8 Amazing Superfoods that will Heal and Increase Your Energy

 

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Today I am writing about 8 amazing superfoods that will heal and increase your energy. However, I wouldn’t say I like this term superfoods.

Because any food grown in healthy soil and harvest before eating is a superfood, as long you gather and eat it directly, you will reap all benefits of its nutrients.

However, this is nearly impossible nowadays. Most people are going to the supermarkets to get their groceries done.

But the vegetables you are buying in the supermarkets are lying there already for some days. Even within one day, the reduction of nutrients is enormous.

Most vegetables and fruits are picked unripe and stored a long time before arriving in the supermarket and sprayed with chemicals.

If you visit farmer markets and are an early bird, you will still get vegetables with a higher nutritional amount by buying organically grown vegetables and fruits, a healthy habit I recommend to all people.

What is the meaning of a Superfood? I found a description in Wikipedia, and it says that superfood is a marketing term for food assumed to confer health benefits resulting from an exceptional nutrient density. Experts, dietitians do not commonly use the term, and nutrition scientists, many of whom dispute that particular food have the health benefits claimed by their advocates.

Even without scientific evidence of exceptional nutrient content, many new, exotic, and foreign fruits or ancient grains are marketed under the term superfood– or superfruit or super grain, respectively – after being introduced or re-introduced to Western markets.

In 2007, the marketing of products as “superfoods” was prohibited in the European Union unless accompanied by a specifically authorized health claim supported by credible scientific research.

I have listed 8 amazing superfoods and will give a short introduction of them.

Green vegetables and colored fruits

I said already in my last blogs that chlorophyll makes green vegetable green, but the fact is the Chlorophyll is what makes green vegetables a superfood. Also, the stronger the colors of vegetables and fruits, the higher the number of antioxidants.

Dark, leafy greens like arugula, kale, collard greens, spinach, lettuce, and Swiss chard are very healthy because their chlorophyll and the dietary fiber found in dark greens can decrease the risk of colon cancer. Carotenoids, another type of plant pigment, also act as antioxidants that fight off potentially cancer-causing free radicals in the body. You find these phytonutrients, for example, in carrots.

Different colors found in edible plants can correlate to the nutrients found within. Therefore, eating lots of other vegetables and fruits helps ensure that your diet includes a wide variety of all the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients your body needs. Many antioxidants fight oxidative radicals in the body.

What are Antioxidants?

“Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage organisms’ cells. Antioxidants such as thiols or ascorbic acids (vitamin C) terminate these chain reactions. To balance the oxidative stress, plants and animals maintain complex systems of overlapping antioxidants, such as glutathione and enzymes (e.g., catalase and superoxide dismutase), produced internally, or the dietary antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E.”

Fruits are also a great source of antioxidants and enzymes, which are also essential for many body processes. The enzyme reacts as a catalyst that regulates the rate at which chemical reactions proceed in living organisms without itself being altered in the process. Most critically, enzymes catalyze all aspects of cell metabolism.  Mango and Pineapple are used very often to provide enzymes for supplements. But I am for the whole fruit. You will reap all benefits from eating the whole fruit, including vitamins and minerals.

One of the best fruits to provide antioxidants is all sorts of berries. They come in strong colors, mostly blue, black, red, and yellow or orange, indicating that they have a high amount of antioxidants. Berries tend to have an excellent nutritional profile. They are typically high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidant polyphenols. Incorporating berries into your diet may help prevent and reduce symptoms of many chronic diseases. I use them in my smoothies.

Green Tea

Green tea contains a powerhouse of antioxidants that are higher than those measured in fruits and vegetables. Having high doses of catechin, an antioxidant shown to help prevent cell damage in the body, makes green tea a natural “Superfood.” Catechin is indicated to reduce inflammation in the body. This powerful antioxidant is shown to reduce high blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Green tea has also been proven to help block the formation of plaques linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Other health benefits include increased metabolism for weight loss. We receive the best benefits from organically grown green tea because conventionally grown tea is treated with pesticides and herbicides, which are toxic for our bodies and the environment.

Avocado

Avocado is the fruit of the avocado tree,  known as Persea Americana. This fruit is high in healthy fats. 77% of its calories are from fat, making it one of the fattiest plant foods in existence, highly favored for weight loss.
Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid that is also the primary component of olive oil and has been linked with reduced inflammation. I use it also in my smoothies.

Olive oil

Olive oil is considered a healthy fat that was shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. The primary fat found in olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids. They have been proven to lower total cholesterol and help stabilize blood clotting.

These acids are also linked to lower insulin levels. People who are suffering from diabetes Type 2 have a great benefit from digesting olive oil. When you buy olive oil, make sure it is extra- virgin or cold-pressed because they are full of nutrients that make them an anti-inflammatory superfood. Olive oil is not a good oil for cooking. It is better to use a stable oil like coconut oil for cooking.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a potent superfood. It is full of fiber and nutrients when it is cracked. Flaxseed contains all sorts of healthy components, but its primary healthy reputation is omega 3 essential fatty acids, lignans, and fiber.

It is an excellent food for chicken because the eggs have a pretty good amount of omega-3 then, something that is not natural these days regarding the chicken’s food. It is beneficial to include flaxseed daily into your diet to receive a good amount of omega 3 fatty acids, It is not expensive, and it is very healthy. Omega 3 fatty acids are mostly known from consuming fatty fish like salmon.

But the plant variants, flaxseed, and chia seed, also have a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids, which is vital to include in your diet to fight inflammation in the body. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3 fatty acids. Research indicates that flax may reduce the risks of certain cancers as well as cardiovascular diseases. It is highly beneficial, especially with all kinds of rheumatoid illnesses, to decrease the inflammation in the body.

 

Lignans possess a steroid-like chemical structure and are defined as phytoestrogens. They might lower the risk of heart disease, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. Interestingly, flax seeds contain up to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.

Flaxseeds have a lot of fiber, which prevents colon cancer. Just one tablespoon of flax seeds contains 3 grams of fiber.
There are two sorts of fiber, soluble and insoluble, which means that soluble fiber increases the consistency of the contents of your intestine and insoluble fiber allows more water to bind to the stools, which makes the excretion softer. It prevents constipation, and the number of stools leaving the colon is more significant, improving your digestive health.

Turmeric and Ginger

These are spices, among others, which have been very well studied because of their health properties. Used for centuries, and in cultures like India, they have many benefits against all kinds of diseases. They are used against inflammation but also as a natural antibiotic, together with garlic. Turmeric and Ginger are known to strengthen the immune system and to be a natural painkillers.

Ginger, or Zingiber officinale, originated in Southeast Asia has long been used as a natural remedy for various health conditions. Its medicinal properties are primarily due to phenolic compounds, including gingerol, a chemical with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Turmeric, also known as Curcuma longa, belongs to the same family of plants. It contains the chemical compound curcumin, which is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a powerful antioxidant.

Both are used in Indian cooking dishes, and I love them.

Chlorella and Spirulina

Chlorella is a single-celled freshwater alga native to Taiwan and Japan. It is naturally rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Its benefits include boosting antibody count and fighting cancer, especially colon cancer and other diseases.

Chlorella contains many nutrients, including proteins, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is boosting the immunity of the body.

Spirulina is a blue-green alga and is believed to be one of the oldest life forms on Earth, used already by ancient cultures like the Aztecs to treat various diseases.

Spirulina is also a potent source of nutrients and contains a powerful plant-based protein called phycocyanin, which reacts as an antioxidant, a pain-relief, anti-inflammatory brain-protective. Phycocyanin gives spirulina the color.

Both algae are potent superfoods that help to strengthen the immune system. Chlorella is also known to chelate heavy metals from the body.

Kefir(a fermented food)

Kefir is a probiotic drink that contains many bioactive compounds, including up to 30 different strains of “good guy” bacteria.
Probiotics are essential to building up a damaged colon. These probiotics help boost immune function and fight against harmful microbes and carcinogens, and they are improving many digestive issues. So why not try kefir?
Kefir is a fermented milk drink, using a combination of bacteria and yeast as a starter. You can make kefir by buying such a starter in a health shop. It is easy to make it yourself.

You can use all kinds of milk, also soy, or even coconut water. The fermentation process makes it so healthy. It is already used for centuries and primarily known in the Caucasus, but many different cultures use kefir as a beneficial food. Your gut will be happy! 🙂

Final Thought

There are many so-called superfoods, and I have listed 8 amazing superfoods to introduce you to them. What makes them beneficial is the high amount of nutrients and antioxidants. The most important is that they are healthy food grown naturally or fermented like the kefir. The body gets nourished and can do its job of detoxification and rebuilding cells. Your energy will increase.

To heal your body, it is good to include various superfoods in your diet. By doing this, you get a high amount of all nutrients into your body. You will strengthen your immune system, diminish inflammation, and fight infections.

Maybe you will try some of them.

Please leave your comments below! I would love to hear what your opinion is. What is your experience with superfoods?

To your health,

Sylvia