea all are things I love. Hugs, Valerie
I would like some more info on seaweed; this family of plants intrigues me, and my knowledge about it is quite superficial.
Boa tarde, excelente artigo informativo, é bom saber os efeitos positivos de cada alimento.
Feliz fim de semana,
AG
Berries would be mine.
I love avocado!
Great article as always.
I eat most of these except yoghurt. My favourites would be sweet potato and avocado.
I eat an avocado everyday because I absolutely love them.
like to seaweed for a salad.I tend to eat most of these regular. My body must be telling me I need them.
This is so useful Jan, thank you so much - we just about live on eggs here xx
I eat all these foods as part of my low carb diet but my favourites are eggs, salmon and avocado.
Amazingly, salmon and seaweed are the only ones from this list which aren't part of my regular diet.
DUTA said:
"I would like some more info on seaweed; this family of plants intrigues me, and my knowledge about it is quite superficial."
Hello DUTA, and many thanks for your comment.
'Seaweed is a term used to describe certain nutrient-rich sea vegetables. It’s most commonly consumed in Asian cuisine but is gaining popularity in other parts of the world due to its nutritional value.
Seaweed packs multiple nutrients, including vitamin K, folate, iodine and fibre.
These ocean vegetables are a source of unique bioactive compounds — not typically present in land-vegetables — which may have antioxidant effects.
Some of these compounds may also reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.'
More to read at this link here
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-seaweed
and here
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24697280
'There are however some possible dangers of seaweed. It can contain a lot of iodine, which can impact thyroid function. Seaweed can also accumulate heavy metals, but this is not considered a health risk.'
More information with relevant additional links here
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-seaweed#section8
It's just a thought! I wonder if you may have eaten Samphire, The Vegetable From The Sea?
Please see more here
https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2016/06/samphire-vegetable-from-sea.html
Hope you may find the information and links useful …
Many thanks for taking time to comment, it's always good to receive, read and share your thoughts.
All the best Jan
Muy bueno, me gusta todo. Saludos.
This list pleases me- I like most of these except for Mushrooms and I am not so keen on nuts and seeds!
Which ones do I like best?
I ADORE Garlic and am a fan of leafy greens but eggs are also good! Salmon is also a favourite!
Jan,
Thanks a lot for your answer and the info on seaweeds.
Eggs are my favorite! Then, leafy greens and nuts/seeds. I am allergic to cashew (sad), Brazil nuts, and the Nutella ones. But, I can eat peanuts. Surprising. I eat about twenty pistachio every day. I do not drink hot tea and not green tea, but I prefer black. I don't eat seaweed but not for any reason. The rest of the list I eat. I love sweet potatoes so much that I bought 160 lbs from the sweet potato farmer. The cost was $0.25/lb. I get fresh pecans from the grower and freeze them.
Here in the States there have been so many cases of contamination of salad vegetables and other produce, I don't know what is safe!
ahhh...we haven't had salmon lately...
Oh, good to know garlic, olive oil, avocado and mushrooms are on the list given I have them most days.xxx
I love most of them on your list. I've never had seaweed, though. ♥
Had some yummy blackberries picked right off the bush while in Calif. Even brought some lemons back off my son's tree.....This looks amazing.
Thanks so much for this list. I see a few things I need to add to our diets. (maybe not the seaweed though! heehee) Enjoy your week!
Thanks for the list Jan!! This is great!
Wow that`s new for me, seaweed sounds a bit strange but I think it`s worth to try
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