Supercharge Your Diet With These 4 Superfoods

Looking to take your diet up a notch? Look no further than superfoods. Superfoods are foods that essentially posses ‘superpowers’, meaning they have a high level of nutrients in the form of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. All of these will work overtime to help deliver you the best health benefits.

Which foods belong on your list? There are quite a few, but let’s take a look at four of the superfoods you should consider including in your diet.
 

Coconut Oil - The Perfect Oil

Topping the list is coconut oil. Not enough great things can be said about this oil variety. Now replacing olive oil as the healthiest oil to consume, coconut oil can do everything from reduce inflammation, combat heart disease, improve brain health and cognitive function, to boosting your mood.

Coconut fat is a different form of fat from most other fat sources as it’s a medium chain triglyceride. MCT’s are quicker to digest and available for energy almost immediately, so this oil behaves more like a carbohydrate in the body, only has zero impact on your blood glucose levels.

For this reason, it’s the perfect oil for anyone who is looking to lose weight.
 

Chia Seeds - The Aztec Warrior Food

Chia Seeds are the next superfood you’ll want to be making room for in your diet plan. They are absolutely packed with nutrients and deliver a potent energy boost. In fact, ‘chia’ in the ancient Mayan language means ‘strength’, as Aztec warriors consumed chia seeds for endurance and energy.

The benefits don’t stop there, they also promote skin health, reverse the signs of ageing, support cardiovascular health, improve digestion, reverse diabetes, and support bone and muscle strength.

All these health benefits are due to the Chia Seed nutritional profile, extremely rich in Omega 3 fats, fiber and protein as well as a myriad of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B, E, D and magnesium, iron, iodine manganese, phosphorus, calcium, zinc copper and potassium - an absolute powerhouse of antioxidants.

They’re an excellent source of protein along with omega-3 fatty acids, which are a very healthy fat your body needs. Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential fat, meaning you must take it in from food sources or in supplemental form. Omega-3 fatty acids help to prevent heart disease, improve your cholesterol profile, strengthen your brain, reduce your risk of diabetes, and can help encourage a better overall body composition as well.

Aim to eat to eat at least 2 tablespoons of Organic Chia Seeds a day - this will also have the added benefit of providing you with your entire recommended daily intake of fibre, keeping you feeling fuller for longer!
 

Goji Berries - Nature's Super Fruit

Fruits are a delicious food and a great snack at any time of the day, or as a replacement for dessert if you’re watching your body weight.

Goji berries are a fruit worthy of a spot in your diet protocol. They’re unique, in that they actually contain more fibre than they do sugar, meaning they will work overtime to keep blood glucose levels stable. This makes them perfect for anyone who’s hoping to ward off diabetes.

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is taught that goji berries boost vitality and longevity, referring to their high content of vitamin A and C that help strengthen the immune system

On top of that, goji berries are loaded with antioxidants as well, which will help to combat free radical damage and oxidation. Oxidation, when it occurs over time, can increase your risk factor for disease and ageing, so you should be doing all that you can to prevent it.
 

Camu Camu - The King of Vitamin C

When you of think vitamin C, we often imagine oranges, but gram for gram camu camu contains more than 60 times more vitamin C than oranges! To put that into perspective, half a teaspoon of organic camu camu powder will give you more than 600 times your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. To add to this impressive profile, camu camu is also rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

You can never have too much vitamin C, being one of the safest and most effective nutrients. In laymen’s terms, it is the petrol for your immune system and essential for strengthening blood vessels and muscles. Your body simply can’t make vitamin C, so it needs to receive it from a dietary source. So when you consider the importance and effect of vitamin C, listing all the benefits of camu camu will take a few pages.

It is important to note though that the vitamins and minerals in camu camu also include the essential fatty acids, leucine and valine, which can help give your nervous system and muscles a healthy boost.

A delicious tangy taste, you can add organic camu camu powder into your favourite smoothie or juice, or even add to your deserts.

 

...and remember, qualified nutritionists at Healthy Being are available to offer further general advice to help guide you in selecting the right products. So please, feel free to contact us at any time!

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Shannon Clark is a qualified nutritionist and a regular contributor to Healthy Being Insights. She specialises in weight control and management as well as optimal fitness performance. She's devoted to helping readers obtain their own personal best health and fitness and stays on top the latest trends in the industry.